Got a credit from an airline? Now might be a good time to use it

Air-travel planning tied to the Iran-related disruption is shifting as Smartraveller’s latest guidance for the United Arab Emirates and Qatar (dated June 18) downgrades advice from “Do not travel” to “Reconsider your need to travel.” The update follows the period when Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways canceled flights en masse and offered refunds or credits as the war began at the end of February. The article focuses on Australians who kept original bookings and rebooked backup flights on carriers including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines and airlines based in China. Mark Trim, founder of Adelaide’s Complex Travel Group, said many backup fares are easier to cancel, because top-tier inventory was typically refundable with little or no penalty. However, he cautions there is no guarantee conflict won’t resume, so credits may not cover future disruptions.