Can I refund a non-refundable ticket

“Non-refundable” doesn’t mean “the money is fully gone”. Even on the strictest fare you’re owed back the unused taxes and fees — the ones charged only for an actual departure. And if the airline cancelled the flight or you fell ill with documents, a full refund may apply.

In short

A voluntary refund on a non-refundable fare gives back only unused fees and part of the airport/fuel taxes. An involuntary refund is full: if the airline cancelled the flight or significantly changed the schedule, on the death of the passenger or a close relative, on illness with a certificate, and sometimes on a visa refusal. The request is filed via your personal account, and the money returns in up to 5—7 business days to the same card.

01 / FeesWhat is always refunded

A ticket price is the fare plus taxes and fees. The fare on a non-refundable ticket is not returned, but fees that aren’t charged when you don’t fly must be returned in any case. These are airport departure taxes, the fuel surcharge of some carriers and part of the state duties of the country of departure.

The amounts are modest — usually from a few hundred to a few thousand roubles, depending on the route. On long-haul international flights the fees are higher and the refund can be noticeable.

Issuing service feeOur own ticketing service fee (agency) and the airline’s refund processing fee are not returned — they’re deducted from the final amount. We always show the deduction before you confirm the request.

02 / InvoluntaryWhen you get a full refund

An involuntary refund doesn’t depend on the fare letter. If the trip fell through not by your choice and it’s confirmed by documents, the entire ticket price is returned with no penalty, including the fare.

Scenario	What is refunded
Airline cancelled the flight	Full ticket price
Major schedule change	Full ticket price
Death of passenger / close relative	Full price with a certificate
Illness with a certificate before departure	Full price, rules vary
Visa refusal	Often partial — depends on the carrier
Changed your mind (voluntary)	Only fees and part of the taxes

Rules vary by carrierAirlines treat illness and visa refusal differently: some return everything, others keep part of the fare, others issue only a voucher. The exact condition depends on the fare rules in your booking — we’ll check it before filing.

03 / DocumentsMedical certificate and other documents

For a refund on illness you need a proper medical certificate with the clinic’s stamp, date and diagnosis or a note of unfitness to fly that covers the departure date. A backdated certificate is usually not accepted.

Passenger illness: a stamped certificate covering the departure date.
Death of a close relative: a death certificate and proof of kinship.
Visa refusal: an official consulate refusal with date and stamp.
Flight cancellation: nothing to collect — the fact is visible in the system and we initiate the refund ourselves.

04 / RequestHow to file the request

Open the booking in your account

Go to “My trips”, select the ticket and click “Request a refund”. The system shows the fare type immediately.

BookingR-SU271-B7K3

FareЭконом, невозвратный

Request a refund →

Choose the reason and refund type

Indicate whether the refund is voluntary or involuntary. For an involuntary one pick the reason — illness, cancellation, visa refusal.

Attach the documents

Upload a scan of the certificate or statement. We accept PDF, JPG and HEIC; keep the originals — the airline may request them.

Confirm the calculation

We’ll show the refund amount, the deductions and the destination card. After you confirm, the request goes to the carrier.

Settlement timelineThe money returns to the same card you paid with, usually within 5—7 business days after the airline approves it. With some foreign carriers it can stretch to two bank statement cycles — that’s normal.

05 / PartialPartial refund by segments

If you’ve flown part of the route and not the rest, the price of the unused segments is returned by their share of the fare, along with their unused fees. On a non-refundable fare the fare portion for the unused leg usually isn’t returned, but the taxes are.

Round-trip is not two ticketsIn a round-trip fare the return leg is often cheaper than it looks, and a no-show on the first segment can cancel the second. Before skipping the outbound leg, tell us — we’ll preserve the return ticket.

06 / FAQFrequently asked

If I simply no-show, do I get anything back?

Nothing comes back automatically. But you may still claim the unused taxes and fees even after the departure date — file the request in your account.

What counts as a “major” schedule change?

For most carriers it’s a shift of departure or arrival by several hours, an airport change or an added connection. The threshold varies — we’ll check your fare rules.

Can I get a voucher instead of money?

Sometimes it’s better: on some fares a voucher for a future flight is issued without keeping the fare, where a cash refund would return only the fees. We’ll show both options.

I fell ill during the trip — will the return leg be refunded?

Yes, with a certificate the unused return segment can be refunded involuntarily. Keep all medical documents and receipts.

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