Short answer: If you fall ill, low-cost airlines usually won’t refund the fare. Ryanair refunds nothing, easyJet nothing either after 24 hours from booking, Wizz Air part of it on presentation of a medical report, and Smartwings only the unused airport charges on LITE and PLUS fares. Always ask for the refundable taxes. Flight cancellation insurance reimburses the rest after deducting the 10% excess, if you took it out in advance.
One-minute summary
- All four airlines’ tickets are non-refundable on their basic fares. The exceptions mainly cover a death in the family; Wizz Air also refunds part of the price for illness.
- Ryanair, easyJet and Smartwings refund government and airport taxes even on a non-refundable ticket. The deadlines differ — with Ryanair, only one month from departure.
- If someone else can fly instead, a name change is usually cheaper than a lost ticket. Smartwings doesn’t allow it once the ticket has been issued.
- Cancellation insurance reimburses what the airline doesn’t refund after deducting the 10% excess. For tickets costing CZK 7,200, the premium is CZK 648, and if you fall ill it pays back CZK 5,490.
- Cancellation insurance doesn’t cover a flight cancelled by the airline. That’s governed by EU Regulation 261/2004.
What Ryanair, Wizz Air, Smartwings and easyJet refund if you don’t fly
We went through the rules of the four airlines people fly with most often from the Czech Republic (verified 26/10/2026). They apply to tickets bought directly from the airline. If you bought through a travel agency, deal with the agency about a refund.
| Situation | Ryanair | Wizz Air | Smartwings | easyJet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You cancel the ticket | Tickets are non-refundable. | Up to 3 hours before departure for a cancellation fee. The rest as WIZZ credit, or to the original payment method through customer service. | LITE and PLUS are non-refundable. With FLEX, it refunds the unused part minus a fee set by the fare conditions. | Within 24 hours of booking, it refunds the price minus a cancellation fee. After that, tickets are non-refundable. |
| Taxes for an unused flight | Refunds government taxes if they were included in the price. Request within 1 month of the departure date. | Refunded as part of cancelling the ticket, minus the cancellation fee. | Refunds unused airport charges, minus an administration fee. | Refunds part of the government taxes on request, within 6 calendar months of the scheduled departure. |
| Changing the date | For a fee plus the fare difference, online up to 2.5 hours before departure. | For a fee depending on the number of days until departure, plus the fare difference. Free with WIZZ Flex. | Depending on the fare conditions. | For a fee, online up to 2 hours before departure. |
| Name change | For a fee, as long as no flight in the booking has departed yet. | A full name change for a fee per person and flight, online up to 3 hours before departure. | Not possible on an issued ticket. You cancel the ticket under the fare conditions and buy a new one. | Possible; the fees are in easyJet’s price list. |
| Illness | No refund and no credit. | A partial refund on presentation of a medical report, for the sick passenger and, where applicable, an adult travelling with a child. | We didn’t find a special rule in the terms; the fare conditions apply. | Refers you to travel insurance. It assesses requests with a medical form, which must arrive within 30 days of the flight. |
| Death in the family | Death of the passenger, partner, parent or child within 10 days before the flight: credit for the full value for 12 months, not money. | Death of a close relative, including a sibling, grandparent or grandchild, within 30 days before departure: a refund. | Death of a parent, sibling, spouse, child or grandparent: a refund of the ticket price or its unused part. | Credit for those who can’t fly. If the passenger or the person who bought the ticket dies, a refund of the full price or part of it. |
How to get airport taxes back
Part of the ticket price is made up of government and airport taxes and charges. Ryanair, easyJet and Smartwings refund them for an unused ticket, even if the ticket is otherwise non-refundable. With Wizz Air, they’re refunded as part of cancelling the ticket.
Ask for them through the airline’s form or customer service, and watch the deadline: with Ryanair it’s one month from the departure date, with easyJet six calendar months. You’ll find the amount of the taxes in the price breakdown when you buy.
When a change is better than cancelling
If you can’t fly but someone else can, look at a name change. Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet allow it for a fee, and it’s usually cheaper than losing the ticket. With Smartwings, you can’t change the name on an issued ticket.
If you just need different dates, consider changing the flight. You pay a fee and the fare difference. If the new flight is cheaper, neither Ryanair nor Wizz Air refunds the difference.
Fallen ill before the flight: what to do
- See a doctor before the flight. You need a medical report with the diagnosis and length of treatment for both the airline and the insurer.
- Find out what the airline offers. Wizz Air refunds part of the price for illness on presentation of a medical report; easyJet assesses requests with a medical form. Ryanair refunds nothing for illness.
