Last updated: 15/04/2020
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread, many travellers are asking: Can I get my money back if I cancel my holiday? We've compiled a list of the current cancellation policies across major holiday providers however recommend getting in touch with them directly to confirm how your booking may be affected.
| Airline | Policy | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Air Canada |
If you made a flight booking before 15 Apr 2020, and you want to cancel it, you can do so with no cancellation fee. You will receive full credit, which you can use towards future travel. This credit is valid for travel before 30 Apr 2021. |
https://www.aircanada.com/content/aircanada/au/en/aco/home/book/travel-news-and-updates/goodwill-policies/2020/novel-coronavirus-wuhan-china.html |
| Air New Zealand | All bookings for travel prior to 30 Jun 2020 are eligible to request to convert your ticket to a credit with Air New Zealand. You can use your credit within the next 12 months for any travel on Air New Zealand. Airpoints Dollars™ that were used to pay for the original booking will remain within the credit and not expire. | https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/covid19-airnz-updates#managing-flights |
| American Airlines | American has extended its offer to waive change fees for customers who purchase travel through 30 Sep 2020. Any ticket purchased on or before 7 Apr, for travel through 30 Sep 2020, will not incur change fees prior to travel. Customers must pay any fare difference, if applicable, at time of ticketing of the new fare. | http://aa.com/coronavirus |
| British Airways | If your flight has been cancelled you can rebook or claim a voucher online or claim a voucher to the value of your booking. If you are due to travel between now and 31 May 2020 you can claim a voucher to the value of your booking which you can also do if you decide you no longer wish to travel. | https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/incident/coronavirus/latest-information |
| Cathay Pacific | Cathay Pacific are waiving cancellation and no-show fees for bookings impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19) for any tickets booked before 23 Mar 2020 for travel between 17 Mar and 31 May 2020. | https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_AU/travel-information/travel-preparation/travel-advisories/novel-coronavirus-information-centre/information-and-updates.html |
| Delta | Delta are providing waived change fees and greater flexibility to travel through May 31, 2022, for customers who have upcoming travel already booked in April or May 2020 and as of 3 Apr 2020 have existing eCredits or canceled travel from flights in March, April or May 2020. Additionally, new tickets purchased between 1 Mar and 31 May 2020 can be changed without a change fee for up to a year from the date of purchase. | https://news.delta.com/what-were-doing-delta-takes-action-customers-following-covid-19-outbreak |
| Emirates | Customers with tickets issued on/before 31 May who are impacted are eligible for a travel voucher for ticket value with a validity of 12 months from date of issue. Customers with flight bookings for travel on or before 30 Jun 2020 can rebook their flights to any Emirates destination within the same region without a rebooking fee or paying any fare difference. However, if you change your mind about travelling after you have booked these flights, you can’t change the destination and the ticket is non refundable. | https://www.emirates.com/au/english/help/travel-updates/ |
| Etihad Airways | If you’re scheduled to fly with Etihad Airways before 30 Jun 2020, you will recieve up to USD $400 and up to 5,000 Etihad Guest Miles when you save your trip for later. Or, you change the date of your flight for free to fly before 30 June 2020. | https://www.etihad.com/en-au/travel-updates/covid-19 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | By canceling your ticket, you will not be charged a cancellation fee and the unused value of the ticket may be applied towards the purchase of a new ticket for a period of up to one year from the original ticket purchase date. | https://www.hawaiianairlines.com/coronavirus |
| Japan Airlines | Regardless of ticket rules and conditions, Japan Airlines now accept refunds without any fees. | https://www.jal.co.jp/jp/en/info/2020/inter/200127_02/ |
| Jetstar | Jetstar is offering the option to cancel and receive a credit voucher on all new and existing flight bookings from 15 Mar - 31 Jul 2020. | https://www.jetstar.com/au/en/travel-alerts |
| Lufthansa Group | If you hold a ticket for a cancelled or an existing Lufthansa Group flight, you can keep the ticket without having to commit to a new flight date right away. Existing bookings will initially be cancelled, but the ticket and ticket value will remain unchanged. All customers with unused Lufthansa tickets issued prior to 19 Apr 2020 and with a travel date through 31 Dec 2020 are eligible for a FlightVoucher. Rebooking and redemption of the discount must take place no later than 31s Aug 2020. | https://www.lufthansa.com/de/en/flight-information |
| Qantas | If you’re due to travel on a Qantas flight before 31 Jul 2020, and wish to change your plans, you can cancel your booking and retain the full value as a flight credit. Flight credits can be used for bookings and travel until 31 Dec 2021. You’ll need to change your plans by 30 Apr 2020. If you already have a Qantas flight credit issued on or after 31 Jan 2020, this will also be automatically extended. | https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/travel-updates/coronavirus.html |
