Cancellations, changes and refunds
What it costs to change or cancel, how long a refund takes, and what happens when the airline is the one that cancels. This policy forms part of our booking terms.
On this page
01The 24-hour cooling-off window
Free cancellation on the day you book
Cancel any booking made on this site before midnight NZST/NZDT on the day it was ticketed and we will refund the full amount you paid, including taxes, with no fee from us. The cut-off is local time in New Zealand, not a rolling twenty-four hours, so a booking made late in the evening has less of the day left to run. Cancel online in My trips, or call +64-800-700-093.
This applies where the departure is more than 7 days away, which is the standard airline void window. Inside 7 days, the fare rules apply from the moment of ticketing.
This is a commercial commitment we make. It is not a statutory cooling-off right — neither New Zealand has one for airline tickets — and it does not reduce your other rights.
02After 24 hours: what the fare rules allow
Every fare has its own rules, shown to you before you pay and recorded on your confirmation. Typical premium-cabin rules from this market:
| Fare family | Change | Cancel |
|---|---|---|
| Business / First Flex | No fee, pay any fare difference | Refundable, typically NZ$0–NZ$250 fee |
| Business Saver | NZ$150–NZ$350 plus fare difference | Usually refundable to a travel credit only |
| Premium Economy Flex | No fee, pay any fare difference | Refundable less a fee |
| Premium Economy Saver | NZ$150–NZ$300 plus fare difference | Taxes only |
| Economy Sale | Often not permitted | Taxes only |
We add no cancellation or change fee of our own. What the airline charges is what you pay. We will show you the airline's charge in writing before we action anything.
Government taxes are almost always refundable
Even on a fare the airline calls "non-refundable", departure taxes and passenger service charges that are only payable if you actually fly are generally recoverable. Airlines do not always volunteer this. Ask us and we will claim them for you at no charge.
03When the airline cancels or reschedules
Call us first on +64-800-700-093. We hold the ticket and can usually rebook faster than the airline's call centre.
Where an airline cancels a flight, or makes a significant schedule change you did not agree to, you are generally entitled to a refund of the unused portion or a rebooking at no additional cost — at your election, not the airline's.
Do not accept a credit if you want a refund
Airlines routinely offer a travel credit first. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act, where the failure is of a substantial character you are entitled to choose to cancel and be refunded. A credit is not a substitute unless you agree to it. Tell us if the airline resists — we will escalate it.
We do not charge for handling an airline-initiated disruption. That is what you engaged us for.
04How long a refund takes
Refunds are processed to the original payment method. We cannot refund to a different card or account.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| We lodge the refund with the airline | Within 2 business days of your request |
| Airline assesses and releases funds | 2–8 weeks, sometimes longer after mass disruption |
| We pass the refund to your card | Within 3 business days of receiving it |
| Card issuer posts it to your statement | 3–10 business days after that |
We will tell you the reference number when we lodge it, and you can see the status in My trips. If an airline is slow we chase them; if they are unreasonably slow we tell you so you can consider a chargeback or a tribunal claim.
Money we hold
Where you have paid us and we have not yet paid the airline, that money is held in a dedicated client account, separate from our operating funds. Note that New Zealand has no statutory travel compensation fund, so paying by credit card — which gives you chargeback rights — and holding travel insurance are your strongest protections if a supplier fails.
05Name changes and corrections
A genuine spelling correction — one or two characters — can usually be made free within 24 hours of ticketing. Tell us immediately.
Airlines do not permit a ticket to be transferred to a different person. A name change is a cancellation and rebooking at the fare available on the day, not an amendment.
06If you do not travel
A "no-show" — failing to board without cancelling first — is the worst outcome. Most fares lose all value, and on a return itinerary the airline will usually cancel every remaining sector automatically.
Always call us before the flight departs, even if you have no time to explain why. A cancelled ticket usually retains some value; a no-show usually does not. Two minutes on the phone can be worth thousands of dollars.
§Contacting us about this document
KiwiFlights NZ Limited · NZBN 9429 0512 8874
Unit 205, 26 Morningside Drive, Morningside, Auckland, 1025, NZ
support@kiwiflights.co.nz · +64-800-700-093 (within New Zealand) · +64-800-700-093 (international)
This page describes the New Zealand trading entity. If you booked in the other market, switch the jurisdiction above — the contracting entity, currency and governing law are different.
Something trickier than a return flight?
Multi-city trips, groups of nine or more, flying home from a different city, or dates that need to move — a search box gives up here, a person doesn’t. Ask us to price it. It costs nothing and usually comes back cheaper.
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