Defera Installments explained
Defera Installments is our default way to pay for a trip over time. You pay a deposit when you book, and the rest of your trip total is split into automatic weekly or bi-weekly payments.
It works on any fare on the airlines we support, and on Flight + Hotel packages. There's no credit check and no interest, and your trip price is secured once your booking is approved.
How it works
Here's what happens, from checkout to your confirmation number:
- You pay a deposit at checkout. A deposit is the part of your trip price you pay upfront, when you book. Your deposit options depend on how far away your trip is, and your checkout page shows the options for your trip. Deposits can be as low as 5% on trips more than 90 days away.
- Your trip price is secured. Once your booking is approved, your agreed-upon trip price is protected from future airfare increases while you stay in good standing, which means keeping up with your payments. So if airfares go up while you're paying, your price doesn't.
- The rest is charged automatically. Your remaining balance is split into payments every week or every two weeks (bi-weekly). Each one is charged on its date to your card on file, which is the debit or credit card you save at checkout. Your trip's payment schedule shows what's coming up.
- You get your confirmation number. Your airline confirmation number is released once your trip is paid in full. You can pay ahead or pay off early at any time to get it sooner.
What does it cost?
Your trip total is the airfare, plus taxes, plus Defera's service fees. The Price Breakdown on your checkout page itemizes it before you book. There's no interest, no hidden fees and no penalty for paying off early. What am I paying for? Your price breakdown goes through each line.
Defera Credit is credit on your Defera account that you can use toward a future booking. If you have some, it applies automatically at checkout, starting with your deposit. You can also choose to apply Defera Miles, which lowers your price before your payment plan is built.
How far ahead can I book?
Every Defera trip departs at least 22 days after booking. The calendar in search starts there, so closer dates can't be booked.
Booking further ahead can lower your deposit. For example, if you book in January for a trip in June, your trip is more than 90 days away, so your deposit can be as low as 5%.
Can I use it for a flight and hotel?
Yes. Flight + Hotel packages are paid with Defera Installments. Your deposit and payments cover the combined flight and hotel total, and everything else works the same way.
How do I manage my payments?
Open your trip in Trips. The payment schedule, on the left on a computer or at the top on a phone, has what you need:
- Make a Payment: pay ahead, pay any extra amount, or pay off your trip in full.
- Change Schedule: switch between weekly and bi-weekly payments, with no fee, on plans that show this option.
- Pick my own dates: inside Change Schedule, where your trip offers it, choose when your next payment is due. It costs $25, charged to your card on file when you confirm, and that one fee covers every date change you make that day.
- Skip Payment: skip your next payment for a $20 fee, on plans that show this option. Your remaining payments go up slightly to cover it.
- Update Card: change the card your payments are charged to.
For example, if you pick a new date at noon and change it again at 4 p.m. the same day, you pay the $25 fee once. A change the next day is a new fee. Each date you pick needs to be at least 5 days before departure, and anything past due has to be paid first. Picking your own payment dates has the details.
Monthly payments aren't offered. Some older Defera Installments plans show Request Extension in place of Change Schedule.
What if my plans change?
To cancel, open your trip in Trips, tap Flight Options, then Cancel.
- Within 24 hours of booking: your deposit is refunded in full to the card you paid with, automatically. For example, if you book at 3 p.m. on a Tuesday, you have until 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
- After that: your cancellation screen shows the options for your trip before you confirm anything. Defera Credit is offered on select bookings, and eligibility may vary.
A refunded deposit usually drops off your card statement within a day or so, as a pending charge that disappears. If the charge had already posted, the money returns to your card within a few business days. What you get back when you cancel walks through each option.