I have "refunded" a non-refundable international fare. You get the value you paid less $250 as a credit usable only by you. When you make your first purchase using some of that credit (which has to be used within a year), they issue a paper voucher good for another year with the remaining value. I am leaning towards BDA shorts's interpretation that you just can't get "cold hard cash" back. Even "non-refundable" tickets keep value (minus the change fee) if you cancel the ticket.