OTA Refund Timelines in 2026: MakeMyTrip vs EaseMyTrip vs ixigo — who actually pays you back fastest?
By Aarav Sharma (Aarav Sharma covers Indian airline operations, airport infrastructure and route economics. He writes about Tier-1 and Tier-2 airport developments, IndiGo and Air India fleet strategy, and the unsung Indian aviation hubs travellers should know about.) · Published · 10 min read
MakeMyTrip, EaseMyTrip and ixigo all promise refunds within 7–15 business days, but the real-world experience varies wildly depending on whether your airline triggered the cancellation or you did. Here is the 2026 side-by-side comparison, with escalation paths that actually work.
TL;DR — quick answer on OTA refund timelines
All three major OTAs — MakeMyTrip (MMT), EaseMyTrip and ixigo — promise refunds within 7–15 business days for airline-initiated cancellations, and 7–10 business days for customer-initiated cancellations after deducting their service fee. In practice, the gap between what they promise and what happens is wide. Airline-initiated refunds tend to land faster (5–10 working days) because the OTA can pass the credit along once the airline releases it. Customer-initiated cancellations routinely take 12–20 days because the OTA is waiting on the airline's back-end to process the refund before it can credit you. The fastest path to your money: request a refund to the original payment method, not to an in-app wallet — you'll skip one processing step.
What does each OTA's official policy actually say?
Here is a simplified breakdown of each platform's stated refund SLA as of 2026. Always verify the current version on each platform's help centre, since these policies get quietly updated:
| OTA | Airline-cancelled flight | Customer-cancelled (within free window) | Instant credit option? |
|---|---|---|---|
| MakeMyTrip | 5–10 business days | 7–15 business days | Yes — MMT Wallet credit (immediate); bank transfer takes longer |
| EaseMyTrip | 7–15 business days | 7–15 business days | EMT Wallet credit is faster; source refund available |
| ixigo | 7–10 business days | 7–10 business days | ixigo Money (wallet) credit offered; source refund also available |
A key nuance: 'business days' excludes bank holidays and Sundays — so a 7-business-day SLA around Diwali or Christmas can mean 12–15 calendar days. None of these OTAs count the day of cancellation as day one. And the clock doesn't start on your cancellation request — it starts when the airline confirms the cancellation to the OTA's system, which can itself take 24–48 hours.
Instant wallet credit vs source refund — which should you choose?
Every OTA will push you toward their wallet credit because it keeps your money inside their ecosystem. The appeal is real — MMT Wallet credit, EMT Wallet and ixigo Money credits often appear within minutes or a few hours of cancellation. If you fly often, this is genuinely useful.
But if you do not want to be stuck spending that money only through their platform, choose refund to original source — your card, UPI-linked account or net banking. This takes longer, but the money is yours unconditionally. A few real-world patterns I have noticed: MMT tends to be quickest at releasing wallet credits but slower at source refunds, especially for Air India bookings where the airline's backend processes lag. EaseMyTrip has historically been more predictable on source refunds — their 7–15 day window is usually hit without drama. ixigo, which now handles a large volume of IndiGo bookings, has improved its refund processing through a more streamlined API with IndiGo; expect ixigo refunds on IndiGo cancellations to be among the faster ones.
One thing that trips people up: if you paid via a credit-card EMI, the refund will go back to your card but the bank may not immediately reduce the EMI or release the limit — check with your bank after the OTA confirms the credit.
Where real-world delays come from — the actual bottlenecks
The OTA is almost never the only party holding up your refund. Here is how the chain typically looks:
- You cancel on the OTA app/website → OTA sends a cancellation request to the airline's GDS or API (IndiGo uses a direct API; others may go via Amadeus or Sabre).
- Airline confirms the cancellation and releases the refund amount back to the OTA (this can take 24–96 hours, especially for international itineraries).
- OTA processes the refund internally (another 1–3 business days for credit-card rails).
- Payment gateway / bank credits your account (1–3 business days for credit cards, typically same-day for UPI-linked accounts).
So a 7-business-day SLA from the OTA ignores steps 2 and 4 entirely. In practice, the end-to-end window from cancellation to money-in-hand is closer to 10–18 calendar days for credit card bookings. UPI and net banking tend to be faster at the last mile. SpiceJet bookings, especially for flights the airline postponed or changed, have been among the slowest to release refunds back to OTAs in recent months — worth knowing if you have a booking with them.
Escalation tricks that actually move the needle
If your refund is past the stated SLA, here is the escalation hierarchy that I have seen work:
- First: In-app chat, not the helpline. The in-app chat at MMT and EaseMyTrip logs a ticket with a timestamp — a phone call does not. Use the chat, get a ticket number, and screenshot it.
