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Travelers pass through Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina, Tuesday, November 16, 2021.
mrodriguez@charlotteobserver.com
The travel industry was one of the first to feel the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Globally, international tourist arrivals declined in 2020 after travel bans were implemented in the early stages of the outbreak, with 1 billion fewer travelers than in 2019, according to the World Tourism Organization .
Since then, travel industry experts have predicted an increase in ridership from 2020, signaling a recovery from the economic blow of the past two years as people try to make up for lost time. increase.
Amanda Coppola, branch manager at Man Travels Arboretum in Charlotte, said: “For cruises, you can book two years in the future, so the 2023 cruise is already booked.”
In addition to wearing masks at airports and other transportation hubs to protect against COVID-19, travelers are advised to take out travel insurance to cover unexpected delays and travel interruptions. To do.
What is travel insurance?
Travel insurance is coverage designed to protect against risks and financial losses that may occur while traveling.
What does the insurance cover?
Depending on the coverage you choose, travel insurance can cover different damages and losses, such as:
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Injury or Illness: Travel insurance can help cover medical expenses not covered by your health insurance plan. Most health insurance plans do not offer full coverage abroad.
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Lost luggage: Travel insurance can help cover costs resulting from lost luggage. This is useful if the airline has lost your baggage as it can be difficult to get a refund.
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Last Minute Cancellations: Most resorts and cruise lines do not offer full refunds for cancellations. Some resorts charge a cancellation fee if you cancel more than 2 weeks before your trip, and in most cases, no refund if you cancel within 2 weeks.
Coppola said many airlines also offer pre-departure waivers, allowing passengers to change or cancel their reservations at any time and receive a full refund of their travel expenses.
“It really protects their investment and gives them peace of mind that if they feel threatened or something like a positive COVID-19 test occurs, they can get their money back.” she explained.
How much is the insurance premium?
The cost of travel insurance is typically 5-10% of the total cost of your trip. The amount may be affected by several factors, including your age, the amount you spend on your trip, the amount of coverage you choose, and the number of people insured.
“Sometimes it’s as low as $100 per person, but if you’re looking at a $5,000 trip, this is very low because you can get your money back,” Coppola said.
Age is the most important factor in determining the price of travel cancellation coverage, according to Berkshire Hathaway. The older you get, the more likely you are to have to cancel your trip.
Trip cancellations make up the bulk of most company bills. Trips with very high prepaid costs mean the company has to refund more if the trip is cancelled.
Other Factors Affecting Prices
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Number of Travelers: One travel insurance policy can cover multiple families on the same trip, but some companies offer packages for families.
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Destination: Destination is an important factor for some insurers when determining rates. Companies may look at tourist crime statistics and injury rates when setting prices.
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Trip Length: Long trips increase the chances of something happening. Longer trips also tend to be more expensive trips to more exotic destinations and are often covered by the same insurance for many people.
airline cancellation policy
After the pandemic effectively halted air travel for months, major US airlines have implemented policies to give passengers more flexibility to change or cancel.
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Allegiant Airlines: As of May 21, 2021, Allegiant change/cancellation fees have been reduced to $25 per person per flight segment. A flight segment is one takeoff and one landing.
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Alaska Airlines: Airline policy allows travelers to change or cancel tickets purchased before April 30, 2021. Tickets must be changed or canceled prior to departure of original flight. If you purchased your ticket through a third party, please contact the third party directly.
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American Airlines: The airline has eliminated change fees for short-haul international flights and some long-haul international flights. Basic Economy fares purchased after April 1, 2021 are non-refundable and non-changeable.
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delta airlines: Customers who purchased Basic Economy tickets before April 30, 2021 can change or cancel their tickets and receive eCredits. Cancellation and change fees do not apply to these tickets. Tickets purchased in 2022 can be canceled but are subject to a cancellation fee that will be deducted from the ticket value.
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Frontier Airlines: Reservations made by March 31, 2021 will be free of change/cancellation fees.
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Hawaiian Airlines: Main Cabin or First Class tickets purchased or expiring in 2021 will not expire until December 31, 2022. From 17 August 2021 onwards, travel from 1 May to 31 August 2021 onwards until 31 May 2021. 16.16.2021 for travel on or before 31.10.2021 between 1.01.2021 and 30.04.2021 and for tickets purchased between 1.03.2021 and 1.12.2021 to. Changes can be made free of charge until March 31, 2020.
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Jet blue: Change/cancellation fees will be waived for customers traveling through January 31st. Some US and international airports have specific change/cancellation fee policies.
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Southwest Airlines: Southwest has a policy of not charging change or cancellation fees. Non-refundable tickets that are not flown on the day of travel but are canceled in accordance with Southwest Airlines’ no-show policy may be applied to future travel for up to one year from the date of original purchase.
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Spirit Airlines: Flight changes can be made 60 days or more in advance at no charge. Changes between 7 and 59 days prior to departure will incur a fee of $49, 3 days prior to departure will incur a fee of $79, and 0 to 2 days prior to departure will incur a fee of $99.
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United Airlines: Removed ticket change fees for most Economy and Premium cabins for travel within the United States or between the United States and Mexico or the Caribbean. Redeposit fees for award tickets are also waived.
Is booking a cruise still a safe option?
Cruise lines have resumed operations, but the CDC recommends avoiding cruise travel regardless of vaccination status because the risk of contracting COVID-19 on board is “extremely high.” .
While it may be a bad time to board a cruise ship, Coppola said he’s thinking about water travel for years to come as many cruise lines have implemented varying cancellation policies due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Some said they should book now. .
“It’s a good time to book everything because the prices are so cheap,” Coppola said. “If they need to go from Europe to the Caribbean, it’s very easy. It’s flexible.”
Evan Moore is a Service Journalism Reporter for Charlotte Observer. He grew up in Denver, North Carolina and previously worked as a reporter for the Denver Citizens. He’s a UNC he’s a Charlotte graduate.
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