- Ask for a refund of the taxes for the flight you won’t be taking, within the airline’s deadline.
- Report the claim to the insurer without undue delay, with your policy number and proof of what the airline refunded. The process is on the how to make a claim page.
When flight cancellation insurance helps
Cancellation insurance reimburses the ticket price the airline doesn’t refund after deducting the 10% excess. This includes paid luggage and seats, if they aren’t refunded. Taxes and anything the airline refunds are deducted.
It covers cases where you can’t fly for a reason listed in the policy terms: illness or injury, illness or death in the family, caring for a sick loved one, stolen documents in the last 7 days before the flight, and others. It doesn’t cover a change of plans, fear of flying or a missed flight.
What to watch out for
- The 30-day deadline. More than 30 days before the flight, you can insure even a ticket you already have. A ticket bought 30 days or less before the flight can only be insured on the day of purchase.
- Only new events. Illness, injury, death and pregnancy are covered if they arise no more than 180 days before the flight; other reasons, no more than 30 days before it.
- 10% excess. It doesn’t apply if the insured person is hospitalised for at least 24 hours or dies.
The insurance is always taken out for that specific booking, regardless of where you bought the ticket. For an independent trip, you can add accommodation to the same policy as the flight. More on the flight cancellation insurance and package holiday and trip cancellation insurance pages; the reasons and exclusions are in the overview what the insurance covers.
What flight insurance costs
Return flights for two to Barcelona for CZK 7,200, of which CZK 1,100 is refundable airport taxes: the premium is CZK 648. If you fall ill a week before the flight and the airline only refunds the taxes, the insurer pays you CZK 5,490.
The premium is 9% of the price, at least CZK 26 per policy. The tax amount is only illustrative — you’ll find yours in the ticket price breakdown. Do your own calculation in the price calculator.
We’ll email you a flight insurance quote: I’d like a flight insurance quote.
If the airline cancels the flight
That’s a different situation. A cancelled or seriously delayed flight is the airline’s responsibility under EU Regulation 261/2004: a refund, a replacement flight and sometimes compensation of EUR 250 to 600. Cancellation insurance doesn’t cover a flight cancelled by the carrier. What to do is described in the guide cancelled flight.
Frequently asked questions
Will the airline refund my ticket if I fall ill?
Usually not. Ryanair refunds nothing for illness, easyJet refers you to travel insurance, and with Smartwings the fare conditions apply. Wizz Air refunds part of the price on presentation of a medical report. Cancellation insurance pays back the rest, if you took it out in advance.
Can I transfer my ticket to someone else?
With Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet, yes, for a fee. Ryanair won’t allow the change once any flight in the booking has departed. Smartwings won’t change the name on an issued ticket — you have to cancel the ticket under the fare conditions and buy a new one.
Are airport taxes refunded if I don’t fly?
With Ryanair, easyJet and Smartwings, yes, on request and within the airline’s deadline. Ryanair only refunds government taxes within one month of the departure date, easyJet within six calendar months. Cancellation insurance doesn’t cover taxes that can be recovered.
Does the insurance also cover a ticket bought through a travel agency?
Yes. It doesn’t matter where you bought the ticket. But a refund from the airline is then usually handled by the agency, not the airline.
By when do I have to take out flight insurance?
If there are more than 30 days until the flight, at any time. A ticket bought 30 days or less before the flight can only be insured on the day of purchase. In all cases, the insurance only covers events that occur after it’s taken out.
Sources
We verified the airlines’ rules on their websites on 26/10/2026. The links lead to third-party websites.
- Ryanair — illness before the flight (opens in a new window)
- Ryanair — bereavement (opens in a new window)
- Ryanair — government tax refunds (opens in a new window)
- Ryanair — transferring a ticket to another name (opens in a new window)
- Ryanair — changing a flight (opens in a new window)
- Wizz Air — cancelling a booking (opens in a new window)
- Wizz Air — when it gives refunds (opens in a new window)
- Wizz Air — illness and death (opens in a new window)
- Wizz Air — name changes (opens in a new window)
- Wizz Air — flight change fees (opens in a new window)
- Smartwings — cancelling a flight booking (opens in a new window)
- Smartwings — conditions of carriage (Art. 14) (opens in a new window)
- Smartwings — changing the name on a ticket (opens in a new window)
- easyJet — flight cancellation, illness, bereavement and tax refunds (opens in a new window)
- PP STORNO CZ 11/2025 policy terms — on the Documents page
Related
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. The wording of the policy terms and your seller’s terms is what counts. The example scenarios are illustrative.