When spending money on an expensive plane ticket, it can be confusing if you need to change plans and are hoping for a refund.
If you booked a flight on Emirates and now you can’t travel, you might be wondering how to make an Emirates refund request. The process is easy — as long as you booked the right type of ticket.
Let’s take a look at how you can determine refund eligibility, how to request a refund and how long it might take to receive the funds.
Emirates refund policy
Airlines sell different fare products at different price points. This goes beyond the simple cabin categories (economy, business or first, for example).
Within each cabin class, there are numerous other fare types that have different change and cancellation policies. This is an important consideration when booking a ticket, especially if you think you might need to change your plans later.
These details are outlined in the your Emirates ticket’s fare conditions. Depending on the ticket you book, you may be able to get a full Emirates ticket refund, a travel credit to use within 24 months for a future flight or no refund at all.
If your ticket is eligible, the amount you receive will vary based on if you’ve used the ticket or already flown on part of it. Unused tickets receive a full refund, while partially used tickets may only receive a prorated refund, if any at all.
Here are some more details from the Emirates’ cancellation policy:
Flex Plus fares. Flex Plus fares with Emirates are fully refundable, while most other fares have conditions that make them non-refundable or that convert them to a travel credit if unused.
Award flights. If you used Skywards miles for your trip, you can cancel it for a full refund before traveling. There’s a $25 fee for date changes for a Saver reward (free for Flex or Flex Plus awards), or a $75 fee to redeposit Classic Saver mileage tickets altogether (free for Flex or Flex Plus awards).
Cash + Miles fares. For Cash+Miles tickets, miles will be refunded — although if any expired during the purchase period, those will be forfeited. For trips that have been partially flown, the ticket would be re‑priced with only the unused portion of Cash+Miles refunded.
What if Emirates cancels or changes my flight, can I get a refund?
If Emirates cancels or changes your flight for mechanical, operational or weather reasons, you can request your money back as a refund or receive a future travel credit.
Most likely, Emirates will try to get you to your destination in a reasonable time frame on another airline if it cannot transport you, but the option for a refund is available if you simply choose not to travel at all. If you have partially flown on the ticket, you would only be refunded for the unused portion of the flight.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Based on local regulations, you may be eligible for compensation due to involuntary changes to your flight made within 14 days of your trip.
Flights departing Europe have EU-261 protections that could put some additional cash back in your pocket beyond the refund itself. However, flights inbound to Europe on a non-European carrier are not eligible for that EU-261 protection.
Can I get a refund for incidental expenses?
If your ticket is eligible for a refund and you didn’t travel, you can request your money back for any seat assignments or lounge access you might have paid for before departure.
If you did travel, but were unable to use the services provided (say, there was a change of aircraft and your seat was swapped, or the lounge wasn’t available), you can use the Emirates refund form to request your money back.
If you were downgraded to a lower cabin (like from business to premium economy), you’re eligible for a refund for the difference in fare, too.
How will my refund be processed?
Any funds will be returned to the original form of payment. If you booked your ticket via a travel agent, you will need to contact them to process the refund. They will then return the money back to your original form of payment.
If you used a third-party travel booking site like Orbitz or Expedia, you would need to contact them directly. These can be far more cumbersome processes than dealing directly with the airline as they may have their own policies in place.
How to complete the Emirates refund form
Requesting a refund from Emirates is a simple process as long as you have the right information on hand. Luckily, you can find everything you need on your original ticket receipt.
Enter your dates of travel, departure and arrival airports and personal details.
Choose what you’re requesting a refund for (for example, an unused ticket or downgrade).
Enter the ticket details and payment method.
Click submit. Keep in mind that this will automatically cancel your ticket.
Emirates doesn’t provide a way to check the status of your refund, but the process typically takes seven business days. If you still haven’t heard anything after a week, you can contact Emirates directly to ask about the status.
Emirates’ refunds, recapped
Like most airlines, Emirates has fare restrictions that don’t make every ticket refundable. But, there are many that are eligible for a refund. There may also be cases in which you didn’t receive the services you paid for, and those are also refundable.
If your ticket isn’t eligible for a refund, you might be able to keep the credit for a future travel date. If you are due a refund, you’ll be able to request one using the online form on Emirates’ website.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
Settling into your dream home should be a time of joy, not stress over unexpected appliance or system failures. Whether it’s an air conditioner failing in the heat of summer or a dishwasher flooding your kitchen, these are real challenges homeowners often face.
A home warranty acts as a safeguard against the financial and emotional strain of such breakdowns, covering the repair or replacement costs of major systems and appliances due to wear and tear. More than just a policy, a home warranty serves as a protective friend for your home, preventing unexpected issues from draining your savings.
This guide explores the essentials of home warranties, including coverage details and the benefits of securing one. Whether you’re moving into your first home or aiming to protect your existing one, understanding the importance of a home warranty is key to ensuring peace of mind and financial stability.
How do home warranties work?
Home warranty plans provide a form of protection for homeowners by covering the costs associated with repairing or replacing major appliances and systems within your home, such as heating, cooling, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as refrigerators, ovens, and washers. These plans are especially beneficial for mitigating unexpected expenses that arise from normal wear and tear.
When you purchase a home warranty, you have the flexibility to tailor your plan to fit your specific needs. This means you can choose to cover just your major appliances, systems, or a combination of both, depending on what you deem most critical to your home’s functionality and comfort.
The cost of your home warranty, known as the premium, will vary based on the scope of coverage you select. Plans that offer more comprehensive coverage for multiple systems and appliances will generally have higher premiums than more basic plans.
In addition to the annual or monthly premium, home warranty plans typically require a service fee or deductible to be paid each time a repair person is dispatched to your home to address a covered issue. This fee is predetermined in your home warranty contract and remains constant, regardless of the actual cost of the repair or replacement, providing a predictable expense for homeowners.
Home Warranty Coverage: What’s Included and What’s Not
When it comes to home warranties, knowing what is covered and what isn’t can save you a lot of time and prevent frustration when you need to use your policy. Home warranties are designed to offer homeowners peace of mind by covering the costs associated with repairing or replacing major systems and appliances due to wear and tear. However, coverage can vary significantly from one plan to another, making it crucial to understand the specifics of your policy.
What does a home warranty cover?
Most home warranty plans offer coverage for a core set of systems and appliances that are essential for daily living. This usually includes:
Heating and cooling systems: Central air conditioning and heating systems, including furnaces, are often covered because they’re crucial for maintaining a comfortable home environment.
Kitchen appliances: Built-in microwaves, dishwashers, refrigerators, ranges, and ovens are usually covered. These appliances are considered essential for food storage and preparation.
Electrical and plumbing systems: Comprehensive coverage typically extends to the guts of your home – the electrical wiring and plumbing systems that make modern living possible.
Water heaters: Given their importance in providing hot water for bathing, cleaning, and cooking, water heaters are commonly included in home warranty plans.
What’s Often Excluded
While home warranties cover many systems and appliances, certain items and scenarios are typically not covered:
Pre-existing conditions: Issues that were present before the start of the warranty period are usually not covered.
Improper installation or maintenance: Appliances or systems that haven’t been installed correctly, or that have been neglected, might not be eligible for coverage.
Cosmetic damage: Aesthetic issues that don’t affect the functionality of an appliance or system are generally excluded.
Structural components: Items like your home’s foundation, walls, and roof are not covered by a standard home warranty and are typically addressed by homeowners insurance policies.
Unusual Coverage Options
Some home warranty providers offer unique coverage options that can be added to your plan for an additional fee. These might include:
Pool and spa equipment: Coverage for pool pumps and heaters can be added, perfect for homeowners who enjoy their backyard oasis.
Second refrigerator or wine cooler: For those with multiple refrigerators or specialized cooling appliances, additional coverage is available.
Septic systems and well pumps: Homes with these features can often add specific coverage to address repairs or replacements.
Making Sense of Your Coverage
To truly understand what your home warranty covers, take the time to read your policy’s fine print. Look for a clear breakdown of covered items, and pay attention to any limits on coverage amounts or the number of claims you can file within a certain period. If your policy includes a comparison chart or sidebar summarizing coverage, use it to quickly reference what’s included and what’s not.
Remember, the goal of a home warranty is to protect you from unexpected repair costs for essential home systems and appliances. By thoroughly understanding your coverage, you can make informed decisions about your home maintenance and prepare for any issues that might arise.
Evaluating the Cost of Home Warranties
When considering a home warranty, it’s essential to weigh the cost against the potential savings and peace of mind it offers. A home warranty isn’t just another expense; it’s a strategic investment in protecting your home and budget from unexpected repair or replacement costs. Let’s break down the cost of home warranties and compare it to the potential out-of-pocket expenses without one.
