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Emirates refunds

Emirates refunds follow two sets of rules. If Emirates cancels or heavily delays a flight from the UK or EU, the law gives you your money back within seven days. In every other case – including when you cancel – the fare conditions on your ticket decide. This guide explains both, Emirates' refund form and what happens to credit notes and taxes.

By the EU261 Flight Delay editorial team Last reviewed: How we write our guides

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In short: Emirates cancels (flight from the UK or EU): refund of the unused fare within 7 days if you choose it, or re-routing. Delay of 5+ hours on a UK departure: refund if you no longer travel. You cancel: cancel in Manage your booking and complete the refund form; the amount depends on your fare conditions, and the refund goes to the card you paid with. Changes that leave you in credit produce an EMD credit note valid for one year, which can be used or refunded. Travel-agent bookings: ask the agent.

Emirates' UK and EU notices set out refund rights on flights departing the UK or the EU:

What happenedYour right (per Emirates' notices)
Flight cancelledChoose reimbursement of the fare for unused parts (and used parts if the trip has no purpose), re-routing as soon as possible, or re-routing later. Reimbursement "is due within seven days".
Delay of 5 hours or more (UK notice)If you decide not to travel: reimbursement as above, plus a flight back to your first departure point where relevant.
DowngradedReimbursement of 30%, 50% or 75% of the fare for that part of the journey, by distance.

The notices also say the reimbursement right applies when the flight is part of a package, unless the right arises under the Package Travel Regulations. A refund does not replace compensation for a late cancellation – see Emirates cancelled flight compensation. General rules: flight refund rights.

For flights departing Dubai or other non-European airports, these rules do not apply; Emirates' conditions of carriage and any local law decide.

If you cancel: fare conditions decide

Emirates' FAQ says you can get a full refund "as long as it's within the conditions of your fare", paid back to the card used for the ticket. Some tickets are not refundable, some carry cancellation charges, and some cannot be refunded once you have started your trip. Check "Fare conditions" in your booking before cancelling.

  • How: cancel through Manage your booking, then complete the refund form. Emirates warns that requesting a refund cancels the entire booking and cannot be reversed, and that the form should not be used just to ask what you would get back.
  • Taxes: Emirates says you can use the form to reclaim taxes "if applicable" after completing your journey, so that the unused part of the itinerary is not cancelled.
  • Bereavement: Emirates may waive cancellation fees on the death of the passenger or a close family member, if the fare conditions permit, with supporting documents.
  • US bookings: the form includes free cancellation within 24 hours of booking under US Department of Transportation rules.

The Emirates refund form and credit notes

The refund form on emirates.com covers fully unused tickets, partially used tickets, downgrades, Skywards Miles redemptions, seat selection, paid lounge access, excess baggage and other paid services. Points from the form:

  • You can upload two files (PNG, GIF, JPG or PDF, up to 7 MB each). Do not upload card details.
  • For a refund of an extra service only, enter the EMD receipt number, not the e-ticket number – submitting the e-ticket number cancels your whole itinerary.
  • If you bought through a travel agent, ask the agent for the refund; extras bought directly from Emirates can still be refunded through the form.
  • Expired Skywards Miles used to pay are not automatically credited back.

Credit notes: if a change made on emirates.com leaves money owing to you (for example unused taxes), Emirates issues a credit note (EMD) by email, valid for one year from issue. Emirates says it can be used for future travel through your local office or refunded through the refund form.

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What happened to your flight?
Where did you fly from and to?

With a connection, enter your first departure and your final destination – compensation is based on the total distance.

How late did you arrive at your final destination?

What counts is when the aircraft doors opened at your destination – not the departure delay.

When were you told about the cancellation?
When did you arrive on the replacement flight?
Which airline operated the flight?
When was the flight?

How many passengers were on the booking?

1 passenger

Every passenger gets their own compensation, children too. Infants under 2 without their own seat do not count.

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Weather waivers and disruption

Emirates' Disrupted travel FAQ describes a waiver policy for severe weather: you can move your travel date to up to seven days before or after the original date, change to the closest airport in the same country, or refund your ticket. When it disrupts a flight, Emirates says it first tries to rebook you on the next available Emirates flight, then looks at other options.

At the time of our check (10 November 2026), Emirates' help pages asked travellers affected by current disruption to check rebooking, refund and eligibility options in the disruption support section of its Flight Status page. If your disrupted flight departed the UK or EU, remember that you can insist on a money refund within seven days instead of a later date.

If the refund does not arrive

  • Write to Emirates with your ticket number, the date of your request and – for a cancelled flight from the UK or EU – the seven-day deadline.
  • If you paid by card, ask your card provider about a chargeback; UK credit card payments over £100 may be covered by section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
  • For flights from the UK, complain to the CAA's PACT; for flights from the EU, to the national enforcement body of the departure country. See CAA complaint and national enforcement bodies.

Template: complaint letter. Back to Emirates flight delay compensation.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a refund from Emirates?

Cancel in Manage your booking and complete Emirates' refund form; the refund follows your fare conditions and goes to the card you paid with. If Emirates cancelled a flight from the UK or EU, you are entitled to the unused fare back within seven days.

How long does an Emirates refund take?

For a cancelled flight from the UK or EU, Emirates' own notices say reimbursement is due within seven days. We did not find a published timescale on Emirates' help pages for refunds of tickets you cancel yourself.

What is an Emirates EMD credit note?

If a change leaves money owing to you, Emirates issues a credit note (EMD) by email, valid for one year. You can use it for future Emirates travel or request a refund through the refund form.

Can I get a refund if I booked Emirates through a travel agent?

Ask the agent for the ticket refund. Extras you bought directly from Emirates, such as seats or lounge access, can be refunded through Emirates' form.

The Emirates name belongs to its owner; EU261 Flight Delay is an independent information site and is not affiliated with Emirates. Information only, not legal advice.

Sources

  1. Cancelling or changing a booking – FAQs – Emirates
  2. Request a refund – Emirates
  3. United Kingdom Cancellation notice – Emirates
  4. United Kingdom Delay notice – Emirates
  5. Disrupted travel – FAQs – Emirates
  6. Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (UK version), Article 8 – legislation.gov.uk

We check every rule against the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us – see our editorial policy.