What You Need to Know About Canceling Flights to the Dominican Republic
The death of New York-based restaurant owner Vittorio Caruso this week marks the eighth confirmed death of an American tourist to the Dominican Republic this year.
In response to ongoing events, a Dominican Republic official tried to allay fears during a press conference. “The Dominican Republic is a safe country,” he said. “… Unfortunately, people die in unwanted situations; these things happen and they will happen in the world. “
In recent years also have more tourists , reporting problems, reminiscent of severe food poisoning after traveling to the Dominican Republic. However, about two million Americans visited the country last year, and eight deaths this year is a small number by comparison. In 2015, 30 American tourists died of unnatural causes while in the Dominican Republic, so this is not as rare as it might seem. (According to CNN , statistically speaking, you are more likely to be killed in murder than dying of unnatural causes in the Dominican Republic.) But if you have any lingering problems, here’s an understanding of some airlines’ policies.
While several airlines have issued general travel waivers to the country, Delta has issued a safety advisory with complete change rules for those traveling to Punta Cana, the Dominican Republic’s premier travel hub; To change or cancel your flight, go to the Delta website, sign in and click My Trips. “
To be eligible to opt out of the free change, you must book your ticket by June 21st and your travel dates must be between June 21st and August 15th, 2019. You must also rebook your ticket by November 20th. (If you choose to change your country of origin or destination, you may pay the difference in fare.) According to Delta’s website, the change fee will be displayed initially but will be canceled prior to ordering.
If you choose to cancel your flight, you will receive a credit that can be applied to any future flight, although it will expire one year after your original departure date. If you’d like to stay on your flight, Delta recommends downloading the airline app and checking for updates in the My Trips section. “
JetBlue also waives its normal change or cancellation fees. You should contact the airline directly to make any changes.
Southwest offers customers the option of a full refund or exchange of tickets up to an hour prior to departure with no commission – a normal airline policy. To change or cancel your flight, visit the Southwest Airlines website .
Meanwhile, United and American continue to work with clients on a one-to-one basis. In this case, it would be better to call them directly to change or cancel your itinerary, explaining the circumstances.
If you’ve booked through a third-party site like Expedia, you may have trouble switching between the airline and the booking site, the Washington Post notes. You should review the refund policy with your itinerary conditions and contact the third party site prior to getting the airline. Airlines like United charge change fees through third-party sites built into their carrier contracts, so expect them to pay at least a small fee.
If you’re still planning to travel to the Dominican Republic this summer – or anywhere else – it doesn’t hurt to purchase travel health insurance in case you get sick. Be sure to check the CDC website for the latest travel tips.