Can a non-refundable flight ticket be returned?

We believe that every traveler has at least once in their life bought the cheapest ticket to their desired destination. If you usually prefer flying with low-cost carriers, be prepared that exchange and refund of tickets with such airlines is often impossible. Today we will analyze whether all non-refundable tickets are truly so.

Legal Aspect of Refunds 

According to Article 108 of the Air Code of the Russian Federation, a passenger can refuse to fly and return the ticket no later than 24 hours before check-in for the flight. It also states that if you notify the carrier later than this time, the airline has the right to charge a penalty of up to 25% of the amount paid for air transportation. If you refuse to fly after check-in for the flight, the company has the full right not to refund the funds. 

Many airlines and agents charge a fee for the refund procedure. Therefore, even if by law the ticket is fully refundable, the carrier may deduct its penalty. When purchasing through an agent, be prepared that they may also charge an additional fee, in addition to the airline's fee. 

With European airlines, things are worse: only airport fees can be refunded. 

How to find out my fare type: refundable or non-refundable

The most important advice: before buying a ticket, be sure to read the rules of the fare you are flying with. Usually, the price consists not only of the cost of the flight, but also of various fees (airport, service, fuel) and taxes. As a rule, the cost of the flight is not refunded when a non-refundable ticket is canceled. In addition, some fees and taxes (YR/YQ) are also non-refundable. 

If the ticket is non-refundable, you will see the following phrases in Russian:

• refund unavailable / refund of carriage fee prohibited;
• refund is paid / refund allowed with fee deduction / upon cancellation the ticket price is not refunded. 

As for international airline routes, you will see the following wordings: 

• changes not permitted — any adjustments are prohibited;
• ticket is non-refundable/no-show — the ticket cannot be returned;
• refundable charge 70 euro — the refund penalty is 70 euros;
• changes at any time charge 45 euro — making any changes costs 45 euros;
• YR/YQ tax is non-refundable only in case of a non-refundable fare — fees and taxes are non-refundable, only if the ticket is non-refundable.

Which ticket is better to buy: refundable or non-refundable

It's better to buy a non-refundable ticket if you are sure you will definitely fly. If you get sick or the refund is canceled due to the airline's fault, it will be much easier to get it back. 

Here are a few cases when you can definitely buy one:

• saving money is your primary goal when flying;
• you are flying with only hand luggage — having checked baggage will significantly increase the cost of any flight;
• the trip will definitely not be affected by sudden work tasks or small children;
• your passport already has a visa.

In other cases, it's better to pay a little extra to be able to return your purchase without significant expenses. We advise saving money in the following ways:

1. Participate in airline sales, such as “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday”.
2. Monitor ticket seasonality. 
3. Choose inexpensive countries for vacation and plan your trip yourself.

In what cases can a non-refundable ticket be returned

In fact, there are several significant reasons why an airline refunds non-refundable tickets:

• a flight cancellation or a flight delay occurred. In such a case, you will get your money back even for additional services, for example, for an onboard meal on the plane;
• in case of overbooking. However, it is very rare on Russian flights;
• your connecting flight was canceled. This situation implies that you did not reach your final destination, so you should be refunded for all parts of the flight;
• the passenger fell ill or died. In the first case, most airlines request medical confirmation; in the second, refunds are processed only for the passenger's legal relatives;
• you were subjected to a long security check at the airport, and because of this, you missed your flight. 

How to act to get a refund

1. Notify the carrier before the flight departure that you will not be able to fly. This can be done via the app, email, or hotline phone.
2. If you fall ill, consult a doctor and obtain a certificate, certified by the seals of the chief physician of the hospital, institution, and treating specialist. In addition, you will need to specify the period of illness during which the flight falls, and provide a document confirming the doctor's prohibition on travel. 
3. Draft an application addressed to the airline or agent. Attach confirmation and copies of tickets to it.
4. Send the appeal by email or registered mail with an inventory of contents and a delivery notification. 
5. If you bought tickets as part of a tour package, you can ask the agency to refund everything at once. 
6. Abroad, tourists usually use insurance, so there are no refunds due to illness.

Important: documents for monetary compensation can be submitted within six months after the departure date.

What to do if you bought a non-refundable ticket

We recommend first clarifying whether it is possible to exchange the ticket for another date or transfer it to another passenger (some companies allow such changes for an additional fee). If this is not possible, then all that remains is to agree to the refund rules and receive money minus taxes and fees.  

When purchasing from us, you can use the additional service “Kupi.com.Refund”. It allows you to return even non-refundable tickets (nothing short of magic). We will refund up to 90% of the cost in points, which you can spend on future travels. An important nuance: you need to contact Customer Care more than 48 hours before departure to arrange a refund.

How to arrange the service on our website

1. Select the required ticket, fill in your full name and other necessary fields.
2. Go to the “Include services you need” field. 
3. Select “Refund even non-refundable ticket” and click the “Make ticket refundable” field. 

We wish you great vacations whose dates will never be disrupted!