Airline vouchers and flight credit are money that quietly slips away from many travellers. Your flight was cancelled or you changed your plans, the airline gave you a voucher instead of cash — and it sat unused until it expired. Travel365 shows you how to use that money in full and save on your next ticket.
Voucher or refund — what are you owed?
First rule: always find out what you're legally owed. If the airline cancelled the flight, you're often entitled to a full cash refund — you're not obliged to accept a voucher.
- The airline cancelled the flight (European route): under EU-261 you're owed a full cash refund — see "Flight Cancelled? Your Rights, Refunds and Compensation"
- The flight was delayed 3+ hours: you may also be owed compensation — see "How to get up to €600 compensation"
- You changed your plans: usually only a voucher or credit applies, subject to the fare rules
- A voucher is optional: the airline can't force you to take a voucher instead of cash if the cancellation is their fault
Expiry — the voucher's main trap
Most vouchers have an expiry date — usually 6-12 months. Many travellers lose money precisely because the voucher expires. As soon as you receive one, note the expiry in your calendar and plan a flight before then.
With some airlines, "using" the voucher means booking the ticket before expiry, while the flight itself can be later. Read the rules in advance — that distinction can save your money.
How to get the most from a voucher
- Book a cheap date: a voucher is a fixed amount, so the cheaper the ticket, the more flights it covers — compare dates with the Travel365 price calendar
- Combine with a card: if the ticket costs more than the voucher, pay the difference by card
- One voucher — one booking: you often can't split it across several tickets, so use it in full
- Name must match: a voucher is usually personal — you can't buy a ticket in someone else's name
- Check the fees: when paying with a voucher, some airlines don't waive the service fee
Low-cost airline credit
With Wizz Air and Ryanair, credit is often added to your account (e.g. the Wizz Air wallet). It can be more than the standard amount (a bonus), but the deadline is strict — often 1-2 years. Such credit can only be spent on the same airline's flights, so make sure in advance that they fly a route you're interested in.
- Wizz Air wallet: credit plus often a 20% bonus if you choose credit instead of cash
- Usable only on the same airline — it won't cover another airline's ticket
- Book before expiry — unused credit disappears
Practical tips
- As soon as you receive a voucher, note the expiry and code somewhere safe
- Compare first: a cash refund is often better than a voucher — reassess what you're owed
- Plan a flight early — a cheap ticket gives a voucher more value; see "When should I buy airline tickets"
- Turn on price alerts so you use the voucher when the price drops
- Keep every email and booking number — useful if there's a dispute over the voucher
A voucher isn't "free money" — it's the money you already paid. Treat it like cash: plan ahead and use it before it expires.
Tags
