Travel Deal of the Day (August 18, 2008)

With news of a new tropical storm/hurricane (Fay), you should be aware that you likely have the ability to change your travel plans in ways that otherwise would be either costly or impossible if you are traveling to or from an area affected by the current storm.

The Deal:
When there is a large storm such as a hurricane, most travel providers put in place a policy that allows you to change your travel plans without a fee and possibly even receive a full refund. These policies often allow you to cancel free of charge or make arrangements to shift your trip to a later date. Given that it can be costly to change or cancel many airline tickets and/or hotel room reservations, it is advisable to search the website of your travel provider to find out about any policy imposed by that travel provider for a large storm.

Even if the travel provider has not introduced a storm policy, you may still be able to cancel or modify your trip. If an airline has cancelled your flight, the airline will likely allow you to modify or cancel your trip free of charge. Even if the flight has not yet been cancelled, many airlines will be more lenient during a large storm. For your hotel reservation – I would contact the in-house reservations manager – during large storms, a reservations manager will likely waive standard cancellation fees. Of course, each circumstance is different – but it is best to be fully aware of any broad policy imposed by your travel provider and ask questions to verify if your travel provider will work with you if the storm makes taking your trip impossible