Don't see the combined Refund & Cancellation workflow?

If you see separate Cancel Booking and Issue Refund actions instead, please refer to:

How do I cancel a booking, issue a refund, or do both?

You can manage refunds and cancellations from a single flow.

To get started:

Go to My Trips and click Manage Trip.
Open the three-dot menu next to the booking.
Select Cancel or Refund.

You will then see three options:

Cancel and Refund
Cancel Only
Refund Only

The option you choose determines how the booking and payment plan will be updated.

Cancel and Refund

Choose this option when you want to cancel a package or add-on from a booking AND return money to the traveler.

Once selected, you can then choose what should be cancelled:

Once there, you can select the refund method:

If you’re issuing a refund via WeTravel, you’ll first select which payments to refund before confirming.

Note: If you do not have sufficient funds to proceed with the refund, you will see the following message: "How to top-up your account?"

If you’re issuing a refund outside of WeTravel, it will be recorded on the booking, but no funds will be processed through WeTravel.

Examples:

A traveler cancels their trip and is entitled to a refund.
A traveler cancels an add-on and should receive money back.
You need to cancel part of a booking and issue a partial refund.

Depending on the amount you refund, WeTravel may ask what should happen to any remaining funds.

If the refund is smaller than the cancelled amount, you can:

Keep the difference (for example, as a cancellation fee), or
Apply the difference to the remaining booking balance

Note: If the booking is already fully paid, you cannot apply the difference to a remaining balance because no balance exists. In this case, you must either refund the full cancelled amount or keep part of it as a non-refundable amount.

Cancel Only

Choose this option when you want to cancel a package or add-on from a booking but do not want to return funds to the traveler.

Examples:

The booking is non-refundable.
The traveler wants to use the value toward a future arrangement.
You need to cancel a booking while deciding how funds will be handled later.

Once selected, you can then choose what should be cancelled:

The cancelled items will be removed from the booking, and the booking total will be updated accordingly.

Refund Only

Choose this option when you want to return money to a traveler without changing their booking.

Examples:

Offering goodwill compensation.
Correcting a pricing mistake.
Returning part of a payment while keeping the booking active.

The booking remains active, and the refund is recorded on the booking.

Once selected, you will then see these two options:

Refund the Traveler

Select this option to refund the traveler to the original payment method or to record an external refund.

Once selected, you can select the refund method:

If you’re issuing a refund via WeTravel, you’ll first select which payments to refund before confirming.

Return Now, Collect Later

Sometimes you may want to return money to a traveler temporarily while keeping the original booking value unchanged.

Choose Return Now, Collect Later when:

You need to return funds now.
The traveler is expected to repay the amount later.
You do not want to reduce the booking total.

In this case:

The amount paid on the booking is reduced.
The booking total remains unchanged.
No booking cancellation occurs.

External Refunds/Refund Outside WeTravel

If you have already refunded the traveler outside of WeTravel, you can record the refund for reporting purposes.

Once selected, you will be asked to confirm the details, that the refund is final/cannot be undone, and to add a custom message to the notification email if desired:

Examples:

Cash refund
Bank transfer
Check payment
ACH, BACS, or SEPA payments that can no longer be refunded through WeTravel

Recording an external refund does not move any funds. It simply updates your records.

Note: You can choose whether you want your client to receive a confirmation email by selecting this option in the box. We highly recommend using the note field to include details about the refund so you and your client know what it refers to.

Important Notes

Refunds cannot be reversed

Once a refund has been processed or recorded, it cannot be canceled or undone.

Refunds may take time to appear

Refunds typically appear on a traveler's statement within 5–10 business days, depending on the payment method and financial institution.

Use the original payment method whenever possible

Returning funds to the original payment method is the safest way to prevent disputes and chargebacks.

Bank transfers have refund limitations

Some bank transfer payments cannot be refunded through WeTravel after 180 days. In those cases, you can process the refund externally and record it in WeTravel. Please see this article for more information: Refunding bank transfer payments that are older than 180 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between "Refund Only" and "Return Now, Collect Later"?

Refund Only reduces the value of the booking and records a refund on the booking.

Return Payment, Collect Later only reduces the amount paid. The booking total remains unchanged.

Can I cancel a booking without refunding the traveler?

Yes. Select Cancel Only.

Can I refund a traveler without canceling their booking?

Yes. Select Refund Only.

Can I partially refund a traveler?

Yes. You can refund any eligible amount, either through WeTravel or as an external refund.

What happens if a refund fails?

If a refund fails, WeTravel automatically updates the booking to keep the records accurate. You will be notified and can retry the refund if needed.

Will travelers receive an email?

Travelers receive email notifications for refunds processed through WeTravel.

Can I choose whether payment method fees are refunded?

Some organizers may see a fee-handling option during the refund flow. When available, you can choose whether to absorb eligible payment method fees or pass them on to the traveler.

Where did the Balance Adjustment feature go?

Balance Adjustment has been replaced with Custom Adjustment.

You can now add either a Positive Adjustment (Custom Add-on) to increase the booking total or a Negative Adjustment (Custom Discount) to reduce the amount owed.

To create one, open the booking, click the three-dot menu, and select Add Custom Adjustment. Then choose the appropriate adjustment type, enter the amount and details, and complete the update.

This provides a clearer distinction between charges and discounts while maintaining a transparent record of all booking changes.