If you want a refund for travel because of coronavirus

If you can’t travel because of coronavirus, you might be able to get a refund or choose to rebook for another time.

You should check the website of the company you booked with or any emails you’ve received from them. They might have a coronavirus refund policy.

You have different rights depending on whether:

• the travel company cancelled your booking

• you want to cancel your booking but it’s still going ahead

If the company cancelled your booking 

You’ll automatically have the right to a refund if your booking was for:

• a package holiday - check if your booking counts as a package holiday and how to get a refund

• a flight leaving from the UK

• a flight arriving in the UK with a UK or EU airline

• a flight arriving in the EU with a UK airline

Check how to get a refund if your flight’s cancelled.

If your booking was for something else, check the terms and conditions to find out if you’re entitled to a refund and how long it should take.

If you want to cancel your booking but it's still going ahead

You might not want or be able to travel if for example:

• you have to self-isolate

• you have to quarantine

• coronavirus restrictions change in the place you’re visiting

If the company doesn’t cancel your booking, you can ask for a refund but you don’t have an automatic right to one. Check the terms and conditions of your booking to see what you can do.

You can find out if your travel is affected by coronavirus restrictions on GOV.UK.

You can also check the foreign travel advice on GOV.UK. 

Remember coronavirus restrictions and government advice might change before you travel or while you’re away.

Tell the company if the government  say travelling to a country will put your health or safety at risk. This might help you argue for a refund.

If the company won’t give you a refund, it’s usually better to wait and see if they cancel the booking later. If they cancel the booking, they should refund you.

If you’re offered a voucher instead of a refund

It’s usually best to ask for a refund instead - you should contact the company you booked with and ask. They should give you a refund if they cancelled your travel.

If you’re thinking of accepting a voucher, check the terms and conditions, including:

• when the voucher expires

• whether you can change your mind later and get a refund

If the company you booked with has gone out of business

You should check if your booking will still go ahead - for example, you could:

• check the company’s website 

• call or write to the company and ask  

If you booked with a travel agent, you should contact the other companies your travel is with - for example, your flight or hotel provider.

If your booking isn’t going ahead, you might be able to get a refund - you can find out how to try and get your money back if a company stops trading.

Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service for help working out if you can get a refund for a voucher.

If your refund is taking longer than expected

You should contact the company and ask how long the refund will take. It’s worth telling them if you need the money urgently - for example, if you’ve lost your job.

If the refund takes longer than the company said it would, you can find out how to complain.

If the company says they won’t give you a refund

If you have travel insurance, check if you can make a claim. You could read the terms and conditions or contact the insurer. You might also be covered by your home insurance or your bank account insurance.

If you claim on your insurance, you might have to pay: 

• an excess fee

• more for insurance in the future

If you booked something for someone else, you might not be able to claim it back unless they’re named on your insurance policy.

You could check if you can get a refund if you paid by card or Paypal instead.

You can try to get a refund from your card provider at the same time as starting your insurance claim. You can only get a refund from one of them - if you keep the money from both it could be fraud.

Contact the Citizens Advice consumer service if you need more help - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or online chat.

If you need more help

You can check how to deal with a company that won’t give you a refund.

You can also contact the Citizens Advice consumer service - a trained adviser can give you advice over the phone or by online chat.

If a company has treated you unfairly, you can report them to Trading Standards. You can check how to report a company to Trading Standards.

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