The Annual Cost of Home Warranties
The price of a home warranty can vary widely depending on several factors, including the coverage scope, your home’s size, and its location. On average, homeowners can expect to pay between $300 and $600 per year for a home warranty plan. This fee can be paid upfront annually or in monthly installments, making it a flexible addition to your financial planning.
Potential Savings with a Home Warranty
To truly appreciate the value of a home warranty, consider the cost of repairing or replacing major systems and appliances without one. Here are a few examples:
Air conditioning system repair/replacement: Without a warranty, fixing or replacing an AC unit can cost anywhere from $150 for minor repairs to over $5,000 for a full replacement.
Refrigerator repair/replacement: Repairing a fridge can cost between $200 to $400, while buying a new one can set you back $1,000 or more.
Plumbing issues: Addressing plumbing problems can easily cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the severity.
In contrast, with a home warranty, you would typically only be responsible for a service call fee ranging from $75 to $125 each time you report an issue, regardless of the actual cost of the repair or replacement.
Variability in Cost
The cost of a home warranty is influenced by several factors:
Home size: Larger homes may have higher warranty costs due to the greater number and size of systems and appliances.
Location: Pricing can vary by state or region, reflecting the local cost of living and the availability of service technicians.
Age of home: Older homes might incur higher home warranty costs due to the increased likelihood of systems and appliances failing.
Making an Informed Decision
When evaluating whether a home warranty is worth the investment for you, consider your financial ability to handle unexpected repairs or replacements. If a single significant repair could strain your budget, a home warranty could offer valuable protection and peace of mind.
Additionally, think about the age and condition of your home’s systems and appliances. Newer homes with newer appliances might not benefit immediately from a home warranty, but as systems begin to age, the potential for savings increases.
Ultimately, a home warranty can be a wise investment, offering significant savings and convenience compared to the potential high costs of repairs and replacements. By carefully considering your home’s specific needs and circumstances, you can decide if a home warranty is the right financial safety net for you.
How to Choose the Right Home Warranty Company
Selecting the ideal home warranty company requires careful consideration of several key factors to ensure you get the best protection for your home. Here’s what to evaluate to make an informed choice:
Assess the Claims Process
The efficiency and ease of the claims process are crucial. Inquire about how to initiate a claim with the home warranty company and the average time it takes to get a response. A reliable provider should offer 24/7 support to assist you whenever issues arise. Ensure the company has a reputation for a straightforward claims process, minimizing stress and inconvenience during urgent situations.
Examine Coverage and Exclusions
Understanding what is covered by the home warranty plan is vital. Check if the home warranty provider covers all essential home systems and appliances, or if you’ll need additional coverage for comprehensive protection. Be wary of exclusions that could affect key components of your home, and ask about options for supplemental coverage if necessary.
Compare Costs and Fees
Evaluate the affordability of the home warranty plan by comparing the cost of premiums and service fees with other providers. A competitive monthly or annual premium, along with reasonable service call fees, indicates a good value proposition. However, the lowest price isn’t always the best choice; balance cost-effectiveness with the extent of coverage and service quality.
Research the Provider’s Reputation
The credibility and reliability of the home warranty company are paramount. Look for accreditation by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and review their ratings and customer feedback.
Checking with your state’s insurance commissioner can provide additional insights into the provider’s standing and history. Avoid companies with a track record of evasive behavior or those known for disappearing when a claim is filed.
Read the Fine Print
Before making your final decision, thoroughly review the contract. Confirm that the plan’s terms, including coverage details and limitations, match what was advertised or quoted. Understanding the fine print can save you from surprises down the line.
How to File a Home Warranty Claim
To ensure your home warranty claim is processed efficiently, follow these steps:
Review your coverage: Check your home warranty contract to confirm the issue is covered, noting any exclusions or limitations.
Initiate the claim: Contact your home warranty provider as soon as possible using their provided channels, such as online portals, email, or phone.
Provide details: Offer clear information about the problem, including model numbers and a description of the issue, to expedite the repair process.
Schedule the service: The company will arrange for a technician to assess and address the issue. Communicate any scheduling preferences you have.
Prepare for the visit: Ensure the area around the appliance or system is accessible for the technician.
Understand the outcome: After evaluation, the technician will repair or, if necessary, recommend replacement based on your warranty’s terms.
Tips for a Smooth Claims Process
Keep all warranty documents and maintenance records for reference.
Follow up with the company if updates on your claim are delayed.
Be aware of the service fee required for each claim to avoid surprises.
Bottom Line
A home warranty, combined with regular upkeep, represents a smart investment for safeguarding your home and budget. It offers peace of mind by covering repair or replacement costs of major home systems and appliances, potentially saving you substantial amounts in the face of unforeseen breakdowns.
While it requires an upfront cost, the long-term savings and convenience can far outweigh initial expenses, making it a worthwhile consideration for homeowners looking to minimize financial surprises.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a home warranty last?
When you choose home warranty coverage, it will come with a service contract for a set period of time. In most cases, it lasts for one year. You’ll then be able to renew your plan annually to keep your coverage intact. Cancellation policies will vary depending on which home warranty company you choose to work with.
Is a home warranty the same as home insurance?
No, they serve different purposes. Home insurance covers damage to your property from unforeseen events, while a home warranty covers repairs and replacements of major systems and appliances due to normal wear and tear.
How do I purchase a home warranty?
Research and compare different home warranty providers to find one that suits your needs. Reputable home warranty companies include Choice Home Warranty and Advanced Home Warranty. You can view a comprehensive list of top home warranty companies here.
Once you’ve chosen a provider, apply for coverage and pay the fee once your application is approved. Coverage typically lasts for one year and can be renewed annually.
Do home warranties cover all repair costs?
Home warranties usually require you to pay a service fee for each repair visit, but this fee is often significantly lower than the full cost of repairs. The warranty covers the rest, up to your contract’s limits.
Isn’t it cheaper to just use homeowners insurance?
Not necessarily. Your homeowners insurance policy covers damages from events like natural disasters, theft, and fire, but it doesn’t cover the cost of repairing or replacing appliances and systems due to wear and tear. That’s where a home warranty comes in, covering those gaps.
Is a home warranty part of closing costs?
A home warranty can be included in your closing costs if you choose to purchase one when buying a home. Sometimes, the seller or your real estate agent can negotiate a one-year home warranty into the deal.
Can I buy a home warranty after closing?
Yes, you can purchase a home warranty at any time, not just when buying a home. However, pre-existing conditions may not be covered, so it’s advantageous to get a warranty as soon as possible.
Are home warranties transferable?
Yes, most home warranty plans can be transferred to new homeowners if you sell your home, making your property more attractive to potential buyers.
What should I do if my claim is denied?
If your home warranty claim is denied, review the reason for denial and check your contract for coverage details. You can often appeal the decision by providing additional information or clarification about the issue.
How often can I use my home warranty?
There’s generally no limit to how many times you can use your home warranty within the contract period, but there may be limits on the amount covered for certain items or systems. Check your contract for details.
Can I choose my own repair technician?
Most home warranty companies require you to use their network of approved service providers. However, some plans may allow you to choose your own technician, subject to approval and reimbursement policies.
What happens if a covered item can’t be repaired?
If a covered item cannot be repaired, your home warranty plan typically covers its replacement. The specifics, such as whether you’ll receive a new model or the depreciated value in cash, depend on your contract’s terms.
Are home warranties tax-deductible?
No, home warranties are generally not tax-deductible for your primary residence. However, if you use part of your home for business, like a home office, or if you rent out a portion, you may be able to deduct a fraction of the home warranty cost. This fraction corresponds to the percentage of your home used for business purposes.
Looking for the Best Home Warranty Company?
Check out our reviews of the top home warranty companies.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a travel credit card offering a long list of benefits for travelers. For the card’s $395 annual fee, you get a lot of perks — an annual $300 Capital One Travel credit, a 10,000-point anniversary bonus and Priority Pass lounge access, among other travel perks.
The card also offers several travel insurance benefits, which makes it a good choice for booking travel. Even if another card offers you more points, paying for travel with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card might make sense if the other card doesn’t have insurance and you want coverage.
Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
If you pay with the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card you can be reimbursed up to $2,000 per person for any nonrefundable airline, bus, train or ferry tickets if your trip is canceled or cut short for an eligible reason. Only the cardholder, their spouse and any dependent children are covered.
🤓Nerdy Tip
The card’s included trip interruption or cancellation insurance doesn’t provide coverage for prepaid tours or hotel reservations.
The card’s plan only covers trip cancellation or interruption in two specific scenarios:
The death, injury or illness of you or an immediate family member.
