Defera Zero explained
Defera Zero lets you book a flight with nothing due when you book. It's available on refundable fares from American, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic.
Even with $0 down, your trip price is secured once your booking is approved. Your first payment isn't due at checkout. It's due on the first date in your payment schedule.
How it works
Here's what happens when you book with Defera Zero:
- You book with $0 down. Nothing is due at checkout. The card you enter is saved as your card on file, and your payments are charged to it.
- 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.
- You pay in equal payments. Your trip total is split into equal weekly or bi-weekly payments, charged automatically to your card on file. The first one is due on the first date in your payment schedule.
- You get your confirmation number. Your airline confirmation number is released once your trip is paid in full.
There are no surprise charges. The service fee and hold fee are built into your payment schedule, and there's no interest. As with every Defera plan, there's no credit check.
Why don't I see Defera Zero?
Defera Zero works only on refundable fares, which are fares the airline lets you cancel for your money back. Many lower-priced fares aren't refundable, so you'll see Defera Zero on some flights and not others.
If you don't see it at checkout, check these:
- The fare isn't refundable.
- The airline isn't one that offers Defera Zero: American, United, Southwest, JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic.
- You're booking a Flight + Hotel package. Those are paid with Defera Installments.
If Defera Zero isn't offered, Defera Installments works on any fare on the airlines we support, with a deposit at checkout.
What if I need to cancel?
Open your trip in Trips, tap Flight Options, then Cancel. Your cancellation screen shows your options and the exact amounts before you confirm anything.
- Before your first payment: tap Cancel Trip. Your plan is cancelled and nothing is charged.
- After your first payment: tap Cancel & receive 75% refund. The screen shows the exact amounts and asks you to confirm, and then the refund runs automatically to the card you paid with. This option is there until 24 hours before departure, even once your trip is paid in full.
- If you paid entirely with Defera Credit: there's no card payment to refund, so cancelling returns it all as Defera Credit.
Refunds go back to the card you paid with. Your bank typically takes 5–10 business days to show the money, sometimes less.
Can I get Defera Credit instead?
Some trips can also be cancelled for Defera Credit worth 100% of what you've paid. Defera Credit is credit on your Defera account. It never expires, and you can use it toward any future Defera booking, including trips for someone else. Defera Credit is offered on select bookings, and eligibility may vary.
If your trip offers it, your cancellation screen shows both choices, with the cash option as Prefer cash? Take 75% back instead. The credit is the larger amount, but it can't be turned into cash later, so choose the one that fits your plans.
For example, say you've paid $400 so far and you cancel two weeks before departure. The cash option returns $300 to your card. If your trip offers Defera Credit, you could choose $400 in Defera Credit instead.
What you get back when you cancel covers every option in more detail.