Airline Offered You a Voucher? You're Probably Owed Cash Instead

Your flight was delayed for hours. You finally get home, exhausted and frustrated. Then the airline sends an email: "As a gesture of goodwill, we'd like to offer you a €100 voucher for future travel."

It sounds reasonable. Maybe even generous. But here's what the airline isn't telling you: you're probably entitled to €250–€600 in cash under EU Regulation 261/2004. That voucher? It's a fraction of what you're owed, and accepting it could complicate your real claim.

Why Airlines Push Vouchers Over Cash

Airlines offer vouchers instead of cash compensation for one simple reason: it costs them less.

Vouchers Are Cheaper for Airlines

A €100 voucher costs the airline far less than €100 in cash because:

• Many vouchers go unused — industry estimates suggest 20–40% of travel vouchers expire without being redeemed
• Vouchers lock you into future purchases — you'll spend money with that airline again, generating additional revenue
• The marginal cost of a seat on an existing flight is far below the voucher's face value
• Cash is cash — it leaves the airline's bank account permanently

When an airline offers you a €100 voucher instead of the €400 cash compensation you're legally owed, they're saving approximately €350–€380 in real costs.

Vouchers Discourage Further Claims

Airlines know that once you accept a voucher, you're psychologically less likely to pursue your full cash entitlement. You feel like you've "received something" and the matter is closed. This is by design.

The "Goodwill" Framing

Notice the language: "as a gesture of goodwill." This framing implies the airline is doing you a favour — being generous when they don't have to be. In reality, EU261 compensation is a legal obligation, not goodwill. The airline owes you this money. A voucher is not generosity; it's a lowball offer.

What the Law Actually Says

EU Regulation 261/2004 is crystal clear on this point:

Article 7(1) specifies compensation amounts of €250, €400, or €600 based on flight distance. The regulation says "compensation" — not "vouchers," not "credits," not "future travel discounts."

Article 7(3) states: "The compensation referred to in paragraph 1 shall be paid in cash, by electronic bank transfer, bank orders or bank cheques or, with the signed agreement of the passenger, in travel vouchers and/or other services."

The critical phrase: "with the signed agreement of the passenger." This means:

1. Cash is the default form of compensation
2. Vouchers are only acceptable if you explicitly agree in writing
3. The airline cannot unilaterally decide to compensate you with a voucher
4. You have every right to refuse a voucher and demand cash

Common Voucher Tactics Airlines Use

Tactic 1: The Preemptive Voucher

The airline emails you a voucher before you even file a claim, hoping you'll consider the matter resolved. Don't. This unsolicited voucher doesn't affect your EU261 rights.

Tactic 2: The Lowball Voucher

You're owed €600. The airline offers a €150 voucher "for your inconvenience." The gap between the voucher value and your legal entitlement is enormous. Always check what you're actually owed before accepting anything.

Tactic 3: The Conditional Voucher

"Accept this €200 voucher and we'll consider this matter closed." Some airlines attach conditions — accepting the voucher waives your right to further claims. Read the fine print carefully. If acceptance is conditional on waiving EU261 rights, absolutely refuse.

Tactic 4: The Expiring Voucher

Vouchers with short expiration dates (3–12 months) create pressure to accept quickly. Remember: your EU261 cash entitlement has a statute of limitations of 2–6 years depending on country. There's no rush.

Tactic 5: The "Compensation Not Applicable" + Voucher Combo

The airline rejects your EU261 claim (citing extraordinary circumstances or insufficient delay) but offers a voucher as consolation. This is often a sign that the airline knows it might owe compensation but hopes the voucher will prevent you from pursuing it further.

Should You Ever Accept a Voucher?

In rare cases, accepting a voucher might make sense:

When a voucher could be acceptable:

• The voucher value significantly exceeds your EU261 entitlement (unusual but possible)
• You're a frequent flyer with that airline and will definitely use it
• The voucher is offered on top of your full cash compensation (not instead of)
• There are no strings attached — no waiver of rights, no expiration pressure

When you should absolutely refuse:

• The voucher is less than your EU261 entitlement (almost always the case)
• Acceptance requires waiving your right to further claims
• You're unlikely to fly with that airline again
• The voucher has a short expiration date
• The airline hasn't even assessed your EU261 eligibility

Default position: refuse the voucher, claim cash. You can always accept a voucher later if the terms improve, but you can't easily reclaim cash rights you've waived.

COVID-19 Vouchers: A Special Case

During the pandemic, airlines issued millions of vouchers instead of cash refunds for cancelled flights. Many passengers accepted them under duress — airlines made refunds extremely difficult to obtain while pushing vouchers aggressively.

The European Commission repeatedly stated that passengers were entitled to cash refunds for cancelled flights, not just vouchers. If you:

• Accepted a COVID-era voucher that has since expired unused
• Were pressured into a voucher when you wanted cash
• Still hold an unused COVID voucher

You may still have options. The legal landscape around COVID vouchers continues to evolve, and some passengers have successfully claimed cash even after initially accepting vouchers.

How to Refuse a Voucher and Claim Cash

Step 1: Don't Accept the Voucher

If the airline sends you a voucher, simply don't use it. If they ask you to "accept" it online, decline. If it arrives automatically, ignore it — receiving a voucher doesn't constitute acceptance.

Step 2: Respond in Writing

Reply to the airline (keep it brief):

"Thank you for your offer of a travel voucher. I do not accept this voucher and instead exercise my right to financial compensation under EU Regulation 261/2004, Article 7. Please process my claim for [€250/€400/€600] based on the [delay/cancellation/denied boarding] of flight [number] on [date]."

Step 3: File a Formal EU261 Claim

If you haven't already, file your claim through FlightOwed →. We'll handle the entire process, including pushing back on voucher offers and insisting on your cash entitlement.

Step 4: Escalate If Necessary

If the airline persists in offering only a voucher:

• File a complaint with the national enforcement body (CAA in the UK, DGAC in France, LBA in Germany, etc.)
• The airline can be fined for failing to comply with EU261's cash compensation requirement
• FlightOwed handles escalations automatically as part of our service

What About Miles, Points, or Travel Credits?

The same principle applies to airline miles, frequent flyer points, or "travel bank" credits offered in lieu of cash:

• Miles and points are not cash — they have variable and uncertain value
• You're under no obligation to accept them
• EU261 specifies cash as the default
• Some airlines offer generous points packages that exceed the cash value — evaluate individually, but don't feel pressured

The Bottom Line: Know Your Worth

Airlines spend millions on strategies to minimise compensation payouts. Vouchers are a key part of that strategy — they cost the airline less, often go unused, and discourage passengers from claiming their full legal entitlement.

Your EU261 compensation is worth €250–€600 per person, in cash, per qualifying flight. A voucher worth a fraction of that, with conditions and expiry dates, is not an acceptable substitute.

Claim the Cash You're Owed

Don't settle for a voucher. Don't let the airline frame their legal obligation as "goodwill." You experienced a disruption. You're owed compensation. Get it in cash.

Check your flight and claim cash compensation →

3 minutes. No upfront cost. FlightOwed ensures you get cash, not vouchers.

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Related reading:

• EU Flight Compensation Statistics
• Can You Claim for a Flight From 3 Years Ago?
• Package Holiday Flight Compensation
• Business Travel Compensation Guide