Financial insolvency of the common carrier, resulting in default.
If you have to cancel a trip or return home early for any other reason, this policy will not reimburse you the cost of your tickets.
How to submit a trip cancellation or interruption claim
Trip cancellation and interruption protections are managed by an external claims administrator, so you’ll need to work with them to process your request. Claims can be initiated by mail to the following address: CBSI Card Benefit Services; 550 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 309; Harrison, NY 10528.
Once you’ve initiated your claim, you’ll use the portal at www.myclaimsagent.com to upload documents and check the status of your claim. Note that you can’t initiate claims online.
You should submit your claim within 20 days of when the incident that cancels or interrupts your travel occurred. Once you’ve received the required forms from the benefits administrator, you’ll need to sign and return them, along with all necessary documentation, within 15 days.
Here are some of the documents you may be required to submit:
Copies of proof of cancellation from the common carrier, as well as an itinerary with the traveler’s names and ticket cost.
Document showing the common carrier’s cancellation policies.
A copy of your credit card statement, showing that the travel was charged to your card.
Confirmation showing the reason for the trip cancellation or interruption.
Other claim documentation, as requested by the benefit administrator.
Trip delay coverage
When you book your airline or other common carrier tickets with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you also receive trip delay coverage.
If your trip is delayed by more than six hours, or requires an unexpected overnight stay, you’ll receive up to $500 per eligible passenger toward any reasonable incurred expenses. This typically includes purchases like hotel accommodations, food, toiletries and other essentials.
Capital One offers trip delay coverage when you use credit card rewards for your travel or pay for all or part of the fare with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Plus, it covers you, your spouse and any children under 22 years of age.
How to file a trip delay reimbursement claim
Within 30 days of your trip, you’ll need to file a claim with the benefits administrator by filling out a form at www.eclaimsline.com or calling 800-825-4062. Be sure to save your receipts and get a statement from your carrier about the reason for the delay.
Here’s what you’ll be expected to provide with your claim:
A copy of your itinerary and common carrier tickets.
Your monthly billing statement, showing that your travel expenses were charged to your account.
A statement from your common carrier stating the reason for the delay.
Itemized receipts for expenses claimed.
Common carrier travel accident coverage
Even with careful planning, accidents can happen when traveling. If you’re injured (or worse) while traveling on a common carrier, you’re protected by up to $1,000,000 of travel accident insurance — as long as you charge your trip to your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. The coverage protects you against loss of life or specific, significant bodily injuries.
Capital One’s coverage is door-to-door as long as you’ve charged your common carrier fare to your card. This means you’ll be protected from your home all the way to your destination, including any travel by taxi, bus, ferry or other form of public transportation.
How to file a travel accident claim
If you need to file a claim under Capital One’s common carrier travel accident insurance policy, contact Broadspire, the claim administrator for this benefit. Broadspire’s contact information is as follows: Broadspire, a Crawford company; P.O. Box 459084; Sunrise, FL 33345. It can also be reached by phone at 855-307-9248.
During the claims process, you’ll need to fill out a form and provide the requested documentation and proof of loss.
Lost or damaged baggage coverage
When an airline loses or damages your luggage, you may receive some compensation, but it might not cover the total cost of your loss. If you’ve booked your trip with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, its lost luggage coverage can make up the difference. This benefit will pay up to $3,000 per passenger to cover the difference between what the airline pays you and the value of your claim.
The lost luggage policy also covers carry-on baggage, but only in cases where it was damaged or mishandled by the common carrier.
How to file a lost or damaged baggage claim
Your first step when you have a lost or damaged bag is to submit a claim with the common carrier. Once you’ve done this, you should contact the benefits administrator at 800-825-4062 or file online at www.eclaimsline.com. You’ll need to do this within 20 days of the bag being lost or damaged.
You’ll also need to provide documentation, including:
A copy of your billing statement showing payment of the common carrier fare.
A copy of your common carrier ticket.
Evidence of any payment provided by the common carrier as a settlement of your baggage claim.
The declarations page of any other applicable insurance policies, plus copies of any settlements from them.
Rental car collision coverage
Rental car insurance, also known as an auto rental collision damage waiver, protects you against the cost of damage to or theft of a rental car.
As long as you charge the rental to your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and decline the rental company’s collision damage waiver agreement, you’ll receive reimbursement for the cost of theft or damage of the rental car. The coverage is primary and covers the actual cash value of the rental, up to $75,000 when the vehicle is new.
Capital One’s car rental insurance doesn’t cover liability — meaning if you damage property or injure someone with your rental car, they can still pursue a claim against you or your personal automobile insurance. Additionally, the coverage has some exclusions, including rentals in specific countries, antique and luxury cars, motorcycles, recreational vehicles (RVs) and cargo vans, among others.
The rental period cannot be longer than 15 days within your country of residence or 31 days outside your country of residence.
How to submit a rental car insurance claim
If you need to submit a rental car insurance claim, you’ll want to inform the benefits administrator as soon as possible — but no later than 45 days after the incident occured. As soon as you are aware of damage or theft, you should call the benefit administrator at 800-825-4062. You can also start your claim online at www.eclaimsline.com.
During the claim process, you’ll be required to provide documentation:
A copy of the rental company’s accident report form and the rental car agreement.
A copy of a repair estimate and itemized repair bill.
Photos of the damaged vehicle.
A police report, if available and/or applicable.
A copy of the letter from the rental agency showing what costs you are responsible for and what has already been paid.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card travel insurance recapped
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a suite of travel protection benefits that can protect you when you’re on the road and encounter unexpected circumstances.
Be sure to read your card’s guide to benefits to understand important benefit limitations and exclusions.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024, including those best for:
By all accounts, Heather McKay was doing what a savvy traveler should: planning well in advance, debating hotels versus vacation rentals and comparing final prices (including those sneaky hidden travel fees).
But one stray click online led to a very costly mistake.
McKay accidentally booked a nonrefundable rate at a hotel in London for a two-and-a-half months-long stay almost a year out. The total was 7,140 British pounds. Her credit card showed the charge as about $9,200.
A simple mistake to remedy, right? Wrong. Her recourse for a refund was limited because she booked a nonrefundable rate through an online travel agency (OTA). These websites, such as Booking.com, Priceline and Expedia, make it easy to check availability and prices across travel providers, but getting a refund can be difficult if customers need to cancel or change their plans.
How it happened
Back in August, McKay was looking into housing options for her 21-year-old daughter, who was thinking of doing an internship in London for in the summer of 2024. She was considering the possibility of having her daughter stay in a hotel for two months.
“I was like, ‘I really want you to have some type of special experience after college, so let’s look at the feasibility,’” McKay says.
She logged in to her Booking.com account, found a small, studio-style hotel called the TiTiwangsa One Paddington and set arbitrary dates for two months in 2024. She had no intention of booking the room, but she needed to click through the flow to see the final price, with taxes and fees included.
This drawn-out booking flow is prone to accidents and is a tactic used by some online travel agencies, airlines and hotels to get customers to spend more money. It’s called “drip pricing,” a practice where they do not show all mandatory fees until the very end of the booking process. As recently as August, the attorney general of Texas filed a lawsuit against Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com, for omitting mandatory fees from initial room rates.
McKay says she was confused when the website showed her the total in British pounds instead of U.S. dollars, and she tried different options to see if it would show the conversion. Before she knew it, she’d booked the hotel stay.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, how did I just book that?’” McKay says, adding that she never selects nonrefundable rates at hotels.
Leaving the refund up to the hotel owner
Just minutes after the accidental booking, McKay immediately canceled the reservation online and called Booking.com’s customer service team, hoping they could reverse the charge. They said they would explain what happened to the hotel’s owner and encouraged her to dispute the charge with her credit card company, which she did.
But neither Booking.com nor the credit card company resolved the accidental charge. In emails from Booking.com, a customer service representative told McKay the hotel’s owner refused to offer a refund or even a travel voucher.
Sage Hunter, a representative for Booking.com, confirmed with NerdWallet that the refund was solely up to the hotel’s discretion because McKay had booked a nonrefundable rate.
“The onus to provide a refund rests with the hotel and not the online travel agency in this situation,” Dennis Schaal, founding editor of Skift, a travel industry news site, said. “That’s because the online travel agency is merely the middleman, facilitating the reservation on behalf of the hotel.”
He explained that Booking.com receives a commission from the hotel, usually about 10% to 25%, so the online travel agency wouldn’t have the full amount to refund.
McKay escalated the issue at Booking.com, but says she still hasn’t been offered even a partial refund from the OTA. She even called the hotel in the U.K. to try to plead her case directly. The credit card company also refused to approve the chargeback.
