You could get your money back if an airline goes into administration

When you pay with Visa debit and credit cards you have extra protection

How you pay matters

Person paying using contactless

If you’ve used your Visa debit or credit card to buy goods or services that haven’t been delivered, or aren’t as you expected, you may be able to get your money back.

As part of Visa’s commitment to consumer protection, we have an established process for banks that can help you in situations like when you’ve made an online purchase and been sent the wrong product and can’t return it, or when your flight is cancelled because an airline goes into administration.

The first step in such situations is to contact the merchant, retailer, or tour operator you made the purchase from to understand whether you are covered by a bonding authority or insurance scheme. If you’re not fully covered, and only partial or no compensation will be paid through this route, you can then speak to the bank that issued your card to look at more options.

What is a chargeback?


A chargeback (otherwise known as a dispute) is a way for your bank that issued your card to reclaim money from the retailer’s bank when you do not get the goods or services you paid for, including if the retailer or supplier has gone out of business.

Chargebacks are not a legal right, but if you have paid on a Visa debit or credit card, you should address a chargeback claim to the bank that issued your card, and they can then put in a request to the retailer’s bank.

The process for managing these claims is determined by the Visa rules (rules we set out for financial institutions who want to issue or accept Visa to help us maintain a fair and high standard of service).

While there is no guarantee that your bank that issued your card will be able to recover the money through chargeback, they will assess your claim fairly.

With a chargeback, the value claimed cannot exceed the value of the original transaction. Where a partial refund has already been made, any chargeback will only cover the remaining amount of the original

How do I make a chargeback?

More information about chargebacks is available on the UK Finance website. This also contains information about the extra protection (known as “Section 75”) that applies to purchases made by credit card.

Case studies, statistics, research and recommendations are provided “AS IS” and intended for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for operational, marketing, legal, technical, tax, financial or other advice. Visa Inc. does not make any warranty or representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the Information within this document, nor assume any liability or responsibility that may result from reliance on such Information. The Information contained herein is not intended as legal advice, and readers are encouraged to seek the advice of a competent legal professional where such advice is required.

How you pay matters: Secure and protected with Visa

Whether you’re paying by card, mobile device or digital wallet, when you pay with Visa, you can pay with confidence. You have the peace of mind that your payment is secure and you have protection if something goes wrong.

Why pay with Visa