Exchange Flight Ticket or Get a Voucher: Options for Travelers

When a trip can no longer take place, many passengers face a delicate question: what to do with their unused flight ticket? Between ticket exchange, voucher, travel credit, or total loss, options exist but often remain poorly understood. Airlines rarely communicate clearly about these alternatives or present them in an unclear manner.

Understanding the difference between ticket exchange and voucher can help avoid significant financial losses and choose the solution best suited to your situation.

Solutions Offered by Airlines

Ticket Exchange: General Principle

Ticket exchange consists of modifying an existing flight for another date, sometimes another route. This option is often offered even on non-refundable tickets, but under certain conditions.

In most cases:

• Modification fees are applied
• A fare difference may be required
• Exchange must be made before the original departure

Voucher or Travel Credit: Definition

A voucher, also called travel credit or voucher, is a credit granted by the airline. It allows booking a new flight later, within a limited period.

A voucher is not a refund:

• Money is not returned
• It remains blocked with the airline
• It must be used according to specific conditions

Key Differences Between Exchange and Voucher

Flexibility

Ticket exchange often allows:

• Keeping the same ticket
• Modifying only the date or schedule
• Traveling more quickly if a new flight is chosen

A voucher offers different flexibility:

• Possibility to book later
• Sometimes usable for multiple passengers
• But subject to a strict expiration date

Real Cost for the Traveler

Ticket exchange can prove costly if:

• Modification fees are high
• Prices have increased since initial purchase

A voucher sometimes avoids immediate fees, but:

• It may come with restrictions
• It is not always usable on all destinations
• It may expire unused

Limitations of Ticket Exchanges

High Modification Fees

On some airlines, modification fees can exceed €100 per segment, to which is added the price difference between the old and new ticket.

💡 Practical tip: Before accepting an exchange, calculate the total cost: modification fees + fare difference. Sometimes it's more economical to let the original ticket expire and book a new one separately.

Restrictions According to Ticket Type

The cheapest tickets are often the most restrictive:

• Exchange authorized only once
• Modification possible within a limited period
• Impossibility to change the route

Limitations of Vouchers and Travel Credits

Expiration Date

Most vouchers have a limited validity period, often between 6 and 12 months. After this deadline, the credit is lost.

Partial or Complex Use

Some airlines impose:

• Use in a single transaction
• Booking under the original passenger's name
• Restrictions on promotional fares

These constraints sometimes make the voucher difficult to use.

Vouchers Since the Health Crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly changed the perception of vouchers. Many travelers accepted travel credits, sometimes without real alternative. Since then, airlines have maintained this practice, even outside exceptional circumstances.

However, rules are now stricter and less favorable to passengers than during the crisis period.

Can a Voucher Be Converted to a Refund?

In most cases, no. A voucher is not convertible to a refund, except:

• Exceptional provisions provided by law
• Recognized force majeure cases
• Flight cancellation by the airline

It is therefore essential to understand what you are accepting before validating a voucher.

Alternatives to Exchange and Voucher

Regulated Ticket Resale

When exchange or voucher are not interesting, some platforms offer regulated resale of the ticket with airline approval. This solution sometimes allows recovering part of the amount paid without being constrained by an expiration date.

Airport Tax Refund

Even if the ticket is non-refundable, certain taxes may be recoverable. This process often requires a specific request to the airline.

How to Choose the Best Option According to Your Situation

Common Traveler Mistakes

• Accepting a voucher without reading the conditions
• Believing a voucher equals a refund
• Waiting too long before acting
• Ignoring the existence of alternatives

Conclusion

Exchanging a flight ticket or accepting a voucher may seem like a simple solution, but these options have important limitations. Between hidden fees, expiration dates, and usage restrictions, the choice must be thoughtful.

For travelers, the key is to analyze the real cost of each option and consider, when possible, alternatives that limit total financial loss.

Don't let your voucher expire unused. ResellMyFlight.com offers a smarter alternative: convert your unused ticket value into cash through our regulated resale platform—no expiration dates, no restrictions, just real money back in your pocket.