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Because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions that comes with it, airlines have a hard time selling tickets or keep passengers from cancelling their flights. Some airlines waive the rebooking fee, but not the price difference when rebooking a flight. As this price difference usually exceeds several hundred Euros, not many passengers are tempted to rebook.
Emirates is a major exception and very generous when it comes changes to your booking because of cancellations (Emirates cancels your flight), travel restrictions (your destination denies your entry or sends you into mandatory quarantine), travel warnings (like most countries issued for not essential travel) or stay-at-home orders.
Update
Emirates has extended this program. It is now valid for:
- New and existing bookings made before July 31, 2020 (instead of June 30, 2020).
- Travel beginning on or before November 30, 2020 (instead August 31, 2020).
If you have booked an Emirates flights with departure before or on November 30, 2020, you have the option to:
- Change your departure date up to 24 months ahead without a rebooking fee or paying price difference.
- Change your destination to a different Emirates’ destination within the same region.
You cannot change your booking class (economy, business, first). The same regulations apply to new bookings made until June 30, 2020
Emirates.com gives some decent information about the Keep your Ticket program. The airline goes into greater detail in a PDF issued for travel agents:
The most important requirement is that the first segment on your ticket happens on or before November 2020 (this deadline may be extended in the future). Further, your ticket can be put on hold up to 760 days after issuance. This way, it will remain valid and you can alter it at a later point. After twelve months, you can opt to get a full refund instead.
Thanks to Michael, who gave us notice via Report a Deal!
Destination Changes
A change of destination is possible within the same region and free of charge. Emirates categorizes their destinations in nine regions globally.
Emirates’ Regions
Europe
- Vienna, Austria
VIE
- Brussels, Belgium
BRU
- Geneva, Switzerland
GVA
- Zurich, Switzerland
ZRH
- Larnaca, Cyprus
LCA
- Prague, Czech Republic
PRG
- Düsseldorf, Germany
DUS
- Frankfurt, Germany
FRA
- Hamburg, Germany
HAM
- Munich, Germany
MUC
- Copenhagen, Denmark
CPH
- Barcelona, Spain
BCN
- Madrid, Spain
MAD
- Lyon, France
LYS
- Nice, France
NCE
- Paris, France
PAR
- Birmingham, UK
BHX
- Glasgow, UK
GLA
- London, UK
LON
- Manchester, UK
MAN
- Newcastle, UK
NCL
- Athens, Greece
ATH
- Zagreb, Croatia
ZAG
- Budapest, Hungary
BUD
- Dublin, Ireland
DUB
- Bologna, Italy
BLQ
- Milan, Italy
MIL
- Rom, Italy
ROM
- Venice, Italian
VCE
- Malta
MLA
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
AMS
- Oslo, Norway
OSL
- Warsaw, Poland
WAW
- Lisbon, Portugal
LIS
- Porto, Portugal
OPO
- St. Petersburg, Russia
LED
- Moscow, Russia
MOW
- Stockholm, Sweden
STO
- Istanbul, Turkey IST
SAW
- Edinburgh, UK
EDI
Africa
- Luanda, Angola
LAD
- Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
ABJ
- Algiers, Algeria
ALG
- Cairo, Egypt
CAI
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- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ADD
- Accra, Ghana
ACC
- Conakry, Guinea
CKY
- Nairobi, Kenya
NBO
- Abuja, Nigeria
ABV
- Lagos, Nigeria
LOS
- Khartoum, Sudan
KRT
- Dakar, Senegal
DKR
- Tunis, Tunisia
TUN
- Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
DAR
- Entebbe, Uganda
EBB
- Cape Town, South Africa
CPT
- Durban, South Africa
DUR
- Johannesburg, South Africa
JNB
- Lusaka, Zambia
LUN
- Harare, Zimbabwe
HRE
- Casablanca, Morocco
CAS
Gulf, Middle East and Iran
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
DXB
- Bahrain
BAH
- Baghdad, Iraq
BGW
- Basra, Iraq
BSR
- Arbil, Iraq
EBL
- Tehran, Iran
THR
- Amman, Jordan
AMM
- Kuwait
KWI
- Beirut, Lebanon
BEY
- Muscat, Oman
MCT
- Dammam, Saudi Arabia
DMM
- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
JED
- Medina, Saudi Arabia
MED
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
RUH
West Asia
- Kabul, Afghanistan
KBL
- Dhaka, BangIadesh
DAC
- Ahmedabad, India
AMD
- Bangalore, India
BLR
- Mumbai, India
BOM
- Colcata, India
CCU
- Kochi, India
COK
- Delhi, India
DEL
- Hyderabad, India
HYD
- Chennai, India
MAA
- Trivandrum, India
TRV
- Islamabad, Pakistan
ISB
- Karachi, Pakistan
KHI
- Lahore, Pakistan
LHE
- Peshawar, Pakistan
PEW
- Sialkot, Pakistan
SKT
Indian Ocean Islands
- Maldives
MLE
- Mauritius
MRU
- Seychelles
SEZ
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
CMB
Far East
- Beijing, China
BJS
- Guangzhou, China
CAN
- Shanghai, China
SHA
- Hong Kong
HKG
- Bali, Indonesia
DPS
- Jakarta, Indonesia
JKT
- Osaka, Japan
OSA
- Tokyo, Japan
TYO
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
PNH
- Seoul, South Korea
SEL
- Rangoon, Myanmar
RGN
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
KUL
- Cebu, Philippines
CEB
- Angeles, Philippines
CRK
- Manila, Philippines
MNL
- Singapore
SIN
- Bangkok, Thailand
BKK
- Phuket, Thailand
HKT
- Taipei, Taiwan
TPE
- Hanoi, Vietnam
HAN
- Ho-Chi-Minh-City, Vietnam
SGN
Australia & New Zealand
- Adelaide, Australien
ADL
- Brisbane, Australien
BNE
- Melbourne, Australien
MEL
- Perth, Australien
PER
- Sydney, Australien
SYD
- Auckland, Neuseeland
AKL
- Christchurch, Neuseeland
CHC
North America
- Boston, USA
BOS
- Chicago, USA
CHI
- Detroit, USA
DFW
- Fort Lauderdale, USA
FLL
- Houston, USA
HOU
- Los Angeles, USA
LAX
- New York, USA
NYC
- Orlando, USA
ORL
- Seattle, USA
SEA
- San Francisco, USA
SFO
- Washington D.C., USA
WAS
- Toronto, Canada
YTO
South America
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
BUE
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
RIO
- São Paulo, Brazil
SAO
- Santiago de Chile, Chile
SCL
- México City, México
MEX
If you’ve booked a flight to Sri Lanka, you can rebook your flight to the Maldives, Seychelles or Mauritius. Instead of going to Addis Abeba in Ethiopia you can change your destination to Cape Town, South Africa. Auckland or Christchurch in New Zealand can be a substitute for Perth, Australia. The only restrictions are that your new destination hast to be in the same region and that you have to keep your travel class.
Full Refunds Are Possible
Alternatively Emirates offers you a voucher worth the price of the booking. The voucher is valid for one year and can be extended by an additional year. After the first year, you can receive its value as a refund.
Starting April 14, 2020, Emirates offers full refunds regardless of ticket regulations. Until then, Emirates denied any requests for monetary refunds.
3 – Refunds: Customers who have opted to keep their ticket or opted for a travel voucher can still apply for a refund, if they are unable to travel. There will be no refund penalties.
Bottom Line
Emirates’ new rebooking regulations are truly generous and offer an attractive alternative to refunds. This will get some customers to consider rebooking and thus help Emirates to keep money. Other airlines are welcome to follow this example.