China Airlines, the flag carrier and one of the two biggest airlines in Taiwan, was founded in 1959. The state owned air carrier relies on a fleet of 83 aircraft to carry passengers across 29 countries and 178 destinations (42 of them in the Americas). 

The Taiwanese airline bears the name China Airlines after the official name of Taiwan, the Republic of China (not to be confused with the People’s Republic of China), and therefore should be distinguished from Air China, one of the “Big Four” Chinese airlines. 

This article will provide a brief overview of China Airlines’ cancellation policy, more specifically the procedure for cancellation and the conditions and ways for applying and receiving a refund.

While delays or cancellations are to be expected globally due to the post-COVID shortage of airport staff, including air traffic controllers, the inconvenience they cause to air passengers is still at the same unpleasant level. If you have been on an China Airlines canceled or delayed flight recently, you know what we mean. Disruptions to your travel itinerary are never easy to deal with, especially if you are planning to fly across the Atlantic. 

Yes, we as travelers will have to get used to the new reality and accept the fact that flight disruptions will be happening more often in the years to come. However, that does not mean that we should put up with everything that airlines and airports throw our way. Luckily, there are laws and regulations in place which aim to protect air passengers’ rights, including the rights of China Airlines passengers.   

 

Cancellation of tickets from and to the United States

Similar to Condor Ailrines, China Airlines offers special conditions for flight cancellations to and from the US Passengers have the right to cancel such boookings for free within 48 hours of the purchase. 

There are no cancelation fees and it is possible to receive a full refund. The ticket should be completely unused and booked at least a week before the scheduled departure through China Airlines’ website. 

There is a similar exception for flight bookings from Korea: a full refund without any charges can be issued within 7 days of booking if the ticket is purchased at least 10 days prior to the scheduled departure.

 

China Airlines ticket refund policy

China Airlines says it aims to issue refunds as quickly as possible. For most passengers, the easiest way to cancel a booking and request reimbursement is by using the airline’s online refund form. One important detail to keep in mind is that China Airlines allows a reservation to be cancelled within two years of the ticket’s issue date.

Before you start the online refund request, it helps to have everything ready so the process goes smoothly. Gather your full name (as it appears on the booking), your identification details, your ticket number, and your itinerary. If you paid by credit card, have the card details available as well, since the airline may request them for verification.

This online procedure applies when the ticket was purchased directly from China Airlines—through its website, mobile app, ticket desk, or customer service center. If you booked through a travel agency or a third-party website, you typically need to contact that seller to handle the cancellation and refund request, since the airline may not be able to process it through its own form.

There are also situations where you won’t be able to submit a refund request through the website. If you don’t cancel your reservation and simply don’t show up for the flight, or if you check in but don’t board, you’ll usually need to contact China Airlines customer service or a local office instead. The same is true for partially used tickets, such as when you’ve flown one leg of the itinerary but not the rest.

 

China Airlines refund fees

Refund fees depend on the fare rules attached to your ticket, and any applicable fee is generally deducted from the refund amount. China Airlines sells tickets across three travel classes—Economy, Premium Economy, and Business—and each cabin is offered under multiple fare types, such as Basic, Standard, and Flex (Economy may also include Discount fares). While these fares generally do not include free cancellation, Flex fares tend to offer the most flexibility, and in many cases they allow passengers to change their booking without a change fee.

If you purchased extras, it’s worth noting how they’re treated. When a booking is cancelled, additional baggage fees are fully refunded without a fee. Seat selection charges, however, are not automatically refunded, so you may need to request those separately depending on the circumstances.

 

When will the refund be processed?

China Airlines’ refund timelines are fairly standard, but the total time you wait can depend on how you paid and how quickly your bank processes the credit.

If you bought the ticket with a credit card, China Airlines typically processes the refund back to the same card within seven business days. After that, it may still take longer for the credit to appear on your statement, since the final posting time is controlled by your card issuer.

If the ticket was purchased with cash or a check, the refund process usually takes around 20 business days.

 

Refunds for award tickets (Dynasty Flyer Program)

China Airlines also allows refunds for tickets purchased with award miles through its Dynasty Flyer Program. In these cases, a $50 handling fee applies. If the award is still valid on the date of cancellation, the miles are typically reissued to the passenger’s account.