Revenue Protection

Ticket Lifecycle.

What happens after the booking? Understanding refunds and unused tickets reveals where revenue leaks — and how to plug them.

2.9% refund rate

Protecting your revenue

On average, 2.9% of tickets were refunded in 2024. While this seems small, it represents nearly 170,000 tickets and over €3.9 million in lost revenue across all operators. Add the 5% of tickets that went completely unused, and the opportunity cost becomes significant.

Refund patterns reveal actionable insights. Winter months (January-February) see refund rates of 4%, dropping to just 2% by October. And while APIs drive only 14% of bookings, they account for over one-third of all refunds—a clear signal for tighter cancellation policies on indirect channels.

5%
unused tickets
Sold but never scanned
36.6%
API refund share
Despite only 14% of bookings
6%
voucher refunds
Higher rate for indirect sales
Data Exploration

Refund and lifecycle visualizations

Explore the interactive charts showing refund patterns across months, channels, and passenger categories.

Refund Rate by Month
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Refunds by Sales Channel
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Refund Rate by Passenger Category
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Full Analysis Available

Ticket Lifecycle

This is just a preview. The full State of the Industry report includes monthly breakdowns, channel-specific strategies, and recommendations to reduce refund losses.

Continue Exploring

More insights from the report