If you are the one who cancels, because of illness or something unexpected, the airline does not have to refund your ticket unless your fare allows it: you can still get the airport taxes back, change the date or name for a fee, or claim on your travel insurance. If the airline cancels or significantly changes the flight, a refund is always due and, in some cases, compensation of up to €600 too. Here is what to do in each situation.
Who decided not to fly: you or the airline?
This is the first thing to establish, because it changes everything:
- You cancel (illness, work, family reasons): the conditions of your fare apply. Cheap fares are usually non-refundable.
- The airline cancels or reschedules: EU Regulation 261/2004 applies and you are entitled to a full refund within 7 days or an alternative flight, as you prefer. With less than 14 days' notice, you may also be owed compensation. See our guide to cancelled flights.
Watch out: if the airline moves your flight by many hours and you can no longer travel, ask for a refund and do not accept a voucher unless you want one.
What you can get back if you cancel
| What | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| Airport taxes | Almost always: they are tied to passengers who actually fly | Request to the airline after the flight date |
| Ticket price | Only with a refundable or flexible fare | Through manage booking, before departure |
| Change of date or destination | With most fares, paying the difference and a fee | Through manage booking |
| Name change | With many airlines, for a fee | Online or through customer service |
| Costs you have paid | If you have cancellation insurance | Claim to the insurer with documents |
Getting airport taxes refunded
The ticket price includes taxes and charges that the airline only pays for passengers who actually fly. If you do not travel, you can ask for them back even on a non-refundable ticket. Some airlines charge an admin fee that can be higher than the amount you would recover, so check their conditions first. We explain this in our guide to airport tax refunds.
Illness and serious emergencies: insurance
For illness, an accident or a bereavement, airlines usually do not refund a non-refundable ticket, even with a medical certificate. This is where travel cancellation insurance comes in, whether you bought it with the flight, have it through your credit card or took it out separately: it usually covers what you paid, within the policy limits and excess.
- tell the airline and the insurer straight away, before departure;
- keep medical certificates or other documents proving what happened;
- check what the policy covers: not all of them cover pre-existing conditions.
If you booked a package holiday
Flights and a hotel sold together are a package holiday with their own rules: you can cancel before departure by paying a fee, or with no fee if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at the destination make the trip impossible or unsafe (a natural disaster, for example). In that case you deal with the package organiser, not the airline.
Was your flight delayed or cancelled?
If you did travel and the flight arrived 3 hours or more late, or was cancelled at short notice, you may be owed €250, €400 or €600 per passenger on top of a refund or rerouting. With DelayFlight24 you can check for free in 2 minutes: if you go ahead, you pay nothing upfront and our fee is 25% + VAT only if you get compensated. The rules are on our page about delayed flights.
Frequently asked questions about refunds when you cannot fly
I have a medical certificate: does the airline have to refund my ticket?
Usually not, if the fare is non-refundable. The certificate is mainly useful for your cancellation insurance, which may cover the ticket price.
Can I claim airport taxes back on a low-cost ticket?
Yes, taxes linked to the passenger are only due if you fly. The airline may keep an admin fee set out in its conditions.
The airline changed the times and I can no longer fly: what am I owed?
If the change is significant you can refuse it and ask for a full refund. With less than 14 days' notice, you may also be owed compensation.
Can I transfer my ticket to someone else?
Many airlines allow a name change for a fee, up to a deadline before departure. Check the conditions in manage booking.
If I do not turn up for the flight, do I lose everything?
You lose the flight and, usually, the return too if it is on the same booking and you do not tell the airline. The airport taxes can still be refunded.
Work out your compensation now
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- Free check, no commitment
- No upfront costs: 25% + VAT only if we win
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Find out more
- Air passenger rights
- Delayed flight: when you can claim compensation
- Cancelled flight: refund and compensation
- Overbooking: what you are owed
- What our service costs
Article updated on 22/10/2026 by the DelayFlight24 editorial team.