What to Do When Your Travel Plans Get Cancelled
When you book your next vacation, chances are you aren’t thinking about what could possibly happen that would ruin the plans. Of course not, you have a vacation to plan, and you’re already thinking about relaxation, great restaurants, fun activities and more. But there’s plenty more to think about that isn’t as fun: flight delays, missed connections, lost or stolen baggage, an emergency that requires you to cancel your trip or even a medical emergency that occurs while you’re on your trip.
We know it isn’t as fun to think about as the poolside cocktails you’re planning to sip, but it’s necessary. Trip cancellation happens more frequently than you would think, and once it does, it can be confusing to know what to do next. Check out these tips for what to do when your trip gets cancelled.
Start Making Calls
Once bad weather or an emergency causes you to cancel, you should prepare to make plenty of calls. Make a checklist of important people and places to alert of the cancellation, including:
- Travel agent you’ve made plans through
- Airline or other trip transportation
- Hotel or other accommodations
- Rental car
- Any planned excursions
- Friends or family joining you on the trip, or those you’re planning to visit
If you’ve prepaid for any excursions, rental car and more, make sure you ask the agent if there are any refunds available when you’re cancelling. The earlier you can cancel, the better, because there may be a better chance of receiving a refund and avoiding penalties for cancelling.
Plan Before you Leave
If you are concerned about the possibility of your trip being ruined, you may want to consider purchasing travel insurance. You should purchase travel insurance prior to leaving for your vacation, the best time being when you book your other major travel details like flight and hotel reservations. However you can typically purchase it up to the day before departure.
Plans and services vary, so make sure to pay close attention to the type of travel insurance you’re purchasing. Typically, travel insurance can cover things like:
- Trip cancellation and interruption
- Medical and dental emergencies
- Flight delays and missed connections
- Lost, damaged or stolen baggage
- Rental car damage and theft
If the trip you’re planning is an important, expensive one, travel insurance is a must. It can protect you against a ruined trip and ensure that you don’t lose money on top of it all.
