Voucher or cash: can the airline insist on a travel voucher?

No. EU261 compensation is paid in cash or by bank transfer as the default. An airline may pay in travel vouchers only if you give your free and informed agreement. You never have to accept a voucher, and accepting one does not automatically cost you the right to cash if you were not clearly informed of the choice.

Last updated: 5 October 2026.

What the Regulation says

Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 provides that compensation "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 structure of the article shows that money is the main form, and vouchers are a secondary option that requires an extra condition: the passenger's signed agreement. The same rule applies to refunds of the ticket price under Article 8.

What "signed agreement" means

In a 2024 judgment (Case C-76/23, Cobult), the EU Court of Justice clarified two points, which the European Commission's guidelines summarise:

In practice, and this is our reading of the Court's standard, a pre-ticked box or a voucher you were handed without being told you could choose cash is unlikely to meet it. Airlines that make vouchers the only visible option, or push you to accept one quickly, risk not having your genuine agreement.

What to do if you were offered a voucher

  1. Do not accept it just to end the matter. If you are not sure, say in writing that you want the compensation in cash or by bank transfer.
  2. If you already took a voucher, check what you agreed to. If you were not clearly told that you could choose cash, you may be able to claim cash. Article 15(2) of the Regulation says that if a passenger was not correctly informed of their rights and for that reason accepted something less, they can still take proceedings to obtain the rest.
  3. Compare the value. A voucher can be worth less to you if it expires, is limited to certain routes, or carries conditions. A voucher offered in return for a flight you are giving up may be a deal you made voluntarily. See voluntary and involuntary denied boarding.

Vouchers when the airline cancels your flight

The same principle applies to a refund of the ticket when your flight is cancelled. Under Article 8, you must be offered a choice between reimbursement, rerouting at the earliest opportunity, or rerouting at a later date. The Commission's guidelines say that reimbursement of the ticket is made primarily in money. A voucher is a secondary form that needs the passenger's signed agreement.

Frequently asked

The airline emailed me a voucher link and said it was the only option. Is that allowed?

It does not meet the rule unless you freely and knowingly chose it. Compensation under EU261 is owed in cash or by transfer by default. You can insist on cash.

I clicked "accept voucher" on the airline's website. Is that final?

A tick in an online form can count as signed agreement, but only if you were given clear and full information and consented freely and with knowledge. If you were not told you could choose cash, you may still claim.

Can the airline offer a voucher worth more than the cash?

It can offer, but you decide. A larger voucher is an offer you can accept or decline, not something that replaces your legal right to cash.

Sources

This guide is general information based on the sources above, not legal advice.

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