| Qatar | If you have already booked or planning to book for travel up to 30 Sep 2020, you can choose to change your travel date free of charge, exchange for a future travel voucher with 10% additional value, or refund your ticket. | https://www.qatarairways.com/en/travel-alerts.html |
| Scoot | All customers with bookings made on or before 15 Mar 2020 travelling on flights scheduled to depart before 31 May 2020 but which were cancelled, will be offered the option to re-route to another destination, re-book the flight fora later travel date or receive a 120% refund in the form of a Scoot travel voucher or 100% refund of the unused itinerary value. | https://www.flyscoot.com/en/announcements/update-on-COVID-19 |
| Singapore Airlines | Singapore Airlines are offering customers the flexibility to retain the value of your ticket and extend its validity, rebook at a later date once you have decided on your travel plans, and waive rebooking fees. The travel waiver is applicable to customers holding tickets issued on or before 15 Mar 2020 with travel dates up to 31 May 2020. | https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/travel-info/covid-19/ |
| United Airlines | If the customer decides to cancel the flight they booked between 3 Mar and 30 Apr 2020, they can retain the value of the ticket to be applied to a new ticket without fee for travel up to 12 months from the original ticket issue date | https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/notices.html#ChangeFeeTerms |
| Virgin Australia | If you hold a ticket for travel up to 30 Jun 2020, you can change your booking or cancel your booking and request a travel credit without incurring a change or cancellation fee. | https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/bookings/flight-status/travel-alerts/ |
| Cruise Line | Policy | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival Cruise Line is pausing operations for all Australian sailings departing from 15 March 2020 through 15 Jun 2020. Affected guests can choose between a full refund of what has been paid or Future Cruise Credit with bonus credit based on trip duration. | https://www.carnival.com.au/travel-advisory |
| Holland America Line | All bookings will automatically be cancelled through 30 Jun 2020. Impacted guests can choose from two options - if you are paid in full, you may choose to defer a refund and instead receive a future cruise credit for 125% of the base cruise fare paid PLUS an onboard credit of US$250 per person, which can be applied toward any future cruise(s) through 31 Dec 2021. Alternatively, if you do not select this option a 100% refund of all mnies paid to Holland Amrica will be reimbursed. | https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/coronavirus-travel-advisory.html |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | For all cruises through 30 Sep 2020 cancel up to 48 hours prior to your holiday start date and receive a Future Cruise Credit for sailings through Dec 2022. For all cruises 1 Oct 2020 and beyond, you can cancel for a full refund up to 120 days before your cruise. | https://www.ncl.com/au/en/travel-alert/coronavirus |
| P&O Australia | For impacted guests booked on departures from Australia between 14 Mar and 14 May 2020, P&O is offering a Future Cruise Credit equal to 200% of the total cruise fare paid or 100% refund of the total cruise fare paid. | https://www.pocruises.com.au/news-centre/notices-advisories/ship-operations-pause |
| Princess Cruises | The Cruise with Confidence plan allows for any guest with a booked cruise set to sail from July through 15 Oct 2020 the opportunity to cancel and receive the full amount you have paid either as a Future Cruise Credit and/or as a refund to the original form of payment method. | https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/temporary-cancellation-policy.html |
| Royal Caribbean International | All cruises are temporarily suspended until 11 May 2020. All affected customers will receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit or lower value full refund for use by 31 Dec 2021. | https://www.royalcaribbean.com/aus/en/cruise-ships/itinerary-updates |
| Scenic | For any guest departing from 1 May to 30 Jun 2020, Scenic will waive our cancellation fees with the value of the bookings applied as a future travel credit. Guests can change or transfer their booking up to 14 days prior to departure for river and ocean cruise bookings, and up to 30 days prior to travel for land tours. | https://www.scenic.com.au/media-centre/coronavirus |
| Silversea | For sailings departing until 31 May 2020, guests may cancel their booking up to 2 days prior to departure and receive a full refund in the form of a Future Cruise Credit. Customers who have had their cruise cancelled by Silversea will receive a 125% Future Cruise Credit. | https://www.silversea.com/temporary-amendment-to-cancellation-policy.html |
| Viking Cruises | Viking is temporarily suspending operations of our river and ocean cruises until 30 Jun 2020. When itinerary changes are required, impacted guests and their travel agents are notified directly by Viking Customer Relations. | https://www.vikingcruises.com.au/oceans/my-trip/current-sailings/index.html |
With the spread of COVID-19, many travel companies are relaxing cancellation and change policies however some, can have a number of different refund policies so we recommend contacting your provider directly to discuss the best option for your booking.