By the time October rolled around, it was becoming clear that McKay was not going to get a refund. She even asked if TiTiwangsa One Paddington would reinstate her stay, thinking it would be better to get something in return for her $9,200. The hotel refused once again. TiTiwangsa One Paddington did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
Hiding behind the intermediary
McKay was furious with the London hotel, which in her mind, was taking her money without providing any services.
However, hotels have the upper hand in these customer disputes when an OTA is involved. In Booking.com’s Terms of Service, it says the customer enters into a contractual agreement directly with the service provider (the hotel, in this case) and the customer agrees to the service provider’s cancellation policies.
McKay got a better-than-normal scenario in that Booking.com did try to mediate with the hotel.
“We’ve tried numerous times [to reach the hotel]. We’ve contacted them via phone, email and right now, it’s really in the partner’s court to provide that refund,” Hunter says. “It was truly a simple mistake and that’s something we’ve been advocating for on our end.”
She says the hotel has gone completely silent. Neither Booking.com nor McKay has been able to get in touch with the hotel recently. The TiTiwangsa One Paddington is still open for reservations on Booking.com, though.
Refunds on reservations made on third-party travel booking sites can get especially complicated because of the number of parties involved. In some cases, online travel agencies will point customers seeking a refund to the airlines or hotels to resolve issues themselves. And other times the airlines or hotels will push the responsibility back on the third-party booking site, leaving customers caught in the middle.
Fighting for legislation
McKay wants better consumer protections for accidental bookings like hers. There’s already a federal rule that helps prevent this with flight reservations. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines must allow customers to get a full refund if they cancel their flight within 24 hours of booking and the ticket was purchased at least seven days before departure.
But your flight must be booked directly with the airline for the federal rule to protect you, as flights booked on third-party sites are exempt from the policy. And nothing of the kind exists for hotel bookings.
There has been some progress, though, on hotel fee transparency. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden announced plans to crack down on “junk fees” like hotel resort fees, and Congress is considering legislation that would require hotels and online travel agencies to disclose fees upfront, instead of making customers click through several pages to see the final price.
In fact, McKay says she shared her story with senators and attorney generals, urging them to support the current legislation and sue third-party travel booking sites. If those requirements around fee transparency already existed, McKay could have avoided this entire debacle when she was researching prices.
“Everybody makes mistakes, and it’s not something that needs to be this costly,” McKay says. “I thought we had better consumer protections.”
Until travel companies make changes, customers need to be extra vigilant about cancellation policies when booking hotels online. Booking directly with the hotel, instead of through an OTA, has some advantages. There are less likely to be errors in your reservation, you might be able to earn hotel points or elite status, and getting a refund might be easier.
Schaal recommends booking refundable hotel rates whenever possible. It might cost more money upfront, but it saves travelers the hassle and gives them the opportunity to rebook if they find a better deal later.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Hurricane season comes around every year, but you don’t have to let it ruin your travel plans. One of the ways to protect your trip — whether it’s a wedding in Miami or a weeklong cruise in the Caribbean — is to buy hurricane travel insurance. It lets you travel without worrying about whether you’ll be covered in case a hurricane impacts your trip.
To make sure you’re prepared, here’s what you need to know about when hurricane season is, whether travel insurance covers hurricanes and what options are available to you to protect your reservations.
When is hurricane season?
Hurricane season is the time frame during which hurricanes are most likely to occur. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the hurricane season begins June 1 of each year and lasts through November 30.
While hurricanes are more likely to form during this six-month timeframe, it is possible for them to occur at other times of the year as well.
Hurricanes are storms that form over tropical or subtropical bodies of water, and therefore they typically impact the Caribbean, Central America and U.S. states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Seaboard.
Even if your destination isn’t in one of these areas, your plans could be impacted if you’re traveling through the area or if your plane is coming from one of the region’s airports.
Will travel insurance cover bad weather?
However, travel insurance generally doesn’t cover refundable reservations or other bookings that you can cancel without penalty.
Additionallywhen bad weather strikes, the details of your travel insurance policy matter. Let’s focus specifically on how coverage is affected during hurricane season.
Does travel insurance cover hurricanes?
Travel insurance can cover hurricanes, but there are numerous details that determine whether your trip is covered. These factors include when you booked your trip, when the storm was named and whether your trip has already started.
Once a storm has been named
When a tropical storm is named — which happens when a rotating pattern and wind speeds of at least 39 mph are detected — many travelers in potentially affected areas may rush to buy coverage for their trip.
However, once a storm has a name, any newly purchased policy likely won’t cover claims due to the storm. Typically, you need to purchase travel insurance at least 24 hours in advance of the storm being named in order for all of its benefits to apply.
Like any other insurance policy, travel insurance is meant to cover unexpected situations. Insurance companies don’t sell policies to cover a “foreseeable event” — like a named tropical storm or hurricane — so it’s best to purchase a travel insurance policy soon after confirming your travel plans.
While booking your trip
When booking flights, hotels, cruises and other travel reservations, you may be offered the option to buy a travel insurance policy. Some websites or travel agents offer options for booking travel insurance at the same time as your trip purchase.
Buying travel insurance for hurricanes during the booking process should cover claims if a hurricane later impacts your trip — as long as you’re not purchasing your travel when a storm is already predicted.
Before you depart
Even if you don’t buy travel insurance when booking your trip, you can buy it later on. Ideally, you’ll buy your travel insurance policy within 14 days of making your first trip payment.
Buying within the first 14 days ensures that pre-existing medical conditions won’t be exempt from coverage. If you don’t have any pre-existing medical conditions (or aren’t worried about that exemption), you can buy a travel insurance policy at any point prior to your departure.
During your trip
For travelers who’ve already started their journey, it is still possible to buy travel insurance. However, this option is typically limited to a small number of policies and may require waiting periods for certain types of coverage to kick in.
Other sorts of coverage, like trip cancellation, won’t be applicable because you’ve already started your trip.
Types of travel insurance
While the term travel insurance is used widely, there are multiple types of travel insurance to choose from. Here are a few types of travel insurance that you may come across when looking to buy a policy.
Single-trip
Single-trip travel insurance covers just one trip, as the name implies. These types of policies are good if you don’t travel very often or if you’ve made a big financial commitment on a trip that you want covered.
Those who have travel protections through a credit card or who book reservations with penalty-free cancellation policies may not need to buy travel insurance for all of their trips. But, a single-trip policy could be a good idea if you want to protect a trip with substantial prepaid, non-refundable reservations. They’re also useful when you want to customize the coverage for each trip.
Annual plan
Those who travel multiple times a year may be better off with an annual or multi-trip plan. These travel insurance plans protect all of your trips during the coverage period. They can be more cost-effective than buying multiple single-trip policies. Plus, you won’t have to remember to buy a policy every time you book a trip.
The downside of annual plans is that they may not be available for all travelers. For example, some insurers don’t offer annual plans for travelers age 70 and over. There are also typically limitations on the length of each trip in order to be covered.
Cancel For Any Reason travel insurance
Most travel insurance policies allow you to get reimbursed for a canceled trip only for covered reasons. If your reason falls outside of those guidelines, you won’t receive compensation. One way to get around this is to add Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage to your policy.
With CFAR coverage, you have more flexibility in canceling your trip while still being eligible to submit a claim. For example, even if a hurricane isn’t headed directly for your destination, you may decide to cancel your beach vacation because of predicted storm-related rain.
Keep in mind that CFAR cancellation coverage amounts are typically limited to 50% to 75% of your prepaid, non-refundable expenses. In other words, you won’t be fully reimbursed for your travel expenses even if you’re using CFAR coverage.
Best travel insurance for hurricane season
Travelers have a variety of travel insurance companies to choose from when buying hurricane insurance. Here are a few well-known companies that offer some of the best travel insurance policies for hurricane season.
Allianz Travel Insurance. Offers single- and multi-trip plans with 24/7 assistance.
Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. Offers specific hurricane protection for cruises and pays claims via your preferred channel in minutes.
Generali Global Assistance. Every policy includes a free-look refund period and 24-hour emergency assistance.
TravelGuard. Provides free concierge service to rebook missed flights and 24/7 emergency travel assistance services.
Do credit card travel protections cover hurricanes?
Numerous credit cards offer travel protections that may cover hurricanes. These benefits include trip cancellation, interruption and delay that may cover your flight, hotel, cruise and other reservations.
Rules for credit card coverage can vary substantially. Contact your credit card issuer or benefits administrator to ask how these benefits apply.
Hurricane travel insurance recapped
While you can’t purchase a hurricane travel insurance policy per se, many travel insurance policies can protect travelers during hurricane season. These policies cover trip cancellation, interruption and other situations that can occur when an unexpected storm impacts your travel plans.
