Cathay Pacific Cancellation Policy

Flight cancellations can not only be costly but confusing as well. This page explains Cathay Pacific cancellation policy in simple language. After going through it, you will know exactly how the Cathay Pacific flight cancellation policy works—and how to save time and money if you ever need to cancel your flight and apply for a refund.

Cathay Pacific Cancellation Policy for Full Refunds 

How to get free cancellation on Cathay Pacific?

Under the Cathay Pacific cancellation policy, only Economy Supersaver tickets are non-refundable. Most other tickets are refundable, subject to a cancellation fee. The good news is that you can cancel your flight and get a full refund on the unused part of your ticket in several cases, such as if: 

• Your flight is cancelled.
• You cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking without a penalty if:
  • Your flight departs to/from the United States, and 
  • You booked no less than 7 days before its departure date, and  
  • You booked online from Cathay Pacific’s U.S. website
• You can cancel a flight online within 24 hours of booking without a penalty if:
  • You purchase your ticket on Cathay’s website/mobile app, and 
  • You’re a Cathay member, and
  • You cancel your ticket online within 24 hours of booking
• You were denied boarding even though you had a confirmed booking.
• Your flight is delayed by at least 5 hours. 
• Your flight is rescheduled and the new flight causes you to miss a connecting flight on the same ticket. 
• You’re holding a First Flex ticket.
• Any special circumstances prevent you from catching your flight—such as the death of a passenger/immediate family member, serious illness, etc. (subject to documentary evidence and Cathay Pacific agreeing to it).

In all other scenarios, you will be charged a cancellation fee, depending on when you cancel. 

Remember

The Cathay Pacific cancellation policy also states that: 

• Tickets purchased through travel agents must be cancelled directly through them.
• You must cancel your ticket before the departure date to avoid being charged a no-show fee. 
• Refunds for cancelled flights usually take 7 business days for credit card and PayPal payments and 20 calendar days for cash/bank payments.
• If you want to cancel an already changed flight or a reissued ticket, the cancellation amount will depend on whether your ticket qualifies for a full refund.
• Partially used tickets will be refunded per applicable rules to the credit card or bank account through which the original payment was made. 

Cathay Pacific Refund Policy

According to the Cathay Pacific refund policy, only Economy Supersaver tickets are non-refundable. However, you can cancel your flight and get a full refund on the unused part of your ticket if: 

• Your flight is cancelled and you don’t wish to travel 
• Your flight gets delayed by more than 5 hours 
• Cathay reschedules your flight and the alternate flight offered to you may result in your missing a connecting flight on the same booking 
• You have been subjected to a denied-boarding situation 
• You qualify under the free 24-hour cancellation policy
  • On a flight to/from the U.S. 
  • As a Cathay member 
• You’ve purchased a First Flex fare 
• You’re unable to travel due to death or serious illness, incl. that of an immediate family member, and can present documentary proof 

The refund policy further states that:

• All refunds must be requested within 2 years of cancellation.
• If you rebook a flight that is cheaper than the original flight, the fare difference will not be refunded. However, you may be issued an EMD instead.
• Refunds will be made within 7 business days for payments made by credit card and within 20 calendar days for payments made by cash or bank transfer.
• How to get a refund from Cathay Pacific
  Refund requests must be placed as follows:
  • For direct ticket purchases through Cathay Pacific, cancellations and refunds can be processed online through Manage booking or by phone.
  • For tickets booked through travel agents, contact them directly.
  • For redemption tickets, use the online form, or call Asia Miles/Marco Polo directly. The refund amount for a completely unused redemption ticket via the online form will be the total fare paid minus a cancellation fee of 17,000 Asia Miles or USD 120.

What’s a non-refundable ticket on Cathay Pacific? Economy Supersaver tickets are non-refundable on Cathay Pacific.

What’s a refundable ticket on Cathay Pacific? All tickets except Economy Supersaver tickets are refundable for a fee. Only First Flex fares can be cancelled without penalty.

Compensation Provided by Cathay Pacific

• Denied Boarding Compensation 
  • If you were denied boarding per EC Regulation 261/2004 despite holding a confirmed booking, you will be entitled to receive a denied boarding compensation of EUR 600 in cash or travel vouchers (your choice), or EUR 300 plus 40,000 Asia Miles. 
  • The denied boarding compensation will be reduced by half (50%) if Cathay offers you an alternate flight under comparable conditions that is not more than 4 hours after the original flight’s scheduled arrival time.
• Flight Cancellation Compensation under EC Regulation 261/2004
  • If your flight has been cancelled and no alternate flight is offered, you will be entitled to receive a cancelled flight compensation of up to EUR 600. 
  • If your flight is cancelled and the alternate flight offered to you lands up to 4 hours after the scheduled arrival time of the original flight, the compensation will be slashed by half (50%).

Cathay Pacific Policy for Long Flight Delays

• If your flight is delayedby at least 4 hours, you will be offered the following free of charge:
  • Meals and refreshments commensurate with the waiting time
  • 2 phone calls, emails, telex/fax messages
• If your flight is delayed until the next day, you will receive the following free of charge:
  • Hotel accommodation (incl. overnight if required)
  • To-and-fro transportation between the airport and the hotel
• If your flight is delayed by at least 5 hours, you can cancel your flight and receive a full refund at the price at which you purchased your ticket:
  • For the parts of the journey that you will not be making, and 
  • For the return flight if necessary

Cathay Pacific 24-Hour Cancellation Policy 

Does Cathay Pacific allow 24-hour cancellations?

