Virgin Australia ticket refund. All you need to know

It’s no secret that many Australians enjoy travelling, often to experience new adventures or reunite with loved ones. Part of the global Virgin Group¹, Virgin Australia is a common choice for both domestic and international flights.

In this article we’ll explore how the refunds process works with Virgin Australia. We’ll also let you know how Wise can help make your travels a little cheaper next time you jet off overseas.

💸 Hold over 40 currencies in your account and spend at the real exchange rate with the Wise card while abroad.

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How do refunds work with Virgin Australia?

With Virgin Australia, your ability to get a refund depends on the circumstances behind the cancellation and the Fare Rules that apply to your ticket.³ If you are eligible, Virgin Australia will refund the amount paid for any unused portion of your ticket.²

Who can submit my refund claim

Who submits your Virgin Australia refund claim depends on how your ticket was originally booked. If you booked directly with the airline you can contact the Virgin Australia Customer Care team for yourself.² Alternatively, if you booked through a travel agent they will need to manage the process.

Refunds for delays, cancellations and overbooking

Virgin Australia has a Guest Compensation Policy⁴ which explains what you could be entitled to if they delay, cancel or rebook your flight.

Flights that are delayed by Virgin Australia

If your flight time is delayed or changed by Virgin Australia you may be entitled to a refund or some form of compensation, depending on the circumstances.⁴

Delay	What happens
Virgin Australia changes your flight prior to the travel date	You can request a different flight time or if there’s no suitable alternative you can request a Travel Bank credit or refund.
You flight is delayed for more than 2 hours on the travel date	You can request to be moved to the next available flight on that route and Virgin may provide you with meal vouchers at 2-hr intervals if the delay was within their control. If there’s no suitable alternative you can request a Travel Bank credit or refund.

Flights that are cancelled by Virgin Australia

In the event that Virgin Australia cancels your flight, you have a couple of different options.⁴

Cancellation	What happens
Virgin Australia cancels your flight prior to the travel date	You can request a different flight time or if there’s no suitable alternative you can request a Travel Bank credit or refund.
Virgin Australia cancels your flight on the travel date	You’ll be moved to the next available Virgin service on that route and Virgin may provide you with meal vouchers at 2-hr intervals if the delay was within their control.If there’s no suitable alternative you can request a Travel Bank credit or refund

Read more: Qantas ticket refunds. All you need to know

Flights that Virgin Australia overbooks

Should Virgin Australia overbook your flight, they will first ask for volunteers to move on to the next available flight to the same destination. In the event that there’s no volunteers, they’ll select passengers to be bumped.⁴

If you’re chosen to be bumped you have two options - accept a place on the next available flight or request a refund or Travel Bank Credit.⁴

If you accept a place on the next flight and it meets these conditions you’ll also get $100.⁴

• Flight is a domestic or international short haul trip
• New flight departs more than 2 hours after the original flight

Claims for “Reasonable Costs”

When Virgin Australia delays or cancels a flight for a reason that was within their control, you could be reimbursed for any reasonable costs you incurred. Here’s what you might be able to claim back.⁴

Claim	Reimbursement
Accomodation	Reasonable cost of hotel accommodation up to $220 per room/per night if you’re not at your home port and Virgin don’t organise accommodation
Transport	Reasonable cost of airport transfers
Meals	Reasonable cost of meals up to $50 per night/per person if you’re not at your home port
Personal Items	Costs of personal items that you’d reasonably need (if you’re not at your home port)

Refunds due to COVID related cancellations/restrictions

What you’re entitled to for COVID related cancellations or restrictions depends on your travel date and Fare Rules, so it’s a good idea to read the terms and conditions before you purchase your ticket.⁵

What rights do you have to get/request a refund?

Your right to a refund with Virgin Australia is governed by Australian Consumer Law.²

How to get a refund on flights cancelled by Virgin Australia

To get a refund for a flight you booked directly with Virgin Australia you’ll need to contact their Customer Care team.²

Getting a refund on Virgin Australia flights you cancelled.

If you choose to cancel your Virgin Australia flight, your right to a refund is determined by the Fare Rules that you agreed to when you purchased the ticket.³ If you’re eligible for a refund then you can call the Customer Care team to sort it out.²

Read more: Jetstar ticket refunds. All you need to know

A Note on non refundable tickets

Some tickets sold by Virgin Australia are non-refundable and this is explained in the Fare Rules for the booking.³

How to contact Virgin Australia

Here’s some of the ways you can get in touch with Virgin Australia.⁶

• Call 13 67 89 within Australia
• Call +61 7 3295 2296 from overseas
• Use the ‘reservation and general enquiries form’ on their website

Wrapping up.

When planning your next overseas trip it’s a good idea to figure out the most economical way to pay for things, given you’ll need to convert your AUD to local currency. This is where Wise comes in.

With a Wise Multi-currency account you can store, convert and hold over 40 different currencies. There are no hidden fees and your money is exchanged using the real exchange rate, just like you see on Google.

You can also order a Wise debit card connected to the Wise Multi-currency account. This card can be used in over 150 countries globally and makes daily spending in foreign currencies simple.

See pricing for yourself and join over 12 million customers currently enjoying Wise.

Safe travels.

Register your Wise account in minutes 🚀

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Sources

1. Virgin Australia - The Virgin family
2. Virgin Australia - Consumer guarantees and refunds
3. Virgin Australia - Conditions of Carriage
4. Virgin Australia - Guest Compensation Policy
5. Virgin Australia - Flexible Flying
6. Virgin Australia - Contact us

Sources checked on date: 10 April 2022