| Tour Operator | Policy | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Contiki | All Contiki trips due to depart on or before 30 Jun 2020 have now been suspended globally. If you have a trip booked during this suspension period, you’ll have a travel credit automatically available to you for the full value of the land portion of your trip, to use for travel before 31 Dec 2022. If you have an existing booking on a non-suspended trip departing more than 30 days from today, Contiki are temporarily offering a change fee waiver, meaning that no fee will be charged for you to change your booking, on the land portion of the trip until 30 days prior to departure. | https://www.contiki.com/au/en/resources/travel-alerts |
| G Adventures | G Adventures has suspended tours starting between 16 Mar and 31 May 2020. If you have booked a tour scheduled to depart between 16 Mar and 31 May 2020, and paid the final payment, you will be provided with a future travel credit valued at 110% of the price paid for their tour and any ancillary services including hotels, pre-paid optional activities, and transfers; but excluding airfare and insurance. | https://www.gadventures.com.au/coronavirus-travel-faq/ |
| Greenlife Tours | All customers are now entitled to one free date change, up to 30 days before the scheduled trip start date. | https://caminoways.com/terms-conditions-conora-virus-update |
| Intrepid | Intrepid Travel is suspending tours departing from 16 Mar to 31 May 2020 and all affected customers will receive a 110% credit of monies paid. For tours departing from 1 Jun 2020 that u choose to suspend, you will receive a credit of monies paid to use towards an alternative tour with a departure date before 30 Apr 2022. | https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/covid19 |
| Travel Corporation |
In accordance with travel restrictions imposed by government advisories worldwide, Trafalgar has temporarily suspended all guided vacations across the globe for trips departing up and until 30 Jun 2020. If you have a booked trip during this suspension period, please rest assured that you have a travel credit automatically available to you for the full value of the land portion of your trip, to use for travel before 31 Dec 2022. If you have an existing booking on a non-suspended trip, departing more than 30 days from today, you have the flexibility to change the land portion of your trip to a new destination or date, free of charge until 30 days prior to departure. |
https://www.trafalgar.com/en-au/resources/coronavirus-travel-update |
Airbnb
Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before 14 March 2020, with a check-in date between 14 March 2020 and 31 May 2020, are covered by the policy and may be cancelled before check-in. Guests who cancel will receive a full refund, and hosts can cancel without charge or impact to their Superhost status. Airbnb will refund all service fees for covered cancellations.
Avis
Cancellation fees for any Pre-Pay rental customers impacted by Coronavirus-related travel bans, will be waivered. For any customers who have booked through a third-party broker, please contact that broker directly for further guidance should your travel be disrupted.
Europcar
Europcar provides both flexible adjustment or cancellation free of charge for all of our customers. We have extended our free of charge modification and cancellation policy to your current or future reservation for any pick-up until 31 May 2020.
Budget
Cancellation fees for any Pre-Pay rental customers impacted by Coronavirus-related travel bans, will be waivered. For increased flexibility on all bookings, including those not impacted by COVID-19 restrictions, you can change or cancel, without fees, any reservations in Europe, Australia and New Zealand for rentals due to start before 1 May 2020. For Pre-Pay bookings which start before this time, there will not be any penalties for changes made up to 24 hours before the start of your rental.
Thrifty
For all cancellations, visit www.thrifty.com.au and click on the View/Cancel booking tab on the website, you will need to enter your email address and booking number or you can email modifybooking@thrifty.com.au.