How we’re working to help you during COVID-19 and your FAQs answered:

Why does it take so long to get through?

During the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, we were experiencing unprecedented volumes of calls and messages. While we now are able to offer faster service, please know that there are still many travelers with urgent needs who also need assistance. If your query is not urgent, please expect a delay in receiving a response.

How do I get assistance faster?

If you want to cancel or change your flight and you know and agree to your airline's policy, you can do so yourself by going to the "My Trips" page and following the prompts. Please note that we can *NOT* reinstate your flights for you if you cancel them.

If you do not wish to cancel online, we can help you faster if you provide as much information as possible when you reach out to us. Please provide the following information:

• Your StudentUniverse reservation number (typically 6 letters)
• Your full name and date of birth
• The original flight date
• The airline
• Your email address
• A phone number where you can be reached at any time
• The specific details of your request.

Should I call multiple times?

Please don’t! Once you call, you can leave your number for a call back when we get to your place in the lineup. When you call multiple times, it won’t move you up in the queue—it’ll only ask if you’d like to delete your place. So call once, hop in the queue and hang tight! We’ll be with you ASAP.

Is it okay to have my friend contact you for me?

Please don't! We are trying to help as many people as possible as quickly as we can. If we have several people messaging us for the same problem, it actually slows us down and takes time away that could be spent helping more people. Please be respectful of our time and other people who need help too and just message us once. We'll get back to you within a day or two.

Someone called and I didn’t get the phone in time, what happens now?

Unfortunately if we can’t reach you, our agents have to move on to help other customers. We will try to reach you again as soon as we can. If you can’t answer your phone anytime, it may be better to DM us so that you won’t miss our messaging back (please note, we still may not be able to respond right away). If you did miss our call, feel free to give us another call as well.

Can I get a refund?

We are happy to advocate for a refund if your flight was cancelled, however, we are bound by the airline's policy. We cannot issue a refund for you if the airline policy does not allow it. Basic Economy flights are almost never refundable. Please refer to your airline's policy for more info. If your airline will allow refunds, feel free to reach out to us.

Can I get a cash refund instead of travel credit?

At this time, very few airlines are offering full refunds. If you would not like to accept the future travel credit, and if it’s allowable under the terms of your ticket, we can look into the possibility of a refund with a cancellation fee. Please note that most cancellation fees range from $200 to $450 depending on the ticket and that Basic Economy tickets or flights that have already been partially flown are never refundable.

My university forced me home, can I get a refund?

We understand a lot of you have been asked to vacate your university or study abroad programs immediately. If you have a flight booked for later in the year, your flight may or may not be eligible for a refund, depending on the airline. Most airlines have issued one free change and you may be eligible to cancel for future credit. If you would like us to petition to the airline for a special request, we will advocate on your behalf. Please understand this process can take several months to get a resolution and we cannot guarantee it will result in a refund.

My event was cancelled, can I get a refund?

We understand a lot of events have been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19. Regardless of the situation, we have to stick to airline policy. Most airlines have issued one free change and you may be eligible to cancel for future credit. If you would like us to petition to the airline for a special request, we will advocate on your behalf. Please understand this process can take several months to get a resolution and we cannot guarantee it will result in a refund.

There’s a travel ban, does that mean I can get a refund?

If you are actually not allowed to enter a country because of a travel restriction, you may be eligible for a refund, depending on your airline’s policy. However, a travel ban DOES NOT mean that you are automatically eligible for a refund. It depends on the airlines’ waivers and if the travel ban actually applies to you.

I bought trip insurance, can I get a refund?

All insurance questions have to go directly through Tripmate, or whatever insurance company you purchased through. We really can’t speak to any insurance questions. You can file an insurance claim through the company and wait to hear from them directly.

My friend got a refund for their flight, can I get a refund too?

Most airlines are not offering full refunds at this point, except in very specific circumstances. It’s possible that your friend may have qualified for something that you may or may not qualify for, but it's more likely that your friend received a refund in the form of a future travel credit. In short, we can offer you whatever your ticket is eligible for. Please trust that we are working hard to offer you the BEST option we can find for your ticket!

Where is my refund?

In the rare situation where you have already been told that the airline has agreed to a refund, please note that it will be delayed. At this time, airlines have stopped issuing refunds to focus on customer service and protecting passengers. All refunds will be delayed until the situation stabilizes.

How does my credit work?

Your travel credit is associated with your original booking. Basically, it lives in the backend of the ticketing system with that reservation, which is why you currently can’t see it yourself. Our teams are working on an easier way for you to access and use it, but in the meantime you can call us and an agent can access it for you when you are ready to book.

How do I use my future travel credit?

Travel credit is stored on your StudentUniverse account for future use. You won’t be able to see it because it’s stored on the backend, but we can see it. :) When you’re ready to use it, you can give us a call and we’ll have you apply that credit.

How much travel credit will I have?

The credit will be for the remaining amount of your ticket. If your ticket was totally unused, it’ll be for the full amount of the original ticket. If you already flew the outbound portion of the flight, the credit will be for about half, or the amount of the return portion of the flight.

Where can I see my travel credit?

You can’t see your travel credit, as it’s stored on the backend of your account. We can access it for you anytime, so just call in when you’re ready to use it.

Does this credit expire?

Yes, and this depends on the airline's policy. For many airlines, the credit is good through December 31, 2020. Please refer to your airline’s policy for more details on when your credit has to be used by.

When will I receive my travel credit?

Your travel credit will be added to your account as soon as the cancellation is processed, so almost immediately. Give us a call back when you're ready to rebook.

Can someone else take my flight in my place?

The short answer is no. All flights are non-transferable and cannot be used by anyone other than the ticket holder. This applies to future travel credit as well.

Will my travel credit be extended beyond its current deadline if this continues?

Many airlines are updating their policies regarding travel credit use deadlines. Delta and American Airlines are just two examples of major airlines now allowing credit to be used through 2021. We recommend you continue to watch your airline’s specific policy and encourage you to reach out to them and ask them to extend the deadline if needed.

Is my credit only good for the same airline?

Yes, same airline. If your ticket was on two separate airlines, you’ll have a partial credit for both of the airlines.

Do I use my credit on StudentUniverse or on the airline’s website?

You’ll be able to use it on StudentUniverse, for flights operated by that airline. Call us when you’re ready to rebook and we can help you use credit.

Can I use my credit for a different destination?

Depends on the airline policy. Typically, airline policy requires that you use credit for the same destination, but in some cases you may be able to change it. Check airline policy for official rules and know that you can always ask the airlines for a request to change the route.

I was told if there’s a price increase in the new flight we would have to pay for that difference, but what if that flight is cheaper?

If the new flight is cheaper, you won't have to pay anything extra, but you won't get the leftover credit back either. The credit is a one-time use, not like a gift card where you can use it for multiple things. You also can't split it between multiple flights.

I am about to graduate, and lose my student email, how will that impact my credit?

No need to worry, your credit is associated with your original booking and not just your email address. A change to your student status will not impact your credit. And in case you didn’t know, you don’t have to be a student to book on StudentUniverse. Anyone can book with us, just not everyone will be able to get access to special discount student fares. You can also update your email address to a more permanent one on your account any time.