FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Visa SmartDelay is a unique service that offers complimentary airport lounge access in the event of a flight delay.
You register your flight with the Visa SmartDelay service before travelling. If the airline announces a delay that meets or exceeds the qualifying delay threshold, you will receive a LoungeKey™ voucher that provides access to a lounge at the airport where you are delayed. LoungeKey™ gives you access to a network of over 1000 of airport lounges worldwide.
3: Can more than one person receive the complimentary airport lounge access?
Yes, the service is available to the main passenger and up to 4 additional passengers on the same flight.
The names of the additional passengers must be entered as part of the registration journey and all passengers will receive their own individual lounge voucher.
4: Does this service cost me anything?
No, this is a complimentary service to ease any disruption to our cardholders travel plans.
Delays are based on ‘gate’ delay reporting from airlines and airports to FlightStats (our third party flight data tracker). Should FlightStats report a qualifying delay the system will issue the lounge vouchers.
Visa SmartDelay is built to track almost all major commercial airline flights, but there are limitations against airlines/airports that do not report data regularly. Charter airlines are not supported.
1: Which flights can I register?
You can register any flight from an airport where a LoungeKey™ lounge is available, and if the airline accurately reports the delay to FlightStats. If you try to register a flight that does not meet these conditions, the system will inform you of this and you will not be able to register. Each flight of a journey with multiple connections requires its own registration.
2: When can I register my flight?
You can register at any time once a flight has been scheduled (typically up to 364 days in advance) and no later than 24 hours prior to the flight’s scheduled departure.
3: Is registration only available via the website?
Currently registration is only offered via the website which is accessible via desktop or mobile.
4:Can I change my registration details after registration is complete?
No, you will have to cancel your existing registration and re-register with the new details. Please note that cancellation and registration less than 24 hours prior to the flight’s scheduled departure will not be allowed.
All vouchers will be sent to you, you may then choose to send it to your registered additional passengers, who will be able to access the lounge, with or without your physical presence, as long as they have the lounge pass with them.
Visa SmartDelay is built to track almost all major commercial airline flights, but there are limitations against charter airlines or airlines/airports that do not report data regularly. Please refer the section for How is a delay calculated?
7: Why would my registration fail?
Flight registration will fail if any of these things happen:
You try to register a flight less than 24 hours prior to the flight's scheduled departure
There are no lounges which are part of the LoungeKey™ network available at the airport you are departing from.
Flight data is not available for the airline/flight. Please refer the section for How is a delay calculated?
8: What personal information will be captured and stored during registration?
During registration the following information will be captured and stored in secure servers:
Cardholder and accompanying passenger names
Cardholder email address
Cardholders mobile number
Flight number
Flight departure location, date and time
Flight arrival location, date and time
9: What name format should I use to register my flight?
Please use the same name format you used to book your flight. This is required to ensure the name on your lounge pass matches the name on your boarding pass. These will be validated at the point of entry to the lounge.
1: Who is eligible for this benefit?
Visa SmartDelay is provided to selected cardholders. The benefit is available to the main passenger and up to 4 additional passengers.
1: Can I cancel a flight registration?
Yes – you can cancel a registration up to 24 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time. If you wish to amend your existing registration you must first cancel and then re-register no later than 24 hours before the flight’s scheduled departure time. To cancel and re-register online, please refer to the email confirming your registration details.
2: I have deleted the registration confirmation email, how do I cancel my registration?
Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here
1: What if the delay at the airport does not match the information provided by the airlines?
The lounge passes can only be issued if the airline accurately reports the delay to FlightStats. If this does not occur, the delay is not captured to trigger the system to issue the lounge passes.
2: Under what delay circumstances are lounge passes not provided?
There is no restriction on permissible circumstances for a delay. Lounge vouchers will be provided as long as a flight is formally reported by the airline as a qualifying delay within a 24-hour period. Flights that are cancelled or rescheduled for the next day (24 hours after the flight's scheduled departure time) will not be deemed as delayed and will be handled by the airline directly via their own compensation process.
3: If a flight is cancelled or rescheduled for the next day, can a customer still utilise the benefit?
Lounge vouchers will be provided as long as a flight is recognised as being delayed by a qualifying delay within a 24-hour period. Flights that are cancelled or rescheduled to the next day (24 hours after the flight's scheduled departure time) will not be deemed as delayed and will be handled by the airline directly via their own compensation process.
4: Why would I not receive an airport lounge voucher, even when I’m entitled to?
This might happen if the system cannot trigger the lounge voucher at the time of the delay. This could be due to network or other system problems. But once we have rectified the error, you will be issued with a lounge voucher that you can use for a future visit, valid for up to six months.
5: Are children allowed in the lounge?
Each individual lounge has its own policies on the admission of children. To check the policies of a specific lounge, please visit https://loungefinder.loungekey.com/Pass
6: How will I receive my lounge voucher?
When you are entitled to an airport lounge voucher, the system will send you an SMS notification along with an email with a PDF file attached.
If you have registered travel companions, you will receive multiple PDF attachments in a single email, each PDF being a lounge voucher for each passenger. Each PDF contains a LoungeKey™ voucher with a unique QR code that provides access to the participating lounges at your airport.
You may choose to forward the lounge vouchers to your additional passengers so that they can access the lounge without your physical presence.
