If Spirit/Southwest Airlines Snafu Happens Can You Cancel or Move Your Hotel Date?

[Pooh's World]

If Spirit/Southwest Airlines Snafu Happens Can You Cancel or Move Your Hotel Date?

Or are you stuck with paying for a hotel you are not staying at?

 

[DebLovesPooh]

I think it depends on the hotel. Only once have I had the hotel not charge me for the night.

 

[Pooh's World]

I think it depends on the hotel. Only once have I had the hotel not charge me for the night.

Do you think the Disney Hotels or Swan/Dolphin would not charge if it's the airlines fault you can't stay?

 

[Bjkandma]

I would think Disney and any other hotel would charge you the night's stay. It isn't their fault you didn't arrive. Its possible, Disney may work with someone on a case by case basis. I personally wouldn't count on getting reimbursed. If you are concerned, perhaps you should look into travel insurance.

 

[kathy884]

There is no guarantee. It's your risk. Sometimes places have been known to make exceptions to policies, but I certainly would not count on it.

This is one of many reasons that lots of people pay more and get hotel rooms that can be canceled the 24 hours before (common policy for lots of tourist destinations) or by 6 p.m. the day of check in (I don't see that as often at tourist destinations). (I usually pay a higher rate for flexible cancelation if I am staying in a hotel and that's one of the rate options, so I can cancel on a dime when that's an option.). With lots of hotels with the 24 hour cancelation policy, the most you would be out would be paying for one night of your stay.

I do sometimes book condos, etc. where I would not be able to cancel last minute and would be out all or some of my money if I cancel within 30 days of the stay. Usually 30 days out I can get all my money back or all my money back less a nominal administrative fee. For these I types of situations, I am either prepared to take the risk (loose my money if something unexpected happens - self insure) or buy travel insurance.

A cancel for any reason policy I have heard usually only covers 75% of your non-refundable expenses and usually costs about 10% of your non-refundable expenses to start. Protection isn't free. The costs have me self insuring in quite a few situations. For a trip with lots of expensive potential non-refundable expenses though, I might get the insurance. More and more places too offer insurance for individual non-refundable purchases.

Sites like "Insure by Trip" have good brokers who you can call and can help you pick out the kind of travel insurance you want and a policy.

 

[Pooh's World]

There is no guarantee. It's your risk. Sometimes places have been known to make exceptions to policies, but I certainly would not count on it.

This is one of many reasons that lots of people pay more and get hotel rooms that can be canceled the 24 hours before (common policy for lots of tourist destinations) or by 6 p.m. the day of check in (I don't see that as often at tourist destinations). (I usually pay a higher rate for flexible cancelation if I am staying in a hotel and that's one of the rate options, so I can cancel on a dime when that's an option.). With lots of hotels with the 24 hour cancelation policy, the most you would be out would be paying for one night of your stay.

I do sometimes book condos, etc. where I would not be able to cancel last minute and would be out all or some of my money if I cancel within 30 days of the stay. Usually 30 days out I can get all my money back or all my money back less a nominal administrative fee. For these I types of situations, I am either prepared to take the risk (loose my money if something unexpected happens - self insure) or buy travel insurance.

A cancel for any reason policy I have heard usually only covers 75% of your non-refundable expenses and usually costs about 10% of your non-refundable expenses to start. Protection isn't free. The costs have me self insuring in quite a few situations. For a trip with lots of expensive potential non-refundable expenses though, I might get the insurance. More and more places too offer insurance for individual non-refundable purchases.

Sites like "Insure by Trip" have good brokers who you can call and can help you pick out the kind of travel insurance you want and a policy.

But even the flexible hotel cancellation would be problematic with a Spirt/Southwest style mass flight cancellation unless you had one that is the day of cancellations. I don't think I have even seen day of cancellations. They are usually day before at 4 pm cancellations.

 

[HopperFan]

I only used to get travel insurance for cruises and leaving the country. At this point, it might be time to get it if I plan on flying. With less planes and them being filled, all it takes is one mechanical issue to throw the whole schedule to that city out of whack.