- Second: Email the nodal officer. All OTAs are required under Indian consumer-protection rules to publish a Grievance Officer and Nodal Officer. For MMT, the grievance email is listed in their Help Centre under 'Contact Us → Write to Us'. EaseMyTrip publishes a grievance.officer@ address. Send a formal email with your PNR, booking ID, cancellation date and the SLA they promised. This often triggers a faster resolution than chat.
- Third: Tweet / post publicly. It is shallow, but it works. Tag @MakeMyTrip, @EaseMyTrip or @ixigotravel with your booking ID and the number of days elapsed. OTA social teams tend to respond faster to public posts because they are brand-visibility issues.
- Fourth: DGCA Air Suvidhaa portal. If the delay is related to an airline-cancelled flight (not your own cancellation), file a complaint at the DGCA AirSuvidhaa portal (airsuvidhaa.dgca.gov.in). OTAs and airlines take DGCA-registered complaints seriously — it usually accelerates things.
- Fifth: Consumer forum / RBI ombudsman. If the amount is significant and nothing has moved after 30 days, file through the National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000) or the RBI payment ombudsman (for UPI or credit-card payment disputes).
You can also compare fares across these OTAs and book direct with the airline via FlightGPT's AI flight search — booking direct with IndiGo or Air India means your refund goes through the airline's own pipeline, cutting the OTA middleman out entirely.
Which OTA is actually fastest — a realistic verdict
Based on consistent patterns and consumer forum reports in 2026: ixigo edges ahead for IndiGo bookings thanks to tighter API integration; EaseMyTrip is the most predictable (fewer surprise delays); MMT has the best wallet-credit speed but the most inconsistent source-refund experience, especially for international bookings or bookings involving Air India's older legacy routes.
None of the three will beat 5 working days consistently for source refunds. If you want the money back in your bank account quickly, book direct with the airline — both IndiGo's website and Air India's post-merger booking engine process refunds in 5–7 business days. The tradeoff is that OTAs often have better fares and the price comparison does the work for you. Check prices on FlightGPT first, then decide whether the fare difference justifies the OTA or booking direct makes sense for that trip.
One thing nobody tells you: the OTA service fee is non-refundable
Almost every OTA charges a 'convenience fee' or 'service fee' at booking — typically in the ₹150–600 range per booking, sometimes per passenger. This fee is almost never refunded even when the airline cancels the flight. EaseMyTrip is marginally more generous here; MMT and ixigo both retain the service fee as a rule. If an OTA offers a waiver of this fee as a goodwill gesture during escalation, that is actually decent — accept it.
Also watch out for OTA 'cancellation protection' or 'travel flex' add-ons sold at booking. These are separate insurance products — filing a claim under them involves yet another party (the insurance underwriter) and can add another 15–30 days to the money-back timeline. Read the terms before buying them. See also our article on DGCA passenger rights when fog cancels your flight — sometimes what you think is a voluntary cancellation is actually a DGCA-covered scenario where the airline owes you more.
Frequently asked questions
How long does MakeMyTrip take to refund a cancelled flight in 2026?
MakeMyTrip's stated SLA is 5–10 business days for airline-initiated cancellations and 7–15 business days for customer-initiated ones. In practice, source refunds (to your bank or card) often take 10–18 calendar days. MMT Wallet credit typically arrives within hours. Business days exclude Sundays and public holidays.
Does EaseMyTrip refund faster than MakeMyTrip?
EaseMyTrip and MakeMyTrip have similar stated SLAs (7–15 business days), but EaseMyTrip tends to be more consistent — fewer reports of refunds sitting past the 15-day mark. MMT is faster on wallet credits but more variable on source refunds, especially for Air India bookings.
My refund is overdue — what should I do?
Start with the in-app chat (get a ticket number), then email the OTA's grievance officer. If it's an airline-cancelled flight, file on the DGCA AirSuvidhaa portal (airsuvidhaa.dgca.gov.in) — this usually accelerates things. For large amounts past 30 days, file with the National Consumer Helpline (1800-11-4000).
Will the OTA service fee be refunded when the airline cancels my flight?
Typically no. MakeMyTrip, ixigo and EaseMyTrip all generally retain the booking convenience or service fee (usually ₹150–600 per booking) even when the airline cancels. EaseMyTrip occasionally waives it as a goodwill gesture during escalation — it's worth asking.
Is it faster to book directly with the airline to get quicker refunds?
Yes, generally. Booking directly with IndiGo or Air India cuts out the OTA layer. Both process refunds in roughly 5–7 business days for domestic cancellations. The tradeoff is losing the OTA's price comparison — so check fares first on FlightGPT, then decide.
Can I get an instant refund from MakeMyTrip or ixigo?
Only to their in-app wallets — MMT Wallet or ixigo Money. Source refunds (to your card or bank account) are not instant. If you book frequently through the same OTA, the wallet credit is practically as good as cash for your next booking.