Let patrons protect their tickets — and turn cancellations into revenue.
Offer Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) as a small, optional upgrade at checkout. Patrons who add it can cancel on their own up to a deadline you set — and ThunderTix issues the credit and returns the seat to inventory automatically. Your box office does nothing.
Patrons choose protection at checkout
Every patron sees a simple choice before they pay: a standard ticket, or a flexible one with Cancel For Any Reason added for a small upgrade fee. No accounts to create, no third-party insurance pop-ups — it's built right into your ThunderTix checkout.
You decide whether to offer CFAR on a given event. The upgrade is a flat 10% of the ticket price, added only when a patron chooses the flexible option.
Real protection — not insurance that can say no
Some platforms bolt on “ticket insurance” or “ticket protection” from an outside company. The patron pays that insurer, then has to file a claim and prove their reason qualifies — and the insurer can decline it. They paid for protection and still lose their money. Cancel For Any Reason has no insurer in the middle deciding who deserves a refund: it’s handled entirely between your venue and ThunderTix.
Third-party ticket insurance
- ×The patron pays an outside insurer at checkout
- ×Cancelling means filing a claim, often with documentation
- ×The insurer decides whether the reason qualifies
- ×Claims can be denied — they paid and get nothing
- ×Any approved refund leaves your venue
Cancel For Any Reason
- ✓No outside insurer — it’s handled between you and ThunderTix
- ✓Any reason means any reason: no claim, no proof, no approval
- ✓The refund is guaranteed when they cancel in time
- ✓Credit lands as a gift card that never expires
- ✓The value stays with your venue, not a card processor
A win for everyone: patrons get certainty instead of a claim they might lose, and you keep the value as credit they’ll spend on a future show.
You set the deadline. Patrons stay inside it.
Choose how late a protected ticket can be cancelled — say, up to 12 hours before curtain. Patrons cancel themselves through a secure link in their confirmation email — “Can’t make it? Cancel here” — but only within the window you defined. After the deadline passes, the option simply disappears.
Set the cancellation cutoff per your policy, refund to gift-card credit so revenue stays with your venue, and turn CFAR off for events where it doesn't make sense — like galas or fixed-seat fundraisers.
Cancellation window
Cancel up to 12 hours before showtime.
Adjustable per event — from minutes to days before curtain.
When a patron cancels, three things happen on their own
No refund tickets to process, no seats to release by hand, no manual record-keeping. ThunderTix runs the whole sequence the moment a protected ticket is cancelled.
Credit issued
The patron receives gift-card credit for the ticket price plus tax, ready to spend on a future show.
Seat released
The seat returns to inventory instantly, so it's available to sell again right away.
Records updated
The order, the patron's CRM profile, and your reports all reflect the change — no manual edits.
A new revenue line — that also makes patrons happier
CFAR upgrades are incremental revenue: patrons pay a small fee for peace of mind, it lifts your average order value, and the automation means it costs your team nothing to offer. Patrons who feel safe buying earlier buy more often — especially for shows weeks out.
Cancel For Any Reason FAQ
What is Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR)?
CFAR is an optional flexible-ticket upgrade your patrons can add at checkout. It lets them cancel their ticket for any reason — up to a deadline you set — and receive gift-card credit, all without contacting your box office.
How much does the upgrade cost the patron?
The upgrade is a flat 10% of the ticket price, added at checkout only when a patron chooses the flexible ticket option.
How are patrons refunded?
Cancelled tickets are refunded as gift-card credit equal to the ticket price plus sales tax, issued instantly when the patron cancels. The 10% upgrade fee is non-refundable and service or order fees aren’t included, and no credit is issued for amounts under $0.99.
Does my staff have to do anything?
No. When a protected ticket is cancelled, ThunderTix issues the credit, returns the seat to inventory, and updates your records automatically.
Can I control which events offer CFAR?
Yes. You decide which events offer the upgrade and how late a protected ticket can be cancelled.
Explore more ThunderTix features
Flexible tickets
Self-service refunds, exchanges, and convert-to-donation — all within rules you set.
See flexible ticketing »Gift cards & credits
The credit behind every CFAR refund — trackable balances patrons can spend anytime.
Explore gift cards »Reserved seating
Released seats flow straight back into your interactive seating chart for resale.
See reserved seating »Season subscriptions
Flex passes and packages that give subscribers freedom to choose dates later.
Explore subscriptions »CRM & patron data
Every cancellation and credit lands on the patron's profile automatically.
See the CRM »All features
Everything you need to sell tickets, grow your audience, and run your venue.
Browse all features »Ready to offer Cancel For Any Reason?
Add a new revenue line and give patrons the confidence to buy — with zero extra work for your team.