Hotels/resorts etc should not be out money because of what an airline has done. I would expect hotels to get more strict on cancellations going forward, their bottom lines can afford to. I actually had a hotel booked in September, called a week out to tell them one in our party is in quarantine. They weren't going to let me cancel until I got someone nice actually at hotel. They were kind enough BECAUSE we were booked on points, not paying. If we were paying I think I'd be out of luck as it was a 4 day deal.

 

[Pooh's World]

I only used to get travel insurance for cruises and leaving the country. At this point, it might be time to get it if I plan on flying. With less l planes and them being filled, all it takes is one mechanical issue to throw the whole schedule to that city out of whack.

Hotels/resorts etc should not be out money because of what an airline has done. I would expect hotels to get more strict on cancellations going forward, their bottom lines can afford to. I actually had a hotel booked in September, called a week out to tell them one in our party is in quarantine. They weren't going to let me cancel until I got someone nice actually at hotel. They were kind enough BECAUSE we were booked on points, not paying. If we were paying I think I'd be out of luck as it was a 4 day deal.

Does the travel insurance that the airlines offer cover your hotel?

 

[HopperFan]

Does the travel insurance that the airlines offer cover your hotel?

I don't know - I buy overall Travel Insurance that covers everything, especially medical evacuation. One I have used is Insure My Trip.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Did you read the fine print?
I would expect the Airlines Package purchased through the same airlines to offer some type of compensation… but not sure about anything else.
I think I read once (before Covid coverage) that DVC compensation would only be for the point loss or something not very generous… I guess that is why we are Seeing so much more new “fine print clauses from everybody “ after the Covid financial impacts.
Make certain you read and understand the limits to travel insurance.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Do you think the Disney Hotels or Swan/Dolphin would not charge if it's the airlines fault you can't stay?

Maybe once, but these days Disney's philosophy seems to be to maximize profits at all costs, so I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Lewisc]

The question is more generic
Could be any airline. Car issues driving. Weather.
Precovid hotels would work with you. Refund a night. Let you extend your stay.

Call the direct number to the hotel as soon.as you know you won't make the first night.

Why would a hotel work with you? Goodwill. If the hotel is half booked being nice doesn't cost anything. If the hotel is overbooked being nice frees up a room sooner.

A few credit cards include basic travel insurance
Good for those circumstances

 

[Pooh's World]

So looks like the only credit cards that have good travel insurance are the top of the line Chase and American Express cards that have the $600 annual fee:

https://www.valuepenguin.com/travel/credit-card-travel-insurance-who-and-whats-covered

 

[kathy884]

But even the flexible hotel cancellation would be problematic with a Spirt/Southwest style mass flight cancellation unless you had one that is the day of cancellations. I don't think I have even seen day of cancellations. They are usually day before at 4 pm cancellations.

True, but in that case you would only be out for one night out of a seven night stay, for example.

 

[Pooh's World]

True, but in that case you would only be out for one night out of a seven night stay, for example.

I guess the work around is stay at a cheaper hotel on the first night of your trip.
That way if you are delayed a day, you aren't losing Grand Floridian money.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

Disney was Amazing ... our lay over left us stuck overnight instead an hour.
I called and in my request they put my first day on the end... did not charge me anything. I was upset that I may not be able to get into MK and they found me a reservation.

For this reason I will always book with Disney

 

[Lewisc]

So looks like the only credit cards that have good travel insurance are the top of the line Chase and American Express cards that have the $600 annual fee:

https://www.valuepenguin.com/travel/credit-card-travel-insurance-who-and-whats-covered

Those cards give you back hundreds of dollars in credits. That will offset a lot of the annual fee, if the credits are for purchases you'd be making even if you didn't have the card

 

[Lewisc]

Years ago I booked a hotel by FLL through Priceline, NYOP. It was prepaid, non-refundable and non-cancellable. My flight was cancelled due to weather. I had to email PL a printout showing my flight was cancelled. Full refund. I was a little surprised.

I think some people under-estimate what a company will do for goodwill and over estimate what travel insurance will provide.

 

[GoingSince1990]

A couple of weeks ago my wife’s flight was repeatedly delayed and eventually canceled. I called the hotel she was planning on staying at (a Marriott, not in WDW) and they did not charge her for that night (even though we were obviously past the cancellation deadline).

 

[DLgal]

Does the travel insurance that the airlines offer cover your hotel?

No.