Refunds and cancellations

The short version

• Whether you can cancel or change a flight, and what you get back, depends on the airline's rules for your fare. We show these fare rules before you pay, on your booking page and in your confirmation email.
• To cancel or change a booking, send a request from your booking page (Manage booking) or in the Oliey app. Nothing is cancelled or changed until we have told you the cost and you have agreed.
• Cancellation and cash-refund requests are reviewed and processed by our team. Submitting a request does not automatically cancel a booking, release a hold or send a refund.
• Refunds go back to the card you paid with. The separate Price Drop benefit provides an Oliey voucher, not a cash refund.

Paying for flights we ticket straight away

When you pay for an eligible live flight, we authorise your card, Apple Pay or Google Pay for the total. Your bank may show this as a pending or reserved amount, and on a debit card it reduces your available balance until it is either taken or released. We only take the money once the airline has issued your tickets, and never more than the amount you authorised.

If the airline can't issue your tickets, for example because the last seats at that price have gone, our team reviews the booking and manually releases the authorisation within 1 working day of deciding the booking cannot be completed, and you are not charged. A pending amount that is not taken is also released by your bank after about 7 days. Your bank decides how quickly it disappears from your statement.

If you split the bill with other travellers, each person's payment is held in the same way and only taken when everyone's tickets are issued.

We attempt to secure your booking in the background. If automatic ticketing needs our team's help, your card remains on hold and the booking page shows that we are finishing your booking. An authorization alone is not an issued ticket.

Asking to cancel

1. Send a cancellation request from your booking page or the app. Tell us if you are travelling within the next 48 hours.
2. We check the airline's rules and ask the airline what it will refund. We reply within 2 hours during our opening hours (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm UK time).
3. We tell you how much you will get back, any fees, and how long the offer is valid, because airline quotes expire.
4. You accept the offer or keep your booking. Only then do we cancel with the airline.
5. We refund you (see "How long refunds take").

If your booking is still being confirmed and you have not been charged, we can cancel it and release the authorisation on your card.

Please don't just skip a flight without telling us: with many airlines, missing an outbound flight means the return flight is cancelled too.

What you get back

• Our price for a flight is the airline's fare plus our margin. When the airline refunds all or part of its fare, we refund you the same share of the price you paid us for the flight. For example, if the airline refunds 60% of its fare, you get back 60% of what you paid for the flight.
• Refundable fares: the airline refunds the fare, less any airline fee shown in your fare rules. The fee in your fare rules is already shown in the same way, as a share of the price you paid.
• Non-refundable fares: the airline usually keeps the fare. Some government taxes may still be refundable, although the airline may charge a fee to process this.
• Fares where the airline has not stated its rules: we treat them as non-refundable unless the airline confirms otherwise when we ask.
• Some airlines refund with travel credit or a voucher instead of money. If that applies, we tell you before you accept.
• Booking fee: We don't charge a booking fee on flights.
• Handling your cancellation: We don't charge for handling a cancellation.
• If you split the bill, each person's refund goes back to the card they paid with.
• We never refund more than you paid.

How long refunds take

Once you accept our offer, our team cancels with the airline and manually sends any refund due within 5 working days after we receive the supplier's refund. If an airline takes longer to settle a refund, we tell you when to expect it. Your bank then usually takes 5 to 10 working days to show the refund.

Changes

To change dates, times, routes or names, send a request from your booking page or the app. We check what the airline allows and tell you the total cost before anything changes: any airline fee, any difference in fare and any Oliey fee. Nothing changes until you agree and pay any balance.

If the airline changes or cancels your flight

We contact you with your options, such as accepting the change, choosing another flight or asking for a refund. If your flight is cancelled or delayed, or you are denied boarding, you may have rights against the airline under UK law, including a refund, rerouting, care and sometimes compensation. Compensation claims are made to the airline, but we can help you with the process.

If we can't complete your booking

If we can't issue your tickets after you have authorised a payment, our team manually releases the authorisation and you are not charged. If you have already paid and a supplier can't confirm your booking, we offer an alternative where one is available or refund you in full, including any booking fee.

No 14-day cooling-off period

The 14-day cancellation period that applies to many online purchases does not apply to flights, hotels, car hire or other travel services booked for specific dates. Your cancellation rights come from the supplier's rules for your fare or rate.

Hotels and car hire

The rate rules shown before you book apply. Free-cancellation rates can be cancelled without a supplier charge up to the deadline shown in your booking. Requests work the same way as for flights.

Nothing in this policy limits your statutory rights.

Contact

Email contact@oliey.com with your booking reference, or use the request form on your booking page.

This policy is part of our Terms and Conditions. The airline's fare rules decide what the airline refunds; this page explains how we handle your request.

Last updated 7 October 2026.