Your refund options depend on whether the airline cancelled the flight or you cancelled it yourself, as well as your fare type.
Dubai: A cancelled flight does not always mean losing the money paid for a ticket. Your options depend mainly on who cancelled the flight, your fare type and the airline’s conditions.
For UAE travellers, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia and flydubai have different rules for refunds, rebooking and travel credit.
The most important distinction is whether the airline cancelled the flight or you cancelled it yourself.
Emirates
If Emirates cancels or significantly disrupts your flight, affected passengers may have options to rebook, change travel dates or request a refund, depending on the circumstances.
Passengers can check their options through Emirates’ Flight Status and Manage Your Booking services.
If you cancel a non-refundable ticket yourself:
- Special fares: Generally non-refundable and non-changeable. Unused government taxes and airport fees may be refundable.
- Saver and Flex fares: Refund and cancellation options depend on the fare conditions.
- Airline cancellation or major disruption: Passengers may qualify for rebooking, rerouting, or a refund under Emirates’ disruption policies.
Etihad Airways
Etihad provides broader refund options when the airline cancels the flight.
If Etihad cancels your flight, you may be able to:
- Request a full refund to the original payment method, including for a non-refundable Basic ticket.
- Rebook on an alternative flight.
- Convert the ticket value into Etihad Credit for future travel and extras.
If you cancel the ticket yourself:
- Basic: Generally non-refundable after the first 24 hours. Unused government taxes may be claimed.
- Value and Comfort: Cancellation is possible, but fees may apply depending on the fare and route.
- Refund requests must generally be made at least two hours before departure, and the passenger must not have checked in.
Bookings made through travel agencies must generally be handled through the agency.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia’s refund rules depend heavily on the fare purchased.
If Air Arabia cancels your flight, passengers may be offered a cash refund, credit, or complimentary rebooking, depending on the circumstances.
For voluntary cancellations:
- Basic: Cancellation fees apply, and the fare is generally not refunded to the original payment method.
- Value: Cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours before departure, with applicable fees deducted before the remaining amount is converted into credit.
- Ultimate: Cancellation can generally be made up to eight hours before departure, with conditions varying by route.
- Air Arabia Credit: Remaining eligible value is generally provided as credit rather than cash.
No modifications or cancellations are permitted within eight hours of departure under the stated conditions.
flydubai
flydubai generally does not provide cash refunds when passengers voluntarily cancel their bookings.
Depending on the fare, passengers may instead receive a voucher for future travel.
For non-refundable fares:
- Only eligible taxes may be refunded.
- Government non-refundable taxes cannot be recovered.
- Cancellation refunds are generally issued as flydubai vouchers.
- Requests can be made through Manage Booking or the airline’s Customer Centre.
Can you get a refund on a non-refundable ticket?
Yes, in some circumstances.
A non-refundable ticket does not necessarily prevent you from receiving money back when the airline cancels your flight or your booking falls under a specific disruption policy.
However, if you voluntarily cancel a non-refundable ticket, cash refunds are usually much more restricted. Depending on the airline, you may receive unused taxes, travel credit or a voucher instead.
| Airline | If airline cancels | If you cancel a non-refundable ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Emirates | Rebooking, rerouting or refund may be available | Usually restricted by fare rules |
| Etihad | Full refund, rebooking or Etihad Credit may be available | Usually fees, credit or unused taxes |
| Air Arabia | Refund, credit or rebooking may be available | Usually credit after applicable fees |
| flydubai | Options depend on disruption policy | Generally voucher or eligible taxes |
The key rule
Before cancelling your booking yourself, check whether the airline has already classified your flight as cancelled or disrupted.
That distinction can determine whether you are entitled to a cash refund or are limited to a voucher, credit, or unused taxes.
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If you cancel a non-refundable ticket yourself, the rules are much more restrictive and depend on the airline and fare you purchased.
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