Things don’t always go according to plan when you’re traveling, and that can be a big problem for many reasons, chief among them that changing plans usually means paying fees. Let’s keep that money in your pocket. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to canceling flights or hotel reservations.
You Can Always Cancel Flights Within 24 Hours of Booking
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, you can cancel a non-refundable ticket and receive a full refund of any airfare booked in the United States, without cancellation fees or penalties, as long as you booked your ticket seven days ahead of your flight and you do so within 24 hours of booking. You can also change your flight without penalty, but may be subject to a fare adjustment fee. It’s important to note that American Airlines gets around this rule by letting you “hold” a ticket for 24 hours before paying for it. If you pay for your fare outright without holding it, you give up your right to cancel it within 24 hours.
Outside of the 24 hour rule, the cost of cancellation varies based on the airline you booked through. If your ticket is non-refundable and you cancel after that 24-hour window, you’ll have to pay a fee of $125 or more, depending on the airline (some international flights will have a cancellation fee of up to $450). There are ways around cancel or change fees, though. Carriers like American Airlines sell fare add-ons that let you change your flight for free at any time, for example. Other airlines offer leniency to those who like to plan ahead. Alaska Airlines lets you cancel flights for free as long as you do so 60 days before your departure. And some airlines, like Southwest, let you change and cancel fares almost whenever you like, but instead of a refund, you get credit toward a future flight within a year of the original reservation. Check the policies of individual airlines before you book.
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Keep in mind that the 24-hour cancel or change rule may only apply to fares booked directly with airlines via their website or over the phone (which is recommended). If you use a travel booking service to purchase your airfare, be sure to check their terms and conditions as they might differ. Also, you can always purchase refundable airfare from one of the major airlines to avoid any cancellation hassles, but those tickets will cost you a lot more. The difference could be hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the trip.
Lastly, it is possible to cancel your airfare and get a refund due to a loss in your immediate family, but these bereavement refunds, and other such emergency refunds, are notoriously difficult to get. It varies from airline to airline, but they often require a death certificate or other documentation as proof of your loss.
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Give Hotels Notice at Least 48 Hours in Advance, Resorts More
Usually you don’t pay for hotels upfront, but they may take a deposit or charge you fees if you don’t cancel on time. Every hotel chain is different—most require you cancel rooms between 24 and 48 hours before your check-in date. Some hotels require up to 72 hours notice, and big name resorts may even require a full seven days. If you don’t cancel your reservation before then, you’ll be forced to pay a cancellation fee, and those can sometimes cost you the price of one or two nights at the hotel you’re no longer staying in. Ouch.
And if you booked your room with rewards points, or through a travel booking service, cancellation policies and fees can differ greatly. That’s why it’s vital you always take note of the cancellation policy for each and every booking. Actually read the terms and conditions before you confirm that reservation, then do what travel writer Johnny Jet does and set a reminder on your phone or calendar to give you a notification when you’re getting close to the cancellation cutoff point. If you remember to double check your plans three or four days before your hotel reservation, you should be fine.
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However, if you have to cancel last minute, you can always try your luck at letting the hotel know your circumstances. If your flight was cancelled, your very ill, or there was a death in the family, an on-duty hotel manager may be willing to waive the cancellation fee—or at least reduce it. If they won’t waive it, and you can reschedule your plans, you could try to negotiate a future stay at the hotel instead. Sometimes they’ll simply move your reservation to a later date instead of charging you the fee.
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