Still considering taking your Korean Air flight? Do not request a refund-amount calculation near departure merely to see a figure. Korean Air’s Korean-language ticket-refund guidance says a calculation request for a flight close to departure cancels the reservation to prevent a no-show. The page does not define an exact time window for “close to departure,” so confirm what the request will do to your booking before proceeding.
Decide whether you are cancelling or still flying
Find your booking reference, flight date and ticket issuer. If you still need the seat, keep the reservation untouched while you ask the channel that sold the ticket whether the action you are about to take is only a quote or a cancellation-triggering request. The published warning concerns requesting the calculation; it does not say that reading the refund information page cancels a reservation. Check the exact action before submitting the request near departure. Avoid treating an estimate as a harmless way to compare plans while the booked flight remains important.
If you have decided to cancel, check the applicable ticket terms and ask the issuing channel how to submit the request. Korean Air directs tickets bought through another airline or travel agency back to that seller. Its guidance also says a ticket refund cancels the purchased itinerary and ancillary services. A calculated amount, a cancelled reservation and a refund actually paid are separate states; one does not prove the others.
If you already requested the calculation
Save the booking reference, the time of your request and the exact confirmation or error shown. Check the current reservation and ticket status with the original issuer immediately, especially if departure is close. Ask which flights and ancillary services remain active and what action, if any, is available if you still intend to travel. An older confirmation email is evidence of the purchase, not proof that the reservation is still active.
If the account or online request channel is inaccessible, contact that issuer through its current official support route with your reference and the message you saw. Do not assume a different airline or app can restore the booking, and do not buy a second ticket solely because the first screen is unclear. Before paying for a replacement, seek confirmation of the live booking state and available choices. If you are already at the airport and cannot reach the issuer, show the message to airline staff and ask who can verify your travel status; this does not establish that a counter can change an agency-issued ticket. The published warning does not promise automatic restoration or a particular refund outcome.
Korean Air refund guidance checked October 5, 2026 KST.