Cathay Pacific 24-hour flight cancellation policy applies to: 

1. Flights to/from the United States, and
2. Cathay members 

1. 24-Hour Cancellation Policy for Flights to/from the U.S. 

Cathay Pacific 24-hour cancellation policy for flights to/from the U.S. allows you to cancel any type of ticket within 24 hours of purchase and receive a full refund under certain conditions. To qualify for a 24-hour cancellation and refund, you must meet all these conditions:

1. You must book your flight online from Cathay Pacific’s U.S. website, and
2. Your flight must be to/from the United States, and 
3. You must cancel within 24 hours of booking, and  
4. Your flight’s departure (when you book) is at least 7 days away

Remember

The Cathay Pacific 24-hour cancellation policy further states that:

• If you’re cancelling within the 24-hour window, you must cancel your flight online for a full refund through Manage booking. 
• If you cancel within 7 days of travel or more than 24 hours after purchasing your ticket, a cancellation fee will be charged depending on your route and fare conditions.

2. 24-Hour Cancellation Policy for Cathay Members

If you’re a Cathay member, you can cancel your flight free of charge within 24 hours of booking on the following conditions:

1. You booked your ticket directly through Cathay’s website or mobile app, and
2. You booked at least 8 days (192 hours) before your flight’s departure, and
3. You booked with cash or miles + cash
4. You make the refund request online through Manage booking within 24 hours of booking 

Note

• You can also refund tax and fuel surcharge under Cathay Pacific cancellation policy for 24 hours.
• If you purchased or redeemed any travel extras, such as extra baggage, advance seat booking, lounge pass, etc., you can apply for a refund by filling out Cathay’s online refund request form or calling customer care. 

The following bookings cannot be refunded under the 24-hour cancellation policy

Cathay Pacific will not refund your flight booking if:

• Your first flight’s departure is within 192 hours (8 days)
• Your flight ticket has already been used, rebooked, or reissued 
• You’ve used the Hold your fare service 
• You’re carrying a split booking, i.e., at least one passenger has been separated from your original ticket)
• You make your refund request after your free cancellation deadline
• You make your refund request via live chat, mobile app, or Customer Care
• Asia Mile award bookings, hotel bookings, travel insurance packages, etc., purchased with flights

Cathay Pacific Cancellation Fee

How much is the cancellation fee for Cathay Pacific flights?

Cathay Pacific cancellation fee for unused and partially used tickets is typically USD 150 per passenger and USD 200 per passenger for expired tickets. 

• In most cases (except for Economy Supersaver fares which cannot be cancelled), you will be charged USD 150 as cancellation charges.
• If you’re holding a refundable fare (First Flex), no cancellation charges will apply. 

How to Avoid Paying Cathay Pacific Cancellation Fee?

Below are a few ways to avoid paying the cancellation fees the next time you book your flight on Cathay Pacific:

• Take advantage of Cathay Pacific 24-hour cancellation policy. This applies to all flights to/from the United States that are cancelled within 24 hours of booking, provided that:
  • The booking was made at least 7 days before the flight’s departure, and  
  • The booking was made online from Cathay Pacific’s U.S. website
• If possible, buy a flexible fare. This will allow you to change most of your flights free of charge and reduce the cancellation charges. 
• Earn Elite-level status.
• Watch out for flight schedule changes. If your flight schedule changes significantly or gets cancelled, you are eligible to claim compensation. 

Call Cathay Pacific if you need advice on how to overcome a difficult situation.

How to Cancel a Cathay Pacific Flight and Get a Refund?

The Cathay Pacific flight cancellation policy allows you to cancel your booking and get a refund in 3 ways:

• For tickets purchased online from Cathay Pacific website, mobile app, or call center, you can cancel your booking online through the Manage booking feature or by phone. 
• For tickets purchased from a third-party website or a travel agent, contact them directly.
• To cancel a redemption ticket, call Asia Miles or use the Request a Refund Form or call Marco Polo Club directly. The cancellation fee for a fully unused redemption ticket is USD 120 or 17,000 Asia Miles via the online form.

For additional information or rebooking, get in touch with Cathay Pacific’s Global Contact Center.

How to Check Your Refund Status?

If you booked your ticket directly with Cathay Pacific and requested a refund online via Manage booking (appears under Flights 🡪 Manage your booking), the online refund form, or Customer Care, you can check your refund status for the last 90 days online via Manage booking. 

Cathay Pacific Award Ticket Cancellation

Canceling an award ticket on Cathay Pacific is a relatively straightforward process, as long as you cancel it before the ticket’s expiry date. 

To cancel an award ticket, you will need to: 

1. Call Asia Miles/Marco Polo and request the cancellation, or  
2. Fill out and submit Cathay’s online Request a Refund Form 

After your cancellation request has been received by Cathay Pacific: 

• You will receive a confirmation email or notification of the cancellation.
• Any applicable refunds or credits/Asia Miles will be processed and credited to your account according to Cathay Pacific’s policies (completely unused tickets will be subject to a fee of USD 120 or 17,000 miles). 
• The fuel charges and airport taxes will be refunded to your credit card in 4 – 6 weeks at the prevailing exchange rate.

Frequently Asked Questions on Cathay Pacific Cancellation Policy

The FAQs below address some commonly-asked questions about Cathay Pacific’s cancellation policy. Whether you’re a frequent traveler or just starting your journey with Cathay Pacific, understanding their cancellation policy is essential for a smooth and stress-free travel experience, and the section below helps you do just that.