However, there are rules about when you must buy your policy for coverage to take effect. Whether you purchase your policy while booking your trip or a week before departure, as long as it’s more than 24 hours before a storm is named, you should be covered if a hurricane rolls in.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
You’ve planned your dream vacation and invested thousands of dollars in prepaid reservations. Then, a family member becomes seriously ill or the cruise line that you’ve booked with declares bankruptcy. If you need to cancel a trip for an unexpected reason, you might lose a lot of money.
However, if you used your eligible Capital One card — such as the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — to book your ticket, you can use the card’s trip cancellation insurance to request reimbursement for some of your prepaid expenses.
Before you book your trip, here’s what you need to know about Capital One trip cancellation insurance, including what the policy covers and how to file a claim.
When does Capital One trip cancellation insurance provide coverage?
Capital One trip cancellation insurance covers trips booked with an eligible Capital One card that are canceled for a covered reason. The list of covered reasons includes:
Death, accidental injury or illness of you or someone in your immediate family.
Financial insolvency of your airline, cruise ship, bus line or other common carrier.
Capital One will require you to have a physician verify any death, bodily injury or illness that is preventing you from completing your trip. Certain types of injuries, such as those caused by participating in sports or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, are excluded.
To be eligible for trip cancellation insurance, you must book the entire cost of your trip with your Capital One credit card. You can also use Capital One Miles or coupons, as long as the cash component of your trip is booked using your card.
Who does Capital One trip cancellation insurance cover?
When you book a trip with your eligible Capital One card, coverage applies only to you, your spouse or domestic partner and any dependent children under 19 years old who live with you. Children under 25 are also covered if they’re considered full-time students.
If you’re an authorized user on someone else’s Capital One account, you and your family members will be covered as long as you use your card to pay for the trip.
What does Capital One trip cancellation insurance cover?
Capital One trip cancellation insurance covers up to $2,000 per person toward non-refundable common carrier tickets. Common carrier tickets include tickets from airlines, ferry lines, bus lines and other forms of scheduled transportation.
Note that Capital One’s benefit covers a much smaller set of prepaid expenses than trip cancellation policies provided by other cards.
The Capital One trip cancellation insurance covers none of these types of prepaid expenses.
How do I file a claim?
If you need to file a claim with Capital One’s insurance, you’ll initiate it by calling the card benefit administrator at 1-800-825-4062. They’ll ask for preliminary details of your claim over the phone and then send you a series of forms to complete.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Be sure to initiate your claim as soon as possible. Capital One recommends that you submit your claim within 20 days of when your trip is canceled.
Once you’ve received your claims forms, you’ll need to provide all requested information, including proof of loss, and return it to the benefits administrator at:
cbsi Card Benefit Services
550 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 309
Harrison, NY 10528
Alternatively, you can initiate your claim by sending a written description of your loss to the benefit administrator or submitting your claim online at Eclaimsline.com.
What if the benefits are insufficient?
Capital One’s trip cancellation benefit only covers the cost of your non-refundable common carrier tickets under a limited set of circumstances. For more comprehensive trip cancellation insurance, you might want to consider a standalone travel insurance policy.
A travel insurance policy usually offers an expanded list of covered reasons that may cause you to cancel a trip and reimburses other prepaid expenses like hotels, rental cars, booked tours and other travel arrangements.
You can use an insurance comparison site like SquareMonth to find a travel policy that best fits your needs.
Capital One trip cancellation insurance recapped
Capital One’s trip cancellation insurance is nice to have, but many will want more than just an airfare reimbursement if they need to cancel their trip — not to mention that the covered reasons for cancellation are quite limited.
If you want more coverage, consider using a credit card that offers more robust travel insurance benefits or buy an additional travel insurance policy.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Cruise passengers do not get bumped as often as airline passengers do, and you aren’t likely to find out there’s no room for you on the ship during the boarding process the way you might on a flight. But cruises can be oversold or canceled in advance for a variety of reasons.
Cruise lines employ some of the same approaches to inventory management as their airline counterparts, resulting in the ever-dreaded bumps. Plus, ship upgrade initiatives or mechanical repairs may cause changes to itineraries departing within weeks, months or even years.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s cruise newsletter.
But wait, some of us don’t dread airline bumps — we may, in fact, seek them out. Could the same apply to cruising? The biggest difference is that you’ll rarely be able to volunteer to be bumped, though that can happen in some situations. For example, Royal Caribbean overbooked Allure of the Seas earlier this year and contacted passengers to ask if they would voluntarily swap ships or sailing dates to free up rooms.
Whether you get a rare volunteer option or are involuntarily bumped from a canceled or oversold cruise, there’s a chance that you might come out ahead. First, let’s look at the reasons cruise lines bump passengers, then at the kinds of compensation you might expect if you get bumped from a cruise.
Reasons cruise lines bump passengers
Because cruise lines and their passengers have far less flexibility than airlines and flyers, every effort is made to avoid bumping guests that have confirmed cruise bookings — but there are several reasons it can happen.
Probably the most common reason for a cruise bump is maintenance and/or safety. Storms sometimes cause cancellations, and even though cruise lines schedule routine maintenance and upgrades, unexpected problems do crop up between those scheduled dry docks. Think damage from collisions, fires, rogue waves or engine failures — all of which have happened on cruise ships, sending them to the repair dock and resulting in last-minute canceled cruises.
Nobody wants to have their cruise canceled that way, but neither should you want to board a ship that might be less than seaworthy. The events that cause this type of bump often make the news, possibly alerting you to your potential bump before it happens. That’s small consolation for a canceled cruise, but it might allow you to begin rearranging your travel plans a bit sooner.
Related: Are cruises safe? Here’s what you need to know about cruise ship security and safety
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts.
Behind-the-scenes cruise line maneuvers can cause bumps that rarely make the mainstream news. Fleet changes and charter sales are two of those issues. Luckily, both of these types of cancellations usually provide months of lead time for cruise passengers to make changes to their travel plans.
You’d think dry docks are planned well before a ship’s future itineraries are announced, but don’t be surprised if dry docks for upgrades or maintenance are scheduled after cruises start booking. That recently happened with Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas, causing cancellations of cruises in December 2024 and January 2025. Early planners were bumped from their trips, including holiday sailings.
Fleet changes happen when a cruise line either feels it can make more money from moving a ship to a different destination or occasionally when a destination becomes impossible to cruise to. Currently, the slow resumption of cruising in Asia (especially China) has caused strings of cancellations and bumps.
Fleet changes can also result from ship sales or even transfers between sister companies (like Carnival Cruise Line taking some of sister brand Costa Cruises’ ships). Occasionally these can be short-notice situations, but not usually.
Charter sales are when the cruise line sells a large block or the entire capacity of a ship to a charter company. These sales are worth millions to the cruise line. They generally avoid charters of ships that are already heavily booked, but it does sometimes happen, triggering a number of cancellation emails.
Then there is the oversell. It’s easy to assume that cruise lines could manage their cabin inventory through their complicated multistaged cancellation policies without the need to oversell. After all, guests who cancel their cruise at the last minute are not given refunds. Why can’t the ship sail with a few empty cabins?
Cruise ships often sail with empty rooms, and most lines use upgrade options to eke out a few extra dollars from unsold rooms at the last minute. But the important factor is that cruisers spend hundreds (if not thousands) on things like drinks packages, spa services, port excursions and specialty dining. Empty cabins don’t generate that additional money, so cruise lines oversell popular sailings as airlines do with flights. They hedge their bets, and sometimes the gamble fails.
Related: How to get a free or cheap cruise ship cabin upgrade
What passengers can expect from the cruise line if they are canceled or bumped
In the case of storm cancellations or emergency maintenance needs that occur pre-cruise, you will likely get a refund of your cruise fare or credit toward a future cruise. In general, cruise lines would rather not give out refunds, so they use bonuses of additional future cruise credits if you choose credit rather than a refund. You will get little assistance for your non-cruise travel arrangements unless those were booked through the cruise line.
Fleet changes generally involve offers to move your reservation to a different ship sailing a similar itinerary, the ship you booked on different dates, or a different ship and itinerary altogether. Again, refunds are the cruise line’s least favorite choice, so you may expect bonus credit if you opt to either move your reservation or accept credit for an alternative cruise. Because this kind of bump usually comes with advance notice, the offer you get may not include huge bonuses.
Celebrity Cruises recently had a fleet-change situation roughly six months out and offered affected guests alternative cruises and as much as $500 toward ancillary travel cancellation or change fees, which might not be enough to cover nonrefundable airline tickets for many destinations.
