What is a refund fee?

What does a refund fee cover?

The name "refund service charge" appears as its own line in a fare-family table. China Airlines uses that line in its short-haul Economy Class table, alongside lines for free baggage allowance, seat selection, mileage, upgrade with miles, reissue service charge and no-show fee. [1]

The table shows separate rows for refunds, reissues and no-shows. China Airlines gives the reissue service charge its own row, and it describes the no-show fee as applying if the passenger did not cancel the reservation before the flight took off and eventually fails to board; that fee is paid under the fare rule of each ticket before any later date change or refund. [1] Air Europa Suma separately refers to the amount paid for a fare difference, saying that miles earned on a Business class upgrade are based on the amount paid for that fare difference but not on penalties or additional charges that the change may incur. [2]

In the China Airlines short-haul table, the refund service charge is shown against each of the four fare families. [1]

Which China Airlines economy fares charge a refund fee?

China Airlines sorts Economy Class routes into short-haul flights within Asia, long-haul flights covering North America, Europe and Oceania, and routes between Australia and New Zealand. [1] For short-haul routes, the fare-family table divides Economy Class into Discount, Basic, Standard and Flex, and marks each family as Charge or Free against a set of service lines. [1]

Even Flex, which carries 100% mileage accrual, free preferred and standard seat selection and a free reissue, still shows a charge on the refund line. [1] The refund line and the reissue line are separate rules: in this table, Flex is the single family where the reissue charge is Free while the refund charge remains Charge. [1]

Is a refund fee the same as a reissue fee or a fare difference?

Reissue versus refund. In its short-haul Economy Class table, China Airlines marks the reissue service charge as Free for Flex and Charge for Discount, Basic and Standard, while the refund service charge is Charge for all four families. [1] A Flex ticket therefore shows a free reissue line and a charge on the refund line. [1]

No-show versus refund. China Airlines states that if a passenger does not cancel the reservation before the flight takes off and eventually fails to board, a no-show fee is imposed under the fare rule of the ticket before any subsequent date change or refund is allowed. [1] The no-show fee and the refund service charge are listed as separate rows in the same short-haul table. [1]

Fare difference versus penalties. Air Europa Suma illustrates the split on the earning side: where a member upgrades to Business class, the miles earned are based on the amount paid for the fare difference, but not on any penalties or additional charges that the change may incur. [2] The terms name the fare difference and the penalties separately in that context.

When is a refund not available?

• Non-refundable award tickets. Air Europa Suma award tickets issued in class X or O are non-refundable and only allow date and time changes up to two hours before flight departure. [2]
• Tickets charged to miles. Tickets charged to Suma Miles are non-refundable, do not earn miles and do not count toward level review. [2]
• Mixed payment. Whether a ticket bought with money and Suma Miles can be refunded or have its date and route changed depends on whether the booking class permits it. [2]
• Award services. Services booked in exchange for Suma Miles are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. [2]
• Additional charges. Air Europa Suma members must pay the airport taxes, duties and public charges payable at airports, plus administration fees and other applicable costs, charges or expenses resulting from operations charged to their Miles account. [2]
• Scope of the fare table. The China Airlines charge markings quoted here describe its short-haul Economy Class fare families; the airline also categorizes long-haul Economy Class and Australia–New Zealand routes separately. [1]

Frequently asked questions

Do all China Airlines short-haul Economy Class fare families charge a refund service charge?

Yes. Discount, Basic, Standard and Flex are each marked Charge on the refund service charge row. [1]

Is a refund service charge the same as a reissue service charge?

No. In the short-haul table they are separate rows, and Flex is the one family whose reissue service charge is Free while its refund service charge remains Charge. [1]

Can I refund an Air Europa Suma award ticket?

Award tickets issued in class X or O are non-refundable, and tickets charged to Suma Miles are non-refundable as well; the X/O award tickets allow date and time changes only up to two hours before departure. [2]

What happens if I don't cancel before departure?

At China Airlines a no-show fee is imposed under the ticket's fare rule, and it must be settled before any later date change or refund. [1]

Can services booked with Suma Miles be refunded?

No. Services booked in exchange for Suma Miles are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. [2]

Related pages

Browse the full frequent flyer glossary for other terms. This entry covers only China Airlines' short-haul Economy Class fare-family table and Air Europa Suma's terms and conditions.

Sources

Sources checked on 21 October 2026. This page reports no account test. Only China Airlines and Air Europa Suma are covered here, and the China Airlines material is limited to its short-haul Economy Class fare families; other airlines, alliances and loyalty programs are not described on this page.

1. China Airlines Economy Class fare family, checked 13 October 2026
2. Air Europa Suma general terms and conditions, checked 21 October 2026