Can I cancel a holiday package and get my money back in Malta?
With conditions — you can always cancel a holiday package, but you normally pay a reasonable termination fee. Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations (transposing EU Directive 2015/2302, administered by the MCCAA), you have the right to cancel with no fee and receive a full refund only when unavoidable extraordinary circumstances occur — such as war, a serious outbreak of disease or a natural disaster — that significantly affect the package at the destination or its immediate vicinity. The refund is made within 14 days of the termination of the contract. The myth: that "you can always cancel and get everything back". That is not true outside those circumstances: otherwise you pay a reasonable fee, and you are not entitled to additional compensation. If the organiser is the one who cancels, you also receive a full refund within 14 days.
📋 The rules
- Under the Package Travel Regulations (EU Directive 2015/2302), you can cancel before departure, but you normally pay a reasonable fee.
- You can cancel with no fee and take a full refund only when unavoidable extraordinary circumstances significantly affect the package at the destination.
- The refund is made within 14 days of the termination of the contract.
- In extraordinary circumstances you are not entitled to additional compensation, only the refund.
- If the organiser cancels, you receive a full refund within 14 days, and compensation unless it is due to extraordinary circumstances.
🔓 Exceptions
- A voluntary cancellation without extraordinary circumstances carries a reasonable termination fee depending on how close the departure date is.
- Trips and services issued separately (a flight on its own, a hotel on its own) are not "packages" and may follow different rules.
- Travel insurance can cover personal cancellations (illness, a death in the family) that the package regulations do not.
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The main issue here is not a fine but what you lose. If you cancel voluntarily without extraordinary circumstances, you pay a termination fee that can be substantial the closer the departure date is, and you sometimes lose the whole deposit. On the other hand, if the organiser fails to refund within 14 days in a case of extraordinary circumstances, it is breaking the regulations, and you can lodge a complaint with the MCCAA or ECC Malta. Watch out for vouchers forced on you instead of money: in extraordinary circumstances you are entitled to a cash refund, not a forced voucher. If the organiser goes bust, insolvency protection should cover your refund or repatriation. Keep every contract, receipt and written communication, because these are the evidence that decides whether a full refund or a fee is due.
📎 Official sources
- MCCAA · consumer rights in package travel →
- ECC Malta · Package Travel →
- Laws of Malta · Consumer Affairs Act (Cap. 378) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I cancel and get all my money back?
A full refund with no fee is guaranteed only when unavoidable extraordinary circumstances — such as war or a serious outbreak of disease — significantly affect the destination. Outside those cases you can still cancel, but you normally pay a reasonable termination fee.
How long until I get the refund?
The regulations require the refund to be made within 14 days of the termination of the contract, and this applies both when you cancel in extraordinary circumstances and when the organiser cancels. If they exceed this time, you can complain to the MCCAA or ECC Malta.
What are "unavoidable extraordinary circumstances"?
These are serious situations outside anyone's control, such as war, serious civil unrest, outbreaks of disease or natural disasters that affect the destination or its vicinity. Simply changing your mind or being a little afraid is not enough to trigger the full refund with no fee.
Can the organiser give me a voucher instead of money?
In a case of extraordinary circumstances you are entitled to a cash refund, and they cannot force you to accept a voucher instead. You may accept a voucher if you wish, but your right remains to ask for the money back within 14 days.
What happens if the travel agency goes bust?
Packages must be covered by insolvency protection, which should refund what you paid or pay for your repatriation if you have already travelled. That is why it is important to book with an organiser that offers this protection and to keep the proof of payment.
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