At the lounge, you/your travel companions must present the QR code in the PDF for entry.
7: How do I find the lounge at the airport?
The email containing the lounge voucher will contain instructions for locating the available lounges in the airport. There is also a link to the LoungeKey lounge finder on the LoungeKey™ voucher itself, which you can click to look up lounge details such as location and access conditions of the lounges.
8: How do I gain access to the lounge at the airport?
You must present the QR code you received in your email for entry. You may also be required to present your boarding pass and passport for verification.
9: How can I find out about lounge policies and services?
Each individual lounge has its own policies and services. To find out more about a lounge, you can search online at https://loungefinder.loungekey.com/Pass.
10: Do I need to register for a child?
Each individual lounge has its own policies on the admission of children. Please check the policies of the lounges at the airport you are flying from to determine whether you should register for your child. You can refer to lounge information online at https://loungefinder.loungekey.com/Pass.
If the lounge does not accept children, please do not register your child as he/she will not be accepted, as per the lounge regulations.
If the lounge allows entry for children under two years old without payment, you will not need to register the child.
11: What happens if my lounge voucher doesn’t work or is invalid?
Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here.
12: Can my lounge voucher be re-sent if I accidentally delete the email/attachment?
A deleted email cannot be resent. Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here.
13: Can more than one person enter a lounge on the same lounge voucher?
Each individual registered passenger is issued with an individual lounge voucher, which holds encoded information directly related to him/her. This lounge voucher is for his/her use and is strictly non-transferable.
14: How do my accompanying passenger get their vouchers?
All vouchers are issued directly to you and will be sent to the registered email address. An SMS is also sent to the registered mobile number notifying you to check your email.
You may choose to forward the lounge vouchers to your additional passengers so that they can access the lounge without your physical presence.
15: When am I eligible for the lounge voucher?
You will be eligible for the lounge voucher when the following conditions have been met:
You have registered the flight at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
A qualifying delay is announced for your flight by the airline.
Access to a lounge which is part of the LoungeKey™ network is available at your airport terminal when the delay occurs.
16: Why was I denied entry to a lounge?
You and/or your additional passengers might be denied entry to a lounge, even with the lounge vouchers, if any of the following happens:
The lounge is closed when the delay occurs. In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
The lounge is already at full capacity. In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
The passenger name on the boarding pass does not match the name on the lounge voucher. Unfortunately, in this case, no alternative offer will be available.
You or a member of your group does not meet the lounge terms and conditions (such as minimum age, or dress code). In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
17: For how long will my lounge voucher be valid?
Once issued to a passenger, each lounge voucher will be valid for 24 hours.
1: What should I do if I don’t receive my confirmation email?
Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here
2: Can I change my email address after registration has been submitted?
Once you submit a registration you cannot change any of the details. Instead, please cancel the registration and re-register.
3: What do I need to access my lounge passes?
Your lounge voucher will be delivered to your registered email address and mobile number. To access your lounge voucher, you will need a mobile device that is able to download and open PDF attachments. Please note that data roaming charges would apply if you utilize your data service.
4: Will I be notified before the lounge passes are sent to me?
A SMS will be sent to you at the registered mobile number to inform you that the lounge passes will be sent to you.
1: Why doesn’t Visa SmartDelay support all flights worldwide?
Not all airlines provide timely and accurate flight tracking data which is necessary for Visa SmartDelay to trigger compensation and issue lounge vouchers. Additionally, not all airports have an available lounge in the LoungeKey™ network. As such, Visa SmartDelay restricts registrations for airlines/airports that do not provide reliable tracking data and airports that do not have an available lounge. This is done to ensure the best possible experience for cardholders.
2: Why didn't I receive my lounge voucher when my flight was delayed?
The airline must report the information correctly via our 3rd party data provider, FlightStats. If they do not accurately report the delay, then Visa SmartDelay cannot track the delay or issue the lounge voucher.
3: I am entitled to a lounge voucher, but I haven't received it. Can I still be issued one?
Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here. It may not be possible to issue you one immediately, but another may be provided for future use.
4: Why didn't I receive my lounge voucher when my flight was cancelled?
Airlines have processes for flight cancellations. These are not reported as delays, and hence are not covered by the program. Please approach your airline directly in such situations.
5: Why can't I edit my existing registration?
To make changes on your existing flight registration, please cancel via the cancellation link found in your confirmation email and re-register the flight with new details. Please note this will only be allowed at least 24 hours prior to the flight’s scheduled departure.
6: Why can’t I register a flight?
Flight registration will fail if any of these things happen:
You try to register a flight less than 24 hours prior to the flight's scheduled departure
There are no lounges which are part of the LoungeKey™ network available at the airport you are departing from.
Flight data is not available for the airline/flight. Please refer the section for How is a delay calculated?
7: Why was I denied entry to a lounge?
You and/or your additional passengers might be denied entry to a lounge, even with the lounge vouchers, if any of the following happens:
The lounge is closed when the delay occurs. In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
The lounge is already at full capacity. In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
The passenger name on the boarding pass does not match the name on the lounge voucher. Unfortunately, in this case, no alternative offer will be available.
You or a member of your group does not meet the lounge terms and conditions (such as minimum age, or dress code). In this case, please approach alternative lounge/s if available.
8: How do I provide feedback or complaints?
Please contact the Customer Service team via the available options found here.
