What is Travel voucher?

A travel voucher is credit with the airline offered instead of a repayment, redeemable only against that airline’s own services.

Also called: Travel credit.

How it works#

Accepting one is voluntary. Where a statutory refund right exists, a voucher only replaces it with the passenger’s explicit agreement, a pre-ticked box on a website does not count. Vouchers carry two risks: an expiry date, and the insolvency of the issuer, in which case they become an ordinary claim against the estate.

Not to be confused with#

A travel voucher is not the same as a refund: a refund returns money, a voucher ties the amount to future bookings with the same provider.

In German#

The German term is Reisegutschein. German version of this term

Related terms#

• Refund: A refund is the repayment of the fare when a flight is cancelled or the passenger no longer wants to travel after a disruption.
• Chargeback: A chargeback is the reversal of a card payment through your own bank when a paid-for service was not delivered or not delivered as agreed.
• Provider insolvency: Provider insolvency is the financial failure of an airline, hotel or agency, leaving booked services undelivered.

Articles that use this term#

• Do you have to accept a voucher instead of cash?
• When do you get money back for a flight you didn’t take?
• What happens to your miles if the airline fails?
• What is a point actually worth, and how do you work it out yourself?
• What are you owed when you’re denied boarding?
• What’s in the fare rules, and why read them?