Don’t Let Your Travel Credits Go to Waste During the Pandemic
Traveling by any means is crazy right now, so you might not be thinking about booking a trip anytime soon. Or maybe you’re traveling out of revenge and booking all trips – either way, if you have e-credits or vouchers from trips that were canceled during the pandemic, you should probably use them soon or find out how keep, renew or get credit for them before they expire.
As the Washington Post notes , travel companies were quick to hand out vouchers – rather than refunding them even when required – for cancellations, assuming customers would not actually use them before they expired. And that’s exactly what’s happening.
If you won’t be able to use your vouchers or credits in the near future, here are a few ways to avoid losing them.
Check the status and rules for your vouchers
Gather all the information first. Log into your travel accounts and note what vouchers or credits you have, how much they cost, when they expire, and any redemption rules or restrictions.
Request a refund instead
Customers and company representatives who spoke to The Post said that vouchers can often be exchanged for a full refund, which airlines, cruise lines and other tour operators may be required to offer based on their terms and conditions if they cancel your trip without an alternative. . Of course, this may not apply if you have canceled your subscription. But it doesn’t hurt to ask – firmly.
Use only part of the expiring loan
If you have a dollar amount e-credit that is expiring, you can keep it active by spending some of the money on a super-cheap route (such as a one-way flight) and saving the rest for the future.
Another hack: book a trip using points or e-credits and cancel within a 24-hour window without penalty, the credit is re-credited to your account and the expiration date is reset. Please note that fees or restrictions may apply.
Prevent shared travel points from expiring
Another thing to check is that frequent flyer miles or travel points (and other benefits) you’ve accumulated over time will expire soon. Many rewards programs have suspended mileage expiration and extended existing premium membership benefits, but these restrictions are starting to take effect again.
For example, American Airlines AAdvantage miles expire after 24 months of inactivity, which means you don’t earn or spend money in your account. American suspended mileage expiration during the pandemic but reinstated the rule on April 1st. You only need to make one transaction to keep your account , which may include a credit card charge, an exchange for a cheap flight or other travel, or cash/mileage donation to charity.
Plan this trip anyway
Depending on the type of voucher you have, you can get some pretty good bang for your buck when you book now. For example, a cruise line may charge less than your original loan total, so you can cover most of your expenses. If you want to leave, feel safe and have some flexibility, it may be better than letting your money go to waste.