Canceled Flight
(Photo: Good Free Photos)

Due to the widespread stay-at-home orders in the country, travel is the last thing people have in mind.

Approximately 94 million U.S. citizens had canceled or are already planning to cancel their plans for travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, says a recent study by WalletHub.

Due to the current circumstances, a lot of airlines are easing their cancellation policies, and major accommodation chains are waiving fees.

According to a travel editor from The Points Guy named Melanie Lieberman, almost all of the travel providers are implementing flexible measures to their customers amid the current pandemic.

Reimbursements range from full cash refunds to travel vouchers. The compensation depends on the hotel, tour operator, and airline. Sometimes, the type of rebate depends on who the customer service representatives are. This causes a problem of inconsistency, says Lieberman.

Here are some tips for those who want to successfully cancel a trip with the possibility of getting a refund:

Directly Visit the Source 

To refund an upcoming trip, communicate directly to the airline carriers or hotel. United, Delta, JetBlue, and American had postponed change and cancellations fees, says an article. Airbnb, Hilton, and Marriott have already relaxed their restrictions.

According to Lieberman, there will be new refund policies. She advises everyone to wait for these changes. There is a high chance that the airline or hotel will be more flexible as the departure date nears, she added.

For those whose flights have been canceled, they are entitled to a refund as opposed to a travel credit.

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Follow Up in a Nice Way

Those who plan to cancel trips but are not being offered the type of compensation that they prefer can send a follow up through phone call, email, or message through an application. Trying to converse to different representatives yields different results, says Lieberman.

Lieberman advised being sympathetic with persistence to get the desired compensation. Customer service representative is communicating with several phone calls; being kind to them can also yield positive outcomes.

Acceptance of Credit

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the most affected industry is the travel industry.

Rather than demanding a refund, consider accepting a future travel credit. This is more relevant for those who have booked with a boutique hotel or an independent tour operator, says Lieberman.

Those businesses are currently struggling and trying their best to reschedule or offer vouchers to their customers.

Accepting future travel credits is similar to giving out a business loan. It is a form of giving support to the travel industry, Lieberman added.

Search for Good Deals

For those who have always wanted a dream vacation, this is the right time to look for good deals. In the present, a majority of the businesses in the travel industry are under 'hibernation,' says Lieberman. However, people will see a lot of great deals after these current challenges, she added.

Currently, a lot of airline and accommodation businesses are already reducing their prices to trigger demand.