Related: 6 tips for booking your 1st cruise
Oversold cruises, though still quite rare, can result in enticing options for those who either accept a voluntary bump or anyone subject to an involuntary one. Possibilities include upgraded cabins on the alternative cruises offered, price freezes so your new booking doesn’t cost more, and a longer cruise than the canceled one at the same rate.
The options you are offered could go the other way, though. During one of its recent oversell situations, Royal Caribbean offered those being bumped from its largest class of ships a replacement cruise on a midsize ship. Sure, it was a similar itinerary, but a cruise on an Oasis-class ship is an entirely different experience than a sailing on a Voyager-class vessel.
Related: The 6 classes of Royal Caribbean cruise ships, explained
The good news is that the closer it gets to the oversold cruise, the better the offers are likely to be. The caveat, though, is that you may already have paid for airfare, hotel stays and other pre- and post-cruise bookings that cannot be canceled without paying a penalty.
Does travel insurance help with cruise cancellations or bumps?
Having travel insurance that covers cancellation of the full amount of your travel, including airline tickets and hotel reservations, is always the safest choice on any cruise. Insurance coverage can be tricky, so read all policy details carefully before you choose.
The first thing to know is you cannot be reimbursed for your cruise fare from travel insurance if you accept a refund, alternative cruise or future cruise credit from the cruise line. Where it can come in handy is if you had already paid for nonrefundable flights, hotel stays or tours before your cruise was canceled or changed.
I checked the fine print on several policies designed specifically for cruises, and none of the policies I looked at would cover your extra costs like nonrefundable airline tickets or change fees if you take a voluntary bump. Even involuntary bumps due to cruise line fleet changes don’t appear to be covered, and forced cancellations due to an oversell by the cruise line are not listed as covered reasons on any insurance policy I checked.
Related: Cruise travel insurance: What it covers and why you need it
If you were really concerned about cancellations, you could purchase a “cancel for any reason” add-on to your insurance plan. These can be pricey and possibly not worth the cost just to protect against an unexpected bump.
Cruise line cancellations due to mechanical failures would likely be covered under the common carrier clause, but only the amounts for which the cruise line doesn’t reimburse you. If your cruise line offers you $500 toward flight and hotel changes, and you are out $1,000, you can file for the extra $500 with insurance. If the cancellation happens before you leave, you’ll use trip cancellation coverage. If it happens after you have left home, you will file under trip interruption coverage.
Insurance payouts for cancellations due to weather have specific conditions regarding when you paid for the insurance coverage (often it must be 14 days before the cancellation) and whether the storm was named or not at the time you purchased coverage.
Related: The 5 best cruise travel insurance plans
Having a ‘Plan B’ may help you come out ahead on cruise bumps
Just knowing that your cruise could be canceled is a good starting point. Consider that situation when deciding on the rest of your travel plans. Perhaps you want to choose the hotel rate that lets you cancel up until 24 hours before your stay, no matter how tempting the lower, prepaid nonrefundable rate looks. The same goes with airfare.
Also, consider what you might do if your cruise gets canceled or changed. If you do book nonrefundable flights or hotel rooms, are you willing to use them even if you don’t take the cruise you planned? Can you change the dates or destinations? Would you consider booking a trip on another cruise line from the same port on the same dates to salvage your vacation — or would you enjoy a land-based holiday in Florida, Seattle or the area around your intended departure port?
Planning for the unexpected is especially important if your cruise is a one-way trip where you fly into one port and home from another (like some Alaska cruises). Having a Plan B is also crucial if your cruise involves a group or an event like a wedding.
What to do if you are notified of a bump or cancellation
When you are notified of a change in cruise plans, the first step is to read the notice carefully to understand your options. If you booked through a travel agency, call your adviser if they do not reach out first. Have them explain the reason for the bump and any options the cruise line offers. A valued agent may even check cabin availability on other sailings for you before they call.
The cruise line will often offer complimentary replacements on smaller ships or slightly different itineraries. If you don’t have an agent, your next step should be researching your options (including cabin availability) before committing to any of the cruise line’s choices. If you are picky about ship size, where the ship stops or cabin type or placement, you wouldn’t want to swap to the proposed alternative sailing if it wouldn’t make you happy.
Once you get a representative (or your travel adviser) on the line, clarify whether your reimbursement options include bonus future cruise credit or a refund. If you’re not offered the compensation you prefer, it never hurts to ask for it. The cruise line wants to keep you as a valued customer and knows it has inconvenienced you. The greater the inconvenience, the more the line might be willing to give.
Related: Is it better to book a cruise through a travel agent? We say yes
Finally, don’t wait too long to decide. You won’t necessarily know how many passengers are being bumped, but it could be hundreds, all scrambling to rebook something. Even if you’re inclined to wait a full year for a replacement cruise, the dates or cabin you want might fill up.
One of the worst situations I’ve heard of was a group of friends traveling together in six cabins. Half were canceled due to an oversell of the cruise. Handling that kind of bump takes coordination among the travelers, as well as with the cruise line. In theory, the reservations should have been linked, which might have avoided the split, but because the cruise lines don’t share their algorithms for who gets bumped, it’s impossible to know how any situation can play out.
Bottom line
If you cruise often, you might eventually be subject to a cancellation or bump. Being prepared with insurance coverage, refundable travel arrangements and a plan for what to do with your vacation time if it happens to you can make a cruise cancellation far less difficult to deal with.
My family once had a cruise trip canceled by a hurricane. Once we got our refunds squared away, we hit the road for what turned out to be an epic road trip. What’s your backup plan?
As you’ve probably noticed, many people are traveling this summer. If that includes you, there are ways to save a bunch of money (and maybe a little sanity) while traveling this summer.
How can you navigate this high-demand travel environment while controlling costs and minimizing headaches?
Here are our top tips for travel this summer and how to overcome problems you might run into along the way.
Fly without breaking the bank
You’re not wrong if you think flights are more expensive.
Fares for summer travel have risen, sometimes dramatically, compared to both 2022 and 2019, according to data provided by the Airlines Reporting Corporation, a travel intelligence firm and ticket processor. The company says average fares were 9%-37% higher for the top 10 summer destinations, which include Yellowstone National Park and Hawaii. Flights are exorbitant to Europe this summer, too.
Fortunately, there are several strategies to reduce the cost of your flights.
Let the prices and availability decide your destination
If you want deals, this summer may be the one to let special offers inspire your next trip. Keep an eye on our flight deals, and book something that sounds interesting — either because of a good price or solid points and miles availability. The flexibility to go wherever the price is reasonable can lead to big savings.
Consider alternative airports
With prices on the rise, now is the time to be flexible and check all nearby airports.
For example, Houston and Chicago have two airports. The New York City area has three. It may even make sense to get to one city by flying to another before taking a short train ride for the rest of the journey, like flying into Philadelphia and catching a train up to New York. Strategies like this can help you get to your destination on a flight with better pricing or award availability.
Sign up for our daily newsletter
Expand your search for awards when your first attempt strikes out if you want to avoid the highest prices this summer.
Use positioning flights
Positioning flights are not realistic for every situation or trip, but they can often offer better award availability or pricing than those from your home airport.
Can you get to your destination for a lot less by starting in Seattle or Chicago, for example? Would adding another flight to a different airport ultimately save you money or miles?
Just make sure you leave enough time between flights to avoid any unnecessary travel headaches.
Book a backup plan
If you can’t get the flight you really want, book an alternative trip with that same airline. Then, get on the standby list for the flight you really want.
Plan your itinerary so you’re at the airport in time to get on that other flight. You can also monitor other flights and take advantage of same-day change policies.
Use up your points and miles
Summertime is a great time to use up points and miles you were hoarding. One of our big pieces of advice at TPG is to earn and burn those airline and credit card points and miles. You’ll maximize the redemption value if you can use them when cash prices are high, especially if you can find a mileage deal.
Fly on a holiday
Have you noticed that flights the day before Thanksgiving are extremely expensive, but flights on Thanksgiving morning are often cheaper? That’s because everyone wants to get to their final destination before the holiday.
This phenomenon plays out during some summer holidays, too, so look to fly the morning of the holiday to see if that lowers the price. Flying on July 4 is cheaper, generally, than flying on July 3 or July 6.
Get a hotel at the right price — and place
The good thing about hotels is that there are usually a lot of options. The bad thing about hotels is that there are usually a lot of options.
Having multiple properties to choose from can sometimes make the process of picking one feel overwhelming. However, if you have a stash of points, you can use those to narrow the field.
Here are our tips for locking in the right hotel for your trip.
Instead of burning cash, consider using your points
Just like with flights, points redemptions can make a lot of sense when hotel rates are high. Do you have Chase or American Express points you can transfer to a hotel program? Or are you sitting on a bunch of Marriott Bonvoy points? Several of us at TPG like to transfer our bank points, like Chase Ultimate Rewards points, to World of Hyatt for otherwise-expensive hotels (like the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome).
