How to get out of “Non-Refundable Reservations”

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  • MJ1685
    MJ1685 Northern California Posts: 21
    I was able to cancel my hotel reservations very easily and it was a non-refundable rate. I went to the website, completed an on-line chat and got my refund, didn't have to talk to anyone or be on the phone forever. I did not use one of those travel sites to book my reservation, just Marriot Bonvoy. 
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  • SHZA
    SHZA St. Louis, MO USA Posts: 4,314
    on2legs said:
    IlliniGuy76 said:
    on2legs said:
    I imagine at some point the government will mandate that refunds be given.  
    Only if there's some wide sweeping Government package to help those industries.  Airlines/cruises are taking a complete bath by offering full refunds - you're going to see much more significant cuts to service.
    Back in 2012 when Superstorm Sandy hit the jersey shore the insurance industry was ready to invoke the hurricane clause in everyone’s homeowners insurance which would have jacked everyone’s deductible up to 20% of the damages.  The state government stepped in and mandated that the clause not be invoked even though the storm met the technical definition of a hurricane due to wind speeds.   

    I see a similar mandate coming regardless if there is a relief package for the travel industry.  There will be too much pressure on politicians not to make it so. 
    Insurance industry is heavily regulated at the state level. I'd be surprised if federal or state governments get involved in interfering with travel companies' existing contracts with their customers. 
  • on2legs
    on2legs Posts: 15,990
    SHZA said:
    on2legs said:
    IlliniGuy76 said:
    on2legs said:
    I imagine at some point the government will mandate that refunds be given.  
    Only if there's some wide sweeping Government package to help those industries.  Airlines/cruises are taking a complete bath by offering full refunds - you're going to see much more significant cuts to service.
    Back in 2012 when Superstorm Sandy hit the jersey shore the insurance industry was ready to invoke the hurricane clause in everyone’s homeowners insurance which would have jacked everyone’s deductible up to 20% of the damages.  The state government stepped in and mandated that the clause not be invoked even though the storm met the technical definition of a hurricane due to wind speeds.   

    I see a similar mandate coming regardless if there is a relief package for the travel industry.  There will be too much pressure on politicians not to make it so. 
    Insurance industry is heavily regulated at the state level. I'd be surprised if federal or state governments get involved in interfering with travel companies' existing contracts with their customers. 
    I’m being bold and predicting it.  You heard it here first. 
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  • EvilClosetMonkey
    EvilClosetMonkey Posts: 521
    Delta and American airlines will waive the fee to redeposit miles into your account without much fight (said "events got cancelled from the virus, blah, blah, blah").  Took them about 7 hrs to call back though.
  • dcp3y
    dcp3y Louisville KY Posts: 848
    Obviously a refund is the best option, but a fallback middle ground may be credit toward a future trip and then rebook once the tour resumes.  You will want to be fast with the rebook so that there is availability when you do so.  Depends on if you can float the money or not in the meanwhile.  This would be better than completely losing out the money spent.  Good luck!  With major sporting events (NBA and NCAA) also cancelling public attendance, I imagine the travel industry is in complete disarray right now.
  • JeBurkhardt
    JeBurkhardt Posts: 5,336
    I had two non refundable hotels, one in STL and one in OKC, through Hotels.com. They were able to get one refunded directly, but I had to contact the second one myself. Luckily they were good about it. From now on, I am spending the extra $ to make sure it is the refundable. A few extra dollars is worth it. 
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,846
    i have a feeling with schools across the country shutting down for weeks, major cities preparing for mass quarantines, everything will be refunded soon
  • Zod
    Zod Posts: 10,909
    Alaska Air extended the no-fee cancellation period to April 30.   I was able to cancel my April 20 flight back from san fran.  Got all my points (and the $6) no problem.  They actually credited really quick.

    I feel pretty lucky.   Usually I'm horrible for being cheap and choosing non-refundable things.   The only thing we're out on our PJ adventure as an $11 ferry reservation.   Hotel from RATM trip was fully refundable too.
  • blackhawks
    blackhawks Posts: 307
    Why people book non refundable to save $20 then complain about not getting a refund is beyond me.  That is the risk you take.  
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  • PureandEasy
    PureandEasy Posts: 5,818
    blackhawks said:
    Why people book non refundable to save $20 then complain about not getting a refund is beyond me.  That is the risk you take.  
    If you're talking airfare insurance, it's way more than $20.  I called American Airlines and they stated outright, they are honoring all travel reservations for March and April, with no change fee, as long as you book travel by December 31, 2020.  Funny thing is they will still probably get a bail out from the government.  But I don't care, I'm not out $500+ for a nonrefundable flight.
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  • JP199922
    JP199922 Posts: 7
    Zod said:
    Alaska Air extended the no-fee cancellation period to April 30.   I was able to cancel my April 20 flight back from san fran.  Got all my points (and the $6) no problem.  They actually credited really quick.

    I feel pretty lucky.   Usually I'm horrible for being cheap and choosing non-refundable things.   The only thing we're out on our PJ adventure as an $11 ferry reservation.   Hotel from RATM trip was fully refundable too.
    I also booked through Alaska and saw that they extended the no-fee cancellation period to April 30.  When I went to cancel on-line it still stated it was $125 and ask for my credit card info.  Did this happen to you and you just weren’t billed?  Thanks.
  • bootlegger10
    bootlegger10 Posts: 16,260
    blackhawks said:
    Why people book non refundable to save $20 then complain about not getting a refund is beyond me.  That is the risk you take.  
    Bingo.  Took me all of three minutes to cancel four hotel reservations.  
  • SHZA
    SHZA St. Louis, MO USA Posts: 4,314
    edited March 2020
    blackhawks said:
    Why people book non refundable to save $20 then complain about not getting a refund is beyond me.  That is the risk you take.  
    I agree with this for the most part, but this situation is unprecedented in any of our lifetimes. Normally it would be pretty reasonable to think there's basically no way you'd need to cancel your trip to see PJ 
    Post edited by SHZA on
  • mace1229
    mace1229 Posts: 9,846
    blackhawks said:
    Why people book non refundable to save $20 then complain about not getting a refund is beyond me.  That is the risk you take.  
    Why? If you’re talking about hotels then that’s $20 a night. That can add up when you’re 99% sure you’d be going. A global pandemic is one of the very few reasons I wouldn’t be going to a PJ show I paid for.  I had a flight on frontier that was $72 round trip, but they wanted $29 for insurance. Seemed kind of pointless to get the insurance at that price. 
    In most years you were stuck with a non refundable, non transferable ticket too. We’d have so much invested id be going even with the flu at that point.
  • Bentleyspop
    Bentleyspop Craft Beer Brewery, Colorado Posts: 11,475
    JP199922 said:
    Zod said:
    Alaska Air extended the no-fee cancellation period to April 30.   I was able to cancel my April 20 flight back from san fran.  Got all my points (and the $6) no problem.  They actually credited really quick.

    I feel pretty lucky.   Usually I'm horrible for being cheap and choosing non-refundable things.   The only thing we're out on our PJ adventure as an $11 ferry reservation.   Hotel from RATM trip was fully refundable too.
    I also booked through Alaska and saw that they extended the no-fee cancellation period to April 30.  When I went to cancel on-line it still stated it was $125 and ask for my credit card info.  Did this happen to you and you just weren’t billed?  Thanks.

    I had this happen with Delta when I first looked.
    A few hours later their $150 miles "restocking" was gone.
    Check back

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