How to change or cancel a Finnair Plus award flight

Changing an award ticket

The starting point is the Finnair Plus rule for changes made after the ticket has already been issued: a fee of €50 per ticket, or the equivalent sum in another currency, is charged together with the taxes and passenger fees incurred because of the change. [4] Finnair's booking conditions state the same €50 per-ticket change fee for Finnair Plus award flights once tickets have been issued. [1]

For a change made after the outbound has been flown, the booking conditions say the award ticket can be changed at the latest one day before the original return flight, again with the €50 change fee. [1] The Finnair Plus rules describe the return-flight case through the Finnair Classic award: the return can be changed for €50 per passenger, the change must be made at least three hours before the original return flight, re-routing is not permitted, and only award flights operated by Finnair can be changed. [4]

It is valid only on the airline for which it was issued, and holders are not entitled by their Avios to a seat on a particular scheduled flight. [4] Award flights can be booked no earlier than 360 days before the planned date of use. [4]

Canceling and getting the Avios back

Under the Finnair Plus rules, an unused flight award is credited back to the member's account when the journey is canceled before the ticket is issued and Finnair Plus Customer Service is notified no later than three hours before the flights. [4] If the journey is canceled after the ticket has been issued but before travel begins — again, at the latest three hours before — the Avios are returned in exchange for the unused ticket and a cancellation fee of €50 per ticket, or the equivalent in another currency, is charged. [4] In that case the rules say the residual part, meaning taxes and passenger fees, is returned. [4]

Finnair's booking conditions put the cancellation outcome in a slightly different frame: where the flight is canceled more than 24 hours before departure, the Avios go back to the member's account, while paid taxes, other passenger fees and already expired Avios are not returned, and a partly unused flight ticket is not refunded. [1]

The sources differ on taxes and passenger fees: the booking conditions say paid taxes and other passenger fees are not returned [1], while the program rules say taxes and passenger fees are returned when an issued ticket is canceled before travel, and also that taxes are not refunded if the award trip is canceled after the ticket was redeemed. [4] These pages do not say which rule applies.

Fees by market

Finnair publishes the euro amounts in its program rules and booking conditions. Its United States site lists fees in US dollars: a change on a Finnair Plus reservation is listed at 50 USD and a refund on a Finnair Plus reservation at 50 USD. [1] [2] [4] Those US figures are described as service fees only, with any extra fare penalties advised at the time the change or refund is made, and service fees are non-refundable. [2] The service fee for tickets bought online depends on the departure country of the journey, and fees may be converted into local currency. [2]

Deadlines and what is not returned

• No-shows. If the member does not cancel the flight, the Avios are not returned. [4]
• Expired Avios. Avios that had already expired are not returned when a flight is canceled. [1] Avios are valid for 18 months from the latest Avios activity date, and transferring Avios between accounts does not extend that date. [4]
• Partly used tickets. A partly unused flight ticket is not refunded. [1]
• Taxes after redemption. The Finnair Plus rules also state that taxes are not refunded if the award trip is canceled after the ticket was redeemed. [4]
• Partner awards. For an award granted by one of Finnair's partners, the partner's own cancellation terms or the general terms for package tours apply, and Finnair does not return Avios or money for an award voucher that was not used. [4]

Common questions

Can I pay the change fee with Avios?

No. Finnair's answer to this question is that Avios cannot be used to pay for ticket changes. [3]

How much does it cost to change a Finnair Plus award flight?

The program rules quote €50 per ticket, or the equivalent in another currency, plus the taxes and passenger fees arising from the change. [4] The United States fee table lists a change on a Finnair Plus reservation at 50 USD. [2]

What happens if I simply do not show up?

The Avios are not returned when the member does not cancel the flight. [4]

How long is the award ticket good for?

Award tickets for scheduled flights are valid for 12 months from the date of booking, and the return flight must be made within this period. [1] [4]

Can I change just the return flight?

With a Finnair Classic award, the return flight can be changed for €50 per passenger, at least three hours before the original return flight, without re-routing and only to award flights operated by Finnair. [4]

Related pages

Program: Finnair Plus — tiers, Avios collection and partner awards. Terms: the frequent flyer glossary for Avios, award ticket and cancellation basics.

Sources

Sources checked on 22 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Fee amounts are quoted as Finnair publishes them in euros on its international pages and in US dollars on its United States site.

1. Finnair conditions for bookings, checked 22 October 2026
2. Finnair service fees (United States), checked 22 October 2026
3. Finnair Plus FAQ: can I pay the change fee with Avios?, checked 22 October 2026
4. Finnair Plus rules, checked 22 October 2026