Millions in COVID airline credits set to expire

The snap closure of borders during the pandemic led to mass flight cancellations with about $2 billion in credits being issued by Qantas.

About $250 million worth were bookings made directly with the airline while $150 million were through travel agents and other third parties.

The credits have a booking deadline of December 31, 2023 but trips can be taken until December 2024.

To help customers track down old bookings Qantas has launched a new tool called Find My Credit.

And those who use their travel credits to book a flight before July 31 will receive double Frequent Flyer points.

About 80 per cent of COVID credits can also be refunded at customer request.

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"We know the credits system has been challenging because of the sheer complexity of putting millions of bookings in a holding pattern for up to three years," Qantas Group chief customer officer Markus Svensson said.

"The majority of the COVID credits we hold can be converted into refunds but we can't do it automatically as the credit cards used for the purchase as far back as 2019 may have expired."

Customers who booked directly with Qantas can request a refund by calling 1300 171 505 while those who used a travel agent should contact them directly.