Book early and use a flexible cancellation policy
Booking a refundable hotel that seems right while you finalize everything else may be the way to go, even if you’re not 100% certain you’ll stay at that hotel. Avoid “pay now” rates in favor of a room that you can change or cancel without fees. Many award bookings allow you to cancel up to a couple of days before check-in, but always double-check the terms.
Use your elite status
Some hotel programs set aside rooms for elite members or will bump non-elite guests in favor of those with status if all the rooms are booked. Taking this a step further, travelers with top-tier Globalist status in the World of Hyatt program have a concierge who can help reserve properties. Take advantage of these perks if space is limited.
Additionally, your elite status may be the key to money-saving perks such as waived resort or parking fees, free breakfast and complimentary lounge access.
Discover similar locations
If you don’t need to be in a specific location, this may be the time to change things up a bit.
For example, if you’re seeking time on the beach, consider the panhandle of Florida or even the coast of Alabama instead of Miami and other popular parts of South Florida. Think of places that seem similar but may have better pricing if you’re running into sky-high rates.
Book directly
Instead of booking a room through a portal or online travel agency, reserve one directly with the hotel. By booking directly, you’ll likely have access to more flexible terms, as hotel cancellation policies are typically more forgiving. Additionally, if something goes wrong, you’ll have an easier time changing your itinerary since you’ll be dealing with the hotel directly instead of a third party.
Consider alternative accommodations
If you can’t find hotels that work for you, consider vacation rental platforms like Vrbo and Airbnb, as well as hotel-branded vacation rentals like Homes & Villas by Marriott Bonvoy, Mandarin Oriental Exclusive Homes and Accor-affiliated Onefinestay.
You can also go camping, glamping, stay in a “tiny home,” or rent a recreational vehicle for a few nights. There are even ways to use points to book vacation home rentals.
Score an affordable rental car
While not quite the same level of “car rental apocalypse” we saw in 2021, there are still some shortages of rental cars. There are already summertime sellouts happening in select leisure destinations. Hertz, as an example, is limiting one-way car rentals in Europe this summer due to supply constraints.
Even when vehicles are not sold out, demand (and prices) are still quite high, in part because car rental companies haven’t been able to completely replenish their fleets.
Planning ahead and leveraging your elite status can be the difference between getting a rental car and not getting one at all, according to Jonathan Weinberg, founder of AutoSlash.
Book first, plan later
Prices rise, and availability shrinks as you get closer to your travel dates. Take advantage of flexible car rental rules that usually provide a “pay later” option and book now, even if your plans aren’t finalized. Since car rental prices are up compared to pre-pandemic numbers, according to Weinberg, car rental prices may make or break some summer travel plans.
Use coupons or discount codes to save
If you’re a member of AAA or AARP, have a Costco membership, are a veteran or work for a large company with a car rental discount code, pull all of these levers. You might be eligible for discount codes you didn’t even know about.
Don’t despair if none of those reduced rates applies to you. AutoSlash can track prices and look for eligible coupon codes, too.
Leverage elite status
Having elite status with a car rental company can be the difference between getting a car and not — even if you have a reservation. That’s because cars are sometimes set aside exclusively for elite members.
Additionally, car rental program members can often skip the line at the counter and go straight to the lot, which can be what it takes to get one of the last vehicles. Luckily, you may already have a credit card that offers car rental elite status, which you could use to status match with other car rental loyalty programs.
Look beyond traditional companies and locations
Most people search for rentals at the airport with the standard companies. If you’re not finding good results, consider off-airport locations or try alternatives like Kyte, Turo and Silvercar.
Consider a longer rental
If you have trouble finding an available or affordable rental car, try adjusting the rental period. Here’s an example of how adding one day to trigger a monthlong rental cut the price by about $3,000:
Just know you should plan to keep the car for the full rental period, as returning the car early has an inherent risk of the car rental company charging a fee or adjusting pricing back to the daily rate. However, this avenue can unveil better prices and expanded inventory.
Visit national parks for less and without the crowds
The busiest national park in 2021 (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) saw 14.1 million visitors, according to statistics from the National Park Service. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve in Alaska saw just 145 visitors in 2021.
While the major parks are undoubtedly busy, there are still parklands that are less frequented than others, though you’ll still want to plan ahead.
Here’s everything to keep in mind for a national park adventure this summer.
Book in advance
Many parks require advance reservations for campsites and lodging inside the park’s boundaries.
How far in advance you can book varies, but these limited reservations fill up quickly at the more popular parks. Find out when reservations open for the date you want, and plan to book as soon as possible.
Stay outside the park
You might be dreaming of a night in a rustic cabin inside a national park, but getting that reservation could be challenging or costly, especially if you’re unable to pay for it with points.
However, just beyond the park, there’s probably a hotel where you can pay with points. For example, the SpringHill Suites just outside of Zion National Park is a great property if you have Marriott points to spend.
Make reservations
Some parks limit how many people can visit on any given day. Others place limits on how many people can go on a particular hiking trail. Some locations even require you to enter a lottery to get a chance to visit.
Apply for these permits and lotteries as early as possible for a better chance of securing access.
Avoid ‘free days’
It may sound counterintuitive, but “free days” at national parks may not be the best time to visit, as they tend to be particularly busy.
Instead of visiting on a weekend, holiday or day with free admission, aim for an early morning in the middle of the week for more elbow room on hiking trails and at can’t-miss natural wonders.
Visit alternative parks
Given the sheer number of national parks, national monuments, state parks and protected areas in the U.S., there’s likely a parkland near you that isn’t regularly packed with people. In fact, there may even be a park that offers similar geography to the one you’re considering but with a slightly more remote location and, consequently, thinner crowds.
For example, the second-largest canyon in the U.S., Palo Duro Canyon in the Texas Panhandle, sees 4 million fewer visitors per year than the Grand Canyon.
Plan for maximum enjoyment with minimum stress
You may have all types of activities in mind for this summer: theme parks, a road trip to visit grandparents or even an isolated beach getaway.
To cut down on travel headaches and bank account woes for the many trips you hope to take, consider these helpful tips.
Visit amusement parks on weekdays
While summer is a peak travel season since kids are out of school, many parents are still working Monday through Friday, meaning weekdays are generally less crowded. As a result, visiting a theme park in the middle of the week and arriving early in the morning typically leads to shorter lines for rides and shorter waits at in-park dining venues. It may even help you score cheaper tickets and lodging.
Ditch major theme parks
Growing up in Ohio, I had easy access to Kings Island and Cedar Point — two great theme parks that didn’t require flying to Florida or California.
Do as my parents did when I was a kid and look for regional parks that provide a lot of fun without the hefty price tag. Getting tickets will probably be easier, plus you may not need to add flights or hotels to the list of expenses.
Book Disney reservations early
You still need actual reservations (not just tickets) for Disneyland and Disney World.
To avoid any unexpected surprises, lock in your reservation as soon as possible to guarantee access to your preferred park, as they can sell out.
Reserve airport parking in advance
If flights and airports are packed, you can expect full parking lots, too.
Reserving airport parking ahead of time can be the difference between having a spot and not — or paying extra for the premium or far-away lot. If you aren’t having any luck finding a space at the airport, try snagging one at an off-airport parking location that offers shuttle service to the terminals.
Take a road trip
When you fly, you may have to buy four tickets for your family. When you drive, you don’t have to put gas in four cars.
The price of gas has come down lately, and a road trip may be calling your name this summer. An added bonus: Driving your own car means you won’t need a rental car at your final destination.
Look for coupons and codes
You don’t usually see Marriott or Delta Air Lines on Groupon, but activities are definitely more prolific.
Watch for coupons, group deals or sales for activities you’re planning to do during your trip. From roller coasters to roller derbies, the internet offers all kinds of deals, midweek sales and discount codes for activities that can lead to big savings. AAA, AARP and other advocacy memberships can help here, too.
Buy gift cards on sale
This tip can apply to many areas of life, but it’s especially true for theme parks and other activities.
Your local supermarket, big-box store or office supply store may sell gift cards at a discount. E-commerce sites also sell discounted gift cards.
When buying gift cards, use shopping portals whenever possible and pay with a card that will earn maximum points. Once you have your gift cards in hand (or your email inbox), use them to purchase Disney tickets, a hot air balloon ride or whatever activity you’re hoping to enjoy while on vacation.
Consider a cruise
While we’ve written about sold-out theme parks and hard-to-come-by flight deals, you should know that cruises are not quite as expensive as many other types of summer vacation. You’ll often save money when you account for the costs of flights and hotel rooms for multiple nights. With a cruise, you could simultaneously unlock serious savings and avoid crowds.
