Crazy travel "no cancellation" rules. Any way around this?

I notice now the trend with everything from cheapo chain hotels to 5 star resorts is all the same. Offer 2 prices, one reasonable price that is 100% non-refundable,non-changeable and then another crazy-high price that allows some changes.

For example:

– Rate 1: 100% non-refundable, no changes, no cancellations, no way, no how, no, no, no, no – $229 a night.

– Rate 2: Cancelations and changes allowed within a reasonable timeframe – $7,000,000,000 a night. Restrictions apply.

No kidding, currently I see the trend is to price the “changes allowed” price about 25-40% higher, or more.

Has anyone found any way around this like a credit card that offers automatic trip insurance?

Or is there a site that you can book through that basically cancels or over-rides most/all these restrictions?

Is there some organization that has a membership benefit that includes trip cancellation insurance on all travel?

Can I add something to my homeowners insurance?

Obviously, I know I can buy third-party trip insurance, but that comes with huge issues as far as knowing what is/is not covered, so it’s very hard to know if this is a good value and which company is reputable.

This fad has gotten just out of hand and the risk is pretty damn significant when you consider 7 nights at a resort for a family, plus airline tickets, plus transfers (they got into the game too), all of it non-changeable/non-refundable unless you want to pay 40% more…

Anyone have a reasonable cost way to counter this trend?

Grouse

Self insure.Only book when you fully intend to travel and don’t take the cancellation insurance . Over time you will come out ahead. If indeed it is 40 percent more to insure and you cancel less than 40 percent of the time assuming the cost is the same every trip you will win . I have been traveling for many years and only needed to back out one time. The airline was good to deal with and gave me credit towards another flight and the booking agent for the hotel could be sweet talked into a one time favor. Some credit cards may also offer an insurance

Sometimes AAA rates are closer to nonrefundable. You can buy blanket trip insurance on an annual basis, if you feel like you need to.

Or pay the extra for refundable. Or just self-insure. A lot of the time properties will make small exceptions/changes outside of what is required, if you face a true emergency. Some high-demand resorts in peak times won’t.

Hotels and resorts likely have more leeway and flexibility when you book with them directly rather than through a third party.

Are you concerned about cancelling a trip in advance for some reason? Or problems during the trip? CC insurance will often cover some costs from delays etc. Any insurance for advance cancellations will be for specific documented causes (like illness and inability to travel)

Being in the business I can assure you the WORST thing you can do is book through a 3rd party i.e. Hotels.com, expedia or any other than directly with the brand. Depending on the individual property they may allow some flexibility but when you commit to the 3rd party all bets are off.

cheers wrote:

Self insure.Only book when you fully intend to travel and don’t take the cancellation insurance.

Yeah, for a weekend at a Holiday Inn Express, that’s fine. I’m happy to self-insure that.

But if you look at vacations/cruises/etc of a week or more, the tab with lodging, flights, etc starts to get pretty damn steep PLUS these things have to be booked months in advance. Who knows, right? Have to miss even one of those types of trips and there goes the “come out ahead” on the self-insurance concept..

What worries me. I’ve got 2 kids in school and in sports, so basically it feels like our home away from home is the local Urgent Care. Again, I don’t care about the weekend in Duluth, I’m worried about having a kid break a leg or have to have an appendix out the day we’re supposed to leave on a week-long vacation. You used to be able to cancel or at least change with a fee.

Matt Stegmeir wrote:

Sometimes AAA rates are closer to nonrefundable. You can buy blanket trip insurance on an annual basis, if you feel like you need to.

Good tip, I’ll have to check out the blanket insurance and see if that’s a better value compared to insuring individual trips.

I’ve done some research and it looks like companies like AIG offer stand-alone coverage that is independent and the cost is much less than paying 25-40% more for the trip, so maybe this will be the way to go.

clawman wrote:

Depending on the individual property they may allow some flexibility but when you commit to the 3rd party all bets are off.

I’ve pretty much switched over to dealing directly anyway because as I’m sure you know many are doing the “best price available” thing through their own website.

I appreciate the replies.

Grouse

Unless you carry high status with the airlines or hotel chains I think this is the way it’s going.

My wife I travel extensively for work and the only company that seems to honor change policies is Delta. We got burned for the first time this year with a hotel and lost a night. Last minute change….non refundable room. It was due to a family emergency but no sympathy.

For big trips I would insure them. I’d also book through Airbnb as they seem to have pretty good cancellation policies.

Matt Moen wrote:

Unless you carry high status with the airlines or hotel chains I think this is the way it’s going.

My wife I travel extensively for work and the only company that seems to honor change policies is Delta. We got burned for the first time this year with a hotel and lost a night. Last minute change….non refundable room. It was due to a family emergency but no sympathy.

Yes, I notice even with gold or better status on the hotel sites, they still show non-changeable/non-refundable and then you can pay way more if you want any kind of changeability. Maybe they would offer an exception, but I’m not sure I’d bet on it.

The one that really concerns me are the resorts because the hit a person could take on a week’s stay would be in the thousands. Maybe some are willing to self insure that and just take your chances, but it’s making me nervous.

Just as an FYI in case anyone else is wondering, I looked at every Gold, Platinum, and Black credit card I could find and none of them offer blanket trip cancellation or travel insurance coverage. Some offer “delay” coverage, but that seems to be aimed at getting stuck somewhere vs having to cancel a whole trip.

Grouse

You can book through delta vacations and get travel insurance for what seems to be a fair price. It’s all relative though. I’m sure some travel agencies could be a good route but you a pay premium anyways.

American Express also offers it but it’s spendy…

I sometimes book flights and hotels through work for personal trips. We get coverage for cancellations since it’s corporate travel. I just have to reimburse the company of course. Not sure how common that is, though.

I think you’re getting too worked up about the unknowns.

Life is full of them….don’t worry about things that are out of your control and things that “could happen.”

Break down your trip and look at each thing individually.

If the hotel stay has a 24 hr cancellation policy, don’t worry about it.

If you’re spending $3,500 on airline tickets 6 month in advance, then it’s a different story. If you’re worried, then pay a little extra to chill out