Unused airline tickets are an unfortunate reality in corporate travel. Meetings shift and plans change. And while the tickets may go unused, the dollars spent don’t unless you have a system in place to track and apply those credits strategically.
According to Paul Foster, strategic consultant at Christopherson Business Travel, “It's estimated that 11 percent of a company's travel spend is locked into unused tickets, which means it's money left on the table. That money is often forfeited because tickets haven’t been repurposed and end up expiring.”
Without careful oversight, unused tickets can quietly expire, leading to unnecessary financial loss. But with proactive management and the right partner, those unused tickets become an opportunity for cost savings.
Christopherson helps our clients stay ahead of expiring tickets through automated tracking, traveler notifications, and advisor support.
“We offer travel notification email process," Foster explained. "Those reminders get sent out to the traveler at 120 prior to expiration. Then we send a reminder at 60 days, and a final reminder at 30 days.”
Christopherson also provide the reporting, tools, and expertise to make sure those credits are applied before they’re gone. Below, we answer some of the most common questions we receive about how to manage and reuse unused airline tickets.
An unused airline ticket is a fully or partially paid ticket that was never used for its original flight. These often result from last-minute cancellations, schedule changes, or traveler conflicts. Instead of letting them expire, most airlines allow the value to be retained as a ticket credit—which can be applied to future flights if managed proactively.
Unused airline tickets represent a major opportunity for corporate travel cost savings. Without tracking and oversight, credits can quietly expire, leading to lost spend. With the right unused ticket management process, companies can:
In some cases, yes. Many domestic airlines allow name changes on unused tickets for a fee, enabling you to reassign credits to another employee. International carriers are typically more restrictive. A travel management company (TMC) like Christopherson can help navigate airline ticket transfer rules and determine when it’s best to apply or transfer credits.
With Christopherson, the process is automated. Our quality check system reviews online bookings against the rules of each airline to ensure credits are applied correctly. This protects against losing value when fares don’t align with ticket credit rules. When validated, credits are automatically applied, and the savings appear on the traveler’s receipt/invoice.
Christopherson’s systems are set up to apply your unused credits sooner rather than later so you don’t lose the value of the old tickets. Therefore, online bookings prompt us to use your credits. If you do not want a credit used for a specific trip, you would need to contact our advisor team to book your reservation and document why you do not want to use the available credit on file.
More often than not, airline tickets are non-refundable. This is because refundable tickets cost more and buying them is a decision that must be made at the time of purchase.
Getting a refund depends on the airline’s rules and most situations do not permit a refund. Refunding non-refundable tickets is typically only allowed when there is a major schedule change and the traveler isn’t willing to accept the new option. That said, some exceptions may exist in rare cases. Christopherson can help you look up the rules for your ticket and request a refund for tickets that match the refund policies. Additional service fees may apply.
Most major domestic airlines allow name changes for a name change fee. Most international carriers do not allow for transferrable tickets. Your account executive can help you find out if your airline contracts waive name change fees. Keep in mind that name changes are only allowed for wholly unused tickets and any difference in fare is always owed.
Here are a few best practices for managing and transferring unused tickets:
Unfortunately, the airlines set their own rules and fees and they do enforce them. For cases like this, where a name has to be changed, many airlines do charge name change fees, and there may be a cost for the difference in fare.
While there typically isn’t a way around the airlines’ fees, the best way to get the most out of your unused credits, is to work with our advisors. They know all the rules attached to your tickets and are experts at applying unused credits to new tickets. They will work to get as much value as possible out of the money you’ve already spent.
Any of Christopherson’s advisors can assist in answering our clients' questions about what can or cannot be done with unused ticket credits. You can reach them via email (trips@cbtravel.com) or phone (800-600-3737). There is no fee to inquire, but if your advisor processes an exchange, refund, name change, etc., standard fees do apply. There may also be airline fees to reuse certain credits.
While you can download ad hoc reports from our software platform, Christopherson sends automated unused ticket reports to travel managers on a monthly basis. Please let your Account Manager know if you’re not receiving those reports or have questions about your company’s unused tickets.
Travelers also receive notifications from Christopherson 30, 90, and 120 days before their own unused ticket credits expire. Their unused tickets are also listed on their traveler dashboard and are viewable in your online booking tool. This helps travelers stay aware of their unused tickets and encourages reuse. Unused tickets are integrated with both travel agent and online bookings.
Corporate travel managers are able to see their company’s unused tickets in our software platform under “Unused Tickets” in the main menu. Clients can also reach out directly to our account management or client services teams for this information. They will be able to provide you a full list of all the information you’re seeking.
The airlines have not extended ticket validity farther than they already have. We don’t suggest holding out for another extension. Instead, we suggest trying to use your unused tickets within their ticket validity, perhaps even as one-way tickets prior to their expiration so you don’t lose that value.
Unused airline tickets don’t have to mean lost money. With proactive oversight, automated reporting, and best practices for rebooking or transferring ticket credits, travel managers can maximize the value of unused airline tickets while maintaining flexibility for future trips.
Whether you’re looking to reduce corporate travel costs, implement airline ticket credit tracking tools, or simply avoid the frustration of expired credits, the key is to act before tickets lapse. By partnering with an experienced travel management company like Christopherson, your organization can discover hidden savings, improve policy compliance, and ensure every travel dollar works harder. Ready to learn more?
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