Getting a Refund on Non-Refundable Flights in India: 4 Legit Ways
By Arjun Kapoor (Arjun Kapoor tracks error fares, mileage runs and award-chart sweet spots for Indian travellers. He moderates two Telegram fare-alert channels and has booked Europe round-trips at sub-₹25,000 four times in the last 24 months.) · Published · 9 min read
Non-refundable doesn't always mean zero refund. DGCA rules give you a 24-hour window, medical emergencies create a separate pathway, and credit shells recover most of the value even when cash refund isn't possible. Here's the real playbook.
TL;DR: Yes, You Have Options Even on a Non-Refundable Ticket
Four legitimate ways to get money back from a 'non-refundable' Indian domestic or international flight: (1) Cancel within 24 hours of booking under DGCA's cooling-off provision, (2) Claim on medical or bereavement grounds with documentation, (3) Accept a credit shell rather than a cash refund (recovers most of the value), (4) Escalate to the AirSewa portal if the airline is dragging its feet. None of these are guaranteed, but each has a real legal or practical basis — and most passengers don't know they exist.
Way 1: The 24-Hour Cancellation Right (The One Most People Miss)
This is the one that gets missed most often. DGCA's passenger charter gives you the right to cancel a flight booking within 24 hours of purchase with a full refund (or at most a nominal cancellation fee) — regardless of the fare type — provided the departure is at least 7 days away. This is similar to the US DOT's 24-hour rule and is just as binding here.
I can't count how many times I've told someone this after they panicked about a wrong-date booking. If you booked this morning and realised tonight that you got the month wrong, call the airline immediately. Don't wait until tomorrow.
Important caveats: the 7-days-before-departure condition is key. If you're booking a flight that departs in 3 days, this rule doesn't apply. Also, third-party OTA bookings (via MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip, Cleartrip, etc.) are governed by both the OTA's own policy and the DGCA rule — some OTAs pass the full refund through, others apply their own service fee. For DGCA complaints about OTA behaviour, AirSewa covers airline-origin issues; OTA disputes go to consumer court or the RBI's banking ombudsman (if paid via credit card).
Source: DGCA Circular on Passenger Charter — verify the current version on the DGCA official website (dgca.gov.in) as rules do get updated.
Way 2: Medical or Bereavement Grounds — What Actually Works
Airlines have discretion (not a legal obligation, for most cases) to waive cancellation fees for genuine medical emergencies or family bereavement. In practice, most major Indian airlines — IndiGo, Air India — do process these if you have the right documentation.
What you'll need:
- For medical: a doctor's certificate or hospitalisation paperwork showing the passenger (or an immediate family member) is unfit to travel
- For bereavement: a death certificate of the immediate family member
- Submit within 24–72 hours of the original flight, if possible
What you'll typically get: not necessarily a cash refund, but often a credit shell or a waiver of the cancellation penalty, meaning you get back the base fare minus taxes. Sometimes even the full amount. It varies by airline and fare class.
Be honest with documentation. Airlines have seen every possible creative interpretation of 'medical emergency' and they've gotten smarter about verification. Faking documentation to get a refund is fraud — don't do it. But if it's a genuine situation, absolutely pursue this path and escalate if you're met with a flat refusal, since some agents wrongly deny valid claims.
Way 3: The Credit Shell — Not Cash, But Real Money
If a cash refund isn't available, most airlines will offer a credit shell — essentially a wallet credit locked to your name (or email/phone on the booking) that you can use toward future bookings on the same airline. This isn't as good as cash, but it's significantly better than losing the entire fare.
Some things to know about credit shells:
- Expiry: IndiGo credit shells have historically had 12-month validity; Air India's policy may differ. Always check the expiry date at the time the shell is issued. I've watched people let ₹8,000 in credit expire because they didn't notice the deadline.
- Name restriction: Credit shells are typically passenger-specific. You usually can't transfer them to another family member. This matters if the original passenger won't be flying within the validity period.
- Usability: Some airlines restrict credit shells to the same route; others allow full flexibility. Confirm this before accepting.
- OTA bookings: If you booked via an OTA, the credit shell may sit with the OTA, not the airline. Check which entity holds it.
If the airline is offering a credit shell and you'd prefer a cash refund, you can try negotiating — but for non-refundable fares outside the situations above, you don't have a strong legal leg to stand on for cash. Accept the credit shell and use it promptly.
Way 4: AirSewa — When the Airline Is Ignoring You
AirSewa (airsewa.gov.in) is India's official aviation grievance portal, managed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. If an airline is ignoring a legitimate refund request, dragging out a response beyond the regulatory timeline, or has denied something you believe you're entitled to under DGCA rules, this is your escalation path.
DGCA regulations require airlines to process valid refund claims within a defined timeframe (as of 2026, generally within 7 working days for credit card payments; verify the current requirement on dgca.gov.in). If they've blown past that, a formal AirSewa complaint creates a paper trail and typically prompts a faster response from the airline's grievance team.
