Hi All - I need to cancel a QF flight booked ex Sydney to the US. I will be wearing the $400 cancellation fee and the balance going into credit in my name. Question is: can I use this credit to book flights piecemeal over the next 12 months as I need to travel domestically and gradually spend the value? Is there a financial penalty of some kind each time I redeem? Thanks all.
I recently received a Qantas credit from a cancelled PER-CBR flight, and I'll warn you now that redeeming it was an absolute nightmare compared to the inbound Virgin credit I received.
Qantas not only require you to use the entire credit in one transaction, but also require the fare type you use it on to be of equal or greater value to the original fare. Comparatively, a Virgin credit can be used piecemeal for any flights.
It was a good learning experience, but I would never book a Qantas flight that I would possibly have to cancel again.
Most fares allow a total refund less the cancellation penalty if it offers it that way. It should state nonrefundable but can be held in credit if that is it's requirement...I would call and check with Qantas on whether the balance after the 400 is taken off can be refunded. Normally also, an International fare can be turned in to a domestic trip within the validity of the International ticket..i.e. 12mths normally from issue date. Once it is exchanged to domestic it takes on a new 12mths from the date of reissue and then all domestic conditions apply...also it can never go back to an International fare once changed across. Also if you have a domestic and it is about to run out of validity, call the airline concerned and see if they will allow that fare to be used to purchase an International ticket which then takes on the new validity of that fare. From there again you can normally just keep paying extra and rebooking a new route and you get another 12mths!!
Adding to what Gazza has said, if you want to keep your fare value as a credit to use when you are ready to make a new booking, there are a few important points which will make it easier.
If you convert your current international fare into a credit voucher, it will be valid for 12 months from the date of the original ticket issue.
Before the 12 months is up, you will need to rebook another international ticket to extend validity for another 12 months. The new fare must have a base (excluding taxes and surcharges) higher than your existing base fare. You can then cancel this new reservation and place it into another credit voucher for a further 12 months before it expires. If you book to a destination with lower taxes and surcharges, you will be able to get the difference refunded.
If you rebook as a domestic fare, it cannot be extended beyond the original 12 months as detailed above.
One point worth remembering is, if you are unsure of how you want to ultimately use the credit, book it as a business class fare. This will mean that you will not pay any change fees when you are ready to book the fare you decide on.
Sorry if this sounds complex, but it is! Good luck.
I just got stung by this and the Qantas service response was absolutely terrible. I had a voucher credit of $635. I had to cancel the flight due to a loss in family. So I keep getting reminded my voucher expires on 6th March. So yesterday I go to book a flight and after nearly an hour on Webchat the agent comes back and says it's not valid as it has to be used within 12 months of ticket issue (which was Jan 2017).
No where on the voucher is this documented. So the agent emails me the terms and conditions. I could have cancelled it last year and lost $99 but they insisted I had 12 months in which to rebook. When I try rebook as per the expiry date they keep emailing me I'm told it's not worth anything anymore. I've tried to stay loyal to these guys for 18 years but this is a scam. I have screen shots of the voucher and there is no information at all listed about 12 months from date of issue. Who's going to read the terms and conditions when they've only ever been told you one expiry date. ACCC worthy!
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Using cancelled Qantas flight credit?
syd_dan
syd_dan
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 13 May 2016
Total posts 25
Hi All - I need to cancel a QF flight booked ex Sydney to the US. I will be wearing the $400 cancellation fee and the balance going into credit in my name. Question is: can I use this credit to book flights piecemeal over the next 12 months as I need to travel domestically and gradually spend the value? Is there a financial penalty of some kind each time I redeem? Thanks all.
JBL
JBL
Member since 01 Jun 2016
Total posts 27
I recently received a Qantas credit from a cancelled PER-CBR flight, and I'll warn you now that redeeming it was an absolute nightmare compared to the inbound Virgin credit I received.
gazza48
gazza48
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 Jun 2016
Total posts 9
Most fares allow a total refund less the cancellation penalty if it offers it that way. It should state nonrefundable but can be held in credit if that is it's requirement...I would call and check with Qantas on whether the balance after the 400 is taken off can be refunded. Normally also, an International fare can be turned in to a domestic trip within the validity of the International ticket..i.e. 12mths normally from issue date. Once it is exchanged to domestic it takes on a new 12mths from the date of reissue and then all domestic conditions apply...also it can never go back to an International fare once changed across. Also if you have a domestic and it is about to run out of validity, call the airline concerned and see if they will allow that fare to be used to purchase an International ticket which then takes on the new validity of that fare. From there again you can normally just keep paying extra and rebooking a new route and you get another 12mths!!
F8.1
F8.1
Member since 02 Oct 2016
Total posts 4
Adding to what Gazza has said, if you want to keep your fare value as a credit to use when you are ready to make a new booking, there are a few important points which will make it easier.
flyer72
flyer72
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 28 Mar 2016
Total posts 2
I just got stung by this and the Qantas service response was absolutely terrible. I had a voucher credit of $635. I had to cancel the flight due to a loss in family. So I keep getting reminded my voucher expires on 6th March. So yesterday I go to book a flight and after nearly an hour on Webchat the agent comes back and says it's not valid as it has to be used within 12 months of ticket issue (which was Jan 2017).