Hunt for deals
Cruise deals are not as plentiful as they were at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. However, you can still find amazing deals on cruises. If you are flexible, sometimes cruise companies offer substantial deals on last-minute cruises if they have excess inventory (unsold cabins).
It’s not uncommon to see deals on cruises pop up, like this one back in March, but you need to act fast when you see them. Virgin Voyages has been offering some incredible deals this year, including a cruise for just 40,000 Virgin Atlantic points.
Look for bundles and packages
You may find that you can also save by bundling items. Search for deals on drink packages or onboard spending credits, or consider “kids sail free” options — even if the first number you see (the price for an adult) doesn’t look like a bargain right away.
Bottom line
Summer is here, and just like last year, prices and demand are through the roof.
It is possible, however, to avoid hordes of tourists if you’re looking for some peace and quiet. You may even be able to visit a popular destination without spending a fortune, having a 16-hour layover or coughing up all of your airline miles to get there.
Regardless of where you plan to go, flexibility is the best thing you can bring to your travel plans. You should book now (if you haven’t already) so you can make the most of your summer without breaking the bank.
If you’ve searched for an international flight in the past year, you might’ve seen new airlines at the top of the results offering international flights for a fraction of the cost of traditional full-service airlines.
Say hello to the newest generation of low-cost carriers. Airlines such as Norse Atlantic Airways, Play, French bee and Zipair are now flying to the U.S., offering long-haul flights to Europe and Asia.
You might think a 6-hour (or longer) flight across an ocean isn’t where you want to go cheap and the online reviews might be enough to give you nightmares without even flying. But, depending on the type of trip and traveler, these low-cost airlines might fit the bill.
It’s hard to argue with the cost
The first reason anyone might consider flying with these airlines is the cheap airfares. Low-cost airlines have a bad reputation because of their endless add-on fees for baggage, seat selection, food and drinks. But even when you include those extra fees, low-cost carriers may still be the cheapest option.
Brett Bernstein, founder of Gatsby.ai, an ambassador marketing software company based in San Diego, and his wife were searching for flights back from their honeymoon in Paris last December. The couple ultimately decided to fly French bee because it was about a third of the price of other flights.
“It was $400 and change per person,” Bernstein says of his one-way flight. “And when I was looking to buy a flight on a different airline, it was like $1,500 a person.”
And he was pleasantly surprised. French bee flies out of Paris-Orly Airport, a smaller and older airport than Charles de Gaulle Airport, but it was easier and quicker to get to.
The seat was about as big as other airline seats and had a seatback screen loaded with plenty of entertainment options. Bernstein paid for a fare that included a carry-on, checked baggage and a meal. If anything, the most remarkable thing about the flight was how unremarkable it was.
“The thing about flying is it’s a commodity,” Bernstein says. “Like once you arrive there, you really don’t care how you got there as long as it’s safe,” and you’re comfortable.
Low-cost carriers are held to the same safety standards
Bernstein was concerned enough about the safety of flying on a low-cost carrier that he had researched the issue beforehand. But it’s worth noting that budget carriers don’t cut corners on safety.
The Federal Aviation Administration ensures that any international carrier flying into the U.S. meets international safety standards.
Katy Nastro, a spokesperson for Going.com, a travel deals website, also pointed out that newer low-cost airlines typically have newer planes with updated equipment, since they lease or acquire new aircraft.
“These planes could potentially be nicer than some of the legacy carriers’ big jets that they’ve been flying for 20 years that they’ve just been retrofitting,” Nastro says.
Tips for booking, flying with a low-cost airline
Still, you should go in knowing what you paid for. Even with newer planes, you might not get the same amenities as you would on a full-service carrier, particularly for business class. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Know the cancellation policies. Many low-cost airlines don’t offer refunds on their lowest fares, so book only if you’re confident you’ll take the flight.
Look for low-cost carriers with airline partnerships for more reliability. Low-cost carriers that are subsidiaries of more prominent airlines usually share the same customer service, so getting help with your booking may be easier. If your flight is canceled, you’ll also want to ensure the airline has codeshare partners to help you rebook.
Beware of fees. Ensure you include the add-on fees, such as bags and seats, when comparing costs across airlines.
Read the restrictions. Low-cost airlines often have more stringent rules on the size of your luggage or check-in times. You may be forced to pay extra for a bag that’s just a bit too big or be unable to board your flight if you miss the check-in time.
Bring your own food and entertainment. Depending on the airline, you might not get seatback screens, Wi-Fi or complimentary drinks or snacks.
What low-cost airlines mean for international travel
The proliferation of low-cost airlines is expected to continue to grow. For example, Fly Atlantic, a Belfast-based airline, is expected to sell low-cost transatlantic flights in 2024. The global low-cost airline market, which was valued at more than $190 billion in 2022, is projected to reach more than $302 billion by 2030, according to data from Contrive Datum Insights, a market research firm.
But more low-cost airlines are good for consumers, even those who don’t fly on them.
“People love to hate on budget airlines, but at the same time, the reason that we can get affordable airfare, in general, is because of budget airlines,” Nastro says. “More competition actually puts pressure on those legacy carriers.”
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has ordered installment lender OneMain Financial to pay $20 million in redress and penalties for failing to refund interest charged to 25,000 customers who cancelled purchases within a purported “full refund period,” and for deceiving borrowers about needing to purchase add-on products to receive a loan. OneMain will pay $10 million in refunds to consumers it harmed, and an additional $10 million penalty to the CFPB’s victims relief fund.
Do You Have a Question You’d Like Steve to Answer? Click Here.
“OneMain pressured its employees to load up its loans with extra charges through false promises of easy cancellation with full refunds,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “We are ordering OneMain to refund borrowers it cheated and to clean up its business practices.”
OneMain is a nonbank personal loan installment lender headquartered in Evansville, Indiana and is a subsidiary of OneMain Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:OMF). OneMain is one of the largest non-depository personal installment lenders in the United States. It has a nationwide network with more than 1,400 branches across 44 states. The company offers loans and makes extra profits by upselling borrowers with products such as roadside assistance, unemployment coverage, and identity theft coverage.
OneMain expected its employees to upsell borrowers on every loan. Employees were incentivized to push more products, and company training materials directed them to upsell them even when consumers had already declined the products on previous loans. Salespeople were evaluated on the basis of their sales rate and could even be fired if they did not upsell enough.
The CFPB found that OneMain:
Tricked borrowers into signing up for optional products: OneMain customers were led to believe that they could not receive a loan without signing up for an add-on product. Some employees added the products to paperwork without verbally informing the consumer that the products were included or optional, a practice referred to internally as “pre-packing.” If the consumer identified the products and asked for their removal, employees were expected to make it seem difficult to remove the products. In other cases, employees obscured written disclosures from consumers’ view, or verbally contradicted them.
Kept $10 million in interest charges despite its “full-refund” policy: OneMain told borrowers they would receive a “full refund” on add-on purchases if they cancelled within a certain period (generally 30 days). However, OneMain unfairly failed to refund interest charges for about 25,000 borrowers who signed up for add-ons such as roadside assistance benefits, identity theft protection, or entertainment discounts. Because of how OneMain precomputed interest on some loans, customers had already been charged significant amounts of interest that the company did not refund. Over the past four years, OneMain kept approximately $10 million in interest charges attributable to add-ons cancelled within its purported “full refund period.”
Under the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA), the CFPB has the authority to take enforcement action against institutions violating consumer financial laws. The CFPB found that OneMain’s practices violated the CFPA’s prohibition on unfair practices by charging and then failing to refund the full premium or fee and interest that accrued on add-on products consumers did not agree to purchase. OneMain also charged and failed to refund interest that accrued on add-on product fees during an advertised full refund period. Finally, the CFPB found OneMain was illegally interfering with consumers’ ability to understand that certain products were optional, and that OneMain charged non-refundable interest during the purported full-refund period.
The order requires OneMain to:
Adjust cancellation policies: The order requires OneMain to stop its unlawful activities, adjust its policies to make cancellation of add-on products easier, double the period in which a consumer can cancel an unused add-on product without cost from 30 to 60 days, and include interest in refunds after add-on product cancellations at any time.
Provide redress to consumers: The order requires OneMain to pay $10 million in refunds to consumers for improper charges.
Pay $10 million in penalties: OneMain is required to pay a $10 million penalty to the CFPB, which will be deposited into the CFPB’s victims relief fund.
Read today’s order.
Steve Rhode is the Get Out of Debt Guy and has been helping good people with bad debt problems since 1994. You can learn more about Steve, here.