Filing a complaint on AirSewa is free and takes about 15 minutes. You'll need: your booking reference, the original ticket, documentation of any communication with the airline, and a clear statement of what you're claiming and why. The portal assigns a complaint number and the airline has to respond within a defined period.
AirSewa is most effective for airline-specific issues (missed refund, denied boarding compensation, baggage claims). For OTA-specific disputes (OTA kept the refund, OTA won't process it), you'd typically go to consumer court, the National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000), or the bank's chargeback mechanism on your credit card.
See also: DGCA delay compensation guide — the same portal and process applies there.
What About Credit Card Chargebacks?
This is the often-overlooked fifth option, though I listed four in the title because chargebacks are more of a last resort than a first-line strategy.
If you paid with a credit card and the airline has refused a refund that you believe you're legally entitled to, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. Indian banks are required under RBI guidelines to investigate card disputes. A chargeback doesn't guarantee you'll win — the airline gets to respond too — but for clear-cut cases (like a DGCA-mandated refund that was refused), card companies often side with the customer.
One important note: exhaust the airline's official process first, document every step, and only raise a chargeback after you have a clear paper trail showing the airline's refusal. Raising an immediate chargeback without trying the airline's process first can complicate things. RBI's Banking Ombudsman (rbi.org.in) is the escalation path if the bank itself doesn't process your dispute fairly.
What You Typically Can't Recover
In the interest of honesty: there are situations where you're not getting the money back, and knowing this upfront saves frustration.
- A no-show cancellation (didn't cancel, just didn't show up) usually forfeits everything on a non-refundable ticket
- Cancellation within the close-in period (e.g., under 2 hours before departure) on a non-refundable fare — airlines often forfeit the entire amount
- Cancellations that don't meet the documentation threshold for medical/bereavement claims
- Taxes and fees: even when the base fare is non-refundable, airport taxes and government levies are almost always refundable — many passengers don't claim these. Always ask for the tax refund even if the fare is forfeited.
That last point is worth repeating: taxes are almost always refundable even on non-refundable tickets. The airport development fee, passenger service fee, and government surcharges can add up to ₹300–1,000+ per ticket. File a specific claim for those if the airline tries to keep them too.
If you're worried about future bookings, consider travel insurance — a good policy covers trip cancellation for medical reasons and sometimes other grounds. Check options via FlightGPT's travel tools next time you book.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cancel a non-refundable flight and get my money back in India?
Sometimes, yes. If you cancel within 24 hours of booking and the departure is at least 7 days away, DGCA rules entitle you to a full or near-full refund regardless of fare type. Beyond that, medical emergencies with documentation, bereavement cases, or situations where the airline caused the disruption may also qualify for a refund or fee waiver. In other cases, a credit shell (future booking credit) is often the best outcome for a non-refundable fare.
What is a credit shell and how long does it last?
A credit shell is a booking credit tied to your passenger profile on a specific airline, issued when you cancel a non-refundable ticket. IndiGo credit shells have historically had 12-month validity; Air India's terms may differ. Always check the expiry date at issuance and use it before it lapses. Credit shells are typically name-specific and can't be transferred to another passenger.
How do I file a complaint on AirSewa for a refund issue?
Go to airsewa.gov.in, register or log in, and file a complaint under the relevant category (usually 'Refund' or 'Cancellation'). You'll need your booking reference, original ticket, and documentation of the airline's response (or lack thereof). The airline is required to respond within a defined period set by DGCA. For clear-cut cases (delayed refunds, denied DGCA-mandated compensation), AirSewa is genuinely effective at prompting action.
Are airport taxes refundable on a non-refundable ticket?
Yes — airport development fees, passenger service fees, and most government levies are refundable even when the base fare is not. Airlines should process these automatically but often don't. Explicitly request the tax refund when cancelling. For domestic tickets, these taxes can range from around ₹300 to over ₹1,000 depending on the airport and fare, so it's worth the effort.
Can I get a refund if the airline changed my flight time significantly?
Yes. If the airline makes a significant schedule change (typically a 3-hour or more departure time change, though the exact threshold varies by airline and fare rules), you're generally entitled to either accept the new flight, rebook on an alternate flight, or request a full refund — even on a non-refundable fare. This is a separate passenger right from the general cancellation policy. Document the change notification and claim promptly.
What if I booked through MakeMyTrip or another OTA — does the DGCA 24-hour rule still apply?
The DGCA rule applies to the underlying airline booking; the OTA is supposed to pass this through. In practice, some OTAs apply their own service fees or processing delays. If an OTA refuses to honour the 24-hour cancellation right, you can escalate to AirSewa (for the airline component) or to the National Consumer Helpline / consumer court for the OTA's own charges. Keep all confirmation emails as evidence.