Key Points
- Virgin and Qantas customers risk flight credits running out if they are not used.
- Virgin Australia holds $93 million worth of outstanding COVID-19 flight credits.
- Qantas is holding a further $358 million.
Virgin Australia customers with travel credits are being urged to use them before June 2026 to avoid their value being lost.
In its 2026 financial year outlook, Virgin Australia revealed that it holds $93 million worth of outstanding COVID-19 flight credits, which are set to expire on 30 June 2026.
Passengers with travel credits will need to not only book, but also fly before the end of June 2026.
Meanwhile, Qantas is holding $358 million in outstanding flight credits for its COVID-19-induced cancelled flights, which comprise both Qantas and Jetstar Airlines.
Here's how to check whether you have travel credits, when they expire, and how you can use them.
What are COVID-19 travel credits?
If the pandemic put a dampener on your travel plans, you may have COVID-19 flight credits, which were issued by airlines to customers when flights were cancelled due to the pandemic.
Flight credits are given to customers when a flight is cancelled, with the amount spent on the tickets held by the airline and redeemable at a later date.
Some airlines offer these as vouchers redeemable for other flights, while others provide a cash refund.
When do the travel credits expire?
That all depends on who your credits are with.
Initially, many of the issued travel credits had an expiry date.
However, several airlines, including Qantas and Jetstar, have decided to scrap expiry dates. Now, those passengers can use them whenever they like with no expiration.
But airlines like Virgin Australia have a set expiry limit of 30 June 2026. These customers will need to book a flight before then, otherwise their money could go down the drain.
Virgin Australia have outlined: "All COVID Credit Tickets must be exchanged on or before 30 JUN 2026, subject to travel occurring by 30 JUN 2026."
That means that you'll not only need to book flights before those dates — you'll also need to fly before then.
How do I know if I have COVID-19 travel credits?
Qantas customers can use their 'Find My Credit' search tool. All you'll need is the last name of the traveller, the email associated with the booking, and a booking reference number.
Jetstar Airways customers should have received an email with information about any credit vouchers. You can check how much credit you have on their portal.
Virgin Australia passengers will have their travel credit stored in the 'Travel Bank', with any affected customers having already had an account created on their behalf. You can search your credit balance and learn how to book flights on their portal.
Can you get refunds?
That depends on who you're with.
Qantas customers holding COVID-19 credits can request a cash refund at any time, with no expiry date.
Jetstar passengers aren't eligible for cash refunds, but can use their COVID-19 vouchers for flights indefinitely.
Virgin Australia travel credits are limited to booking flights. Those hoping for a refund will need to apply via their refund application form.
Class action against airlines underway
Jetstar and Qantas are facing class action lawsuits on behalf of customers whose flights were cancelled during the pandemic, and who were only issued a travel credit.
Echo Law is leading both class actions.
The action against Qantas alleged the airline issued the majority of its customers with travel credits or vouchers, which were subject to significant restrictions.
"Accordingly, those credits were of much lower value to customers than the refunds to which they were entitled," according to information about the class action on Echo Law's website.
The trial date could be pushed to the end of 2026 or early 2027.
In 2024, a class action lawsuit was also launched against Jetstar, alleging the airline failed to refund money to customers, despite being legally obligated to do so.
"Jetstar promotes itself as a values-driven, low-fare airline committed to helping 'more people fly, more often', yet it's a highly profitable part of the Qantas Group, and when COVID caused widespread flight cancellations, it put those profits ahead of its customers' interests," Andrew Paull, a partner at Echo Law, said in a press release.
"Jetstar customers were pushed into holding hundreds of millions of dollars in restricted travel credits, even though this wasn't what those customers had agreed to as part of the airline's terms and conditions."
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has previously issued warnings to some airlines regarding their cancellation practices.
In August 2023, the regulator launched legal action against Qantas for allegedly selling tickets for thousands of flights it had already cancelled.
Hours later, Qantas removed the expiry dates on COVID-19 travel credits, which were initially set to expire at the end of 2023.
Then-Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said: "We know the credit system was not as smooth as it should have been. And, while we've improved it recently and extended the expiry date several times, people lost faith in the process."
"These credits and vouchers will never expire," Joyce said in a video statement.
A week later, Joyce stood down as Qantas chief executive.
No class action has been taken against Virgin Australia.
