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What if I want to cancel or refund my booking?
What if I want to cancel or refund my booking?

Information on cancelling flights, associated costs and how to do it.

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Written by Lucy
Updated this week

Overview

The ability to cancel or refund your booking depends on whether your ticket is refundable or not, this is set by the airline based on the fare type purchased, and is not something we can change. Here are some terms & conditions:

  • If you cancel the same day you booked, we may be able to return your deposit to you, but this will be dependent on airline rules and restrictions.

  • If your ticket is refundable, PLT can process a cancellation for you for a fee of 10% of the total booking cost, up to a maximum of $150 per person (whichever is lower). The airline will charge their own cancellation fee in addition, which we are unable to change.

  • If your ticket is non-refundable, we are unlikely to be able to process a refund, however the airline may authorise travel credits.

  • Exemptions can be made for special circumstances such as a death in the family, or a serious medical condition that prevents you from flying. The airline will require evidence to be submitted in PDF format, and we cannot guarantee exemptions will be authorised.

  • If your flight is within 24-48 hours please go directly to your airline for assistance.

Please note, if you fail to make your payments as scheduled, and fail to let us know, we may cancel your booking and you will not be able to travel. We may still charge a fee for this cancellation.


General Information

We understand that sometimes your travel plans change. In the case you want to cancel your booking your options will be based on the fare rules of your booking. Please note that many low-cost or budget carrier flights are non-refundable which may limit what options we can offer you.

If you request a cancellation the same day that you booked the ticket, we may be able to refund the cost to you, depending on the airline's individual rules and policies.

Understanding Whether Your Ticket is Refundable

We aim to make it very clear to you if your flight is or is not refundable. Please check here for more information.

  • In search: When you select a flight from the search options we highlight the flight inclusions for you including if it is refundable or not.

  • At checkout: If you are booking a non-refundable flight, a warning will be displayed at checkout to inform you that the flight is non-refundable.

  • Confirmation email: Your booking confirmation email will also detail if the flight is refundable or not.


Non-Refundable Fares

We recognize that life’s journey can take unexpected turns and changes need to be made. Where possible, we will help accommodate this. When a flight is not refundable, we may be able to explore alternative options for you:

The flight can be changed

It may be that the flight cannot be refunded, but can be amended for a fee. We will then work with you to change your flight to a more suitable option. Check out the change process here.

The airline allows future flight credit

There are some cases where the airline doesn't permit changes or refunds, but does allow passengers to convert their payments into credit for future bookings. For you to be eligible for this, you must complete your payment plan in full first - only then can we request the credit from the airline on your behalf. As this isn't guaranteed, please contact us once you have completed paying your payment plan and we will speak with the airline to see what we can do.

Exemptions

We appreciate that sometimes there may be extreme circumstances that may explain why you need to cancel a flight. If you are experiencing:

  • Medical illness that is preventing you from flying or the death of an immediate family member: We may be able to get an exemption for you from the airline. This is not guaranteed and is dependent on the airline. Please contact us via chat and we will do what we can to get an exemption for you.

  • Documentation: Please be aware that the airline always requires a copy of a medical certificate indicating your inability to travel for the specified dates. Additionally, if there is a death of an immediate family member, a copy of the death certificate is also necessary. A PDF of the original document will need to be submitted to the PLT team for us to liaise with the airline.


Refundable Fares

Please note there will be a cancellation fee from the supplier, airline, and us, PayLater Travel when you cancel a refundable booking. We will calculate this fee and inform you of the amount once we receive your cancellation request.

  • If the amount you have paid so far in your payment plan exceeds the cancellation fees we will refund you the difference

  • If the amount you have paid is less than the cancellation fee you will need to pay the difference to cancel your flight

We will inform you of the difference in the refund dollar amount and have you confirm you are happy to proceed before canceling your flight.

How much is the PayLater Travel cancelation fee?

PayLater Travel imposed a reasonable service charge fee of 10% of the total booking price, up to a maximum of $150 per passenger.

These fees apply to all passengers who have booked to travel in their own seat; infants who sit on their parent or guardian's laps for the duration of the flight may be exempt from the fees.

Refund Timelines

If you are eligible for a refund, please be patient with us as the process can take some time. Once we request a refund from the airline, the timeframe for receiving it can vary, potentially taking up to 12 - 18 weeks, depending on the airline's specific procedures.


Cancellation Process

Bookings Made After January 17, 2024

If you have booked your flight on PayLater Travel after January 17 2024 you can request a cancellation directly on our website! To do so:

  1. Press the flight you want to cancel

  2. You will see a cancel booking button - press this

  3. You will be informed if your flight is refundable or not. If your flight is refundable you can simply request a cancellation. We will calculate the cancellation fee and inform you of the fee via email. This fee includes the supplier's fee, airline fee, and our fee. If your flight is non-refundable we will indicate as such.

  4. Once you accept the cancellation fee we will process your cancellation. If the amount you have paid to date is less than the cancellation fee you will need to pay the shortfall upfront before we process your cancellation. If the amount you have paid is more than the cancellation fee, you will be refunded this difference. Note it can take some time to receive the refund from the airline which we then pass on to you.

From left to right: Press cancel booking, view if your flight is refundable (this flight is), and request a cancellation.

Bookings Made Before January 17, 2024

If you want to cancel your booking please reach out to us via chat, and select the cancel flight request option. We will then ask you for your booking ID and the reason why you want to cancel your flight. Whether you can secure a refund on your flight is dependent on the fare policy for your booking. We will check your booking's fare policy and let you know if you are eligible for a refund or not if you cancel the flight.

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