Suppliers Issue New Cancellation, Change Policies Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Impact
by Travel Market Report /
Updated 3/31/20
Airlines
Montreal-based Air Transat will waive the change fees on all flights and packages booked before Mar. 4, 2020, for travel by Apr. 30, 2020. Credits can be used for travel by Dec. 31, 2020.
Alaska Airlines will waive fees for tickets purchased on or before Feb. 26, for travel through the end of March, as well as new bookings made between Feb. 27 and March 31, for travel through Feb. 28, 2021.
American Airlines has no change fee on tickets booked on or before March 10, as well as new flights booked through the end of March. American will also waive change fees for customers who purchased tickets before March 11 for travel to Europe, including the United Kingdom, through May 31. Additionally, any traveler with previous plans to go to Italy, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, South Korea or Wuhan, China, is eligible for a “one-time fee-free trip cancellation.”
British Airways is allowing change fees on new bookings.
Delta has issued a broad change fee waiver, allowing passengers with tickets to any destination in March and April to change or cancel flights without any penalties. Any Delta ticket expiring in March or April will be extended to allow for rebooking and travel until Dec. 31. The airline is also waiving fees for any travel through May 31 to these restricted areas: Europe, the U.K. and Ireland; Shanghai and Beijing; Seoul; Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala and St. Maarten; and Australia.
Etihad Airways will allow customers to rebook a complimentary date or destination change for flights booked until April 7, 2020.
JetBlue is waiving change and cancellation fees for bookings made on or before March 10 for travel from March 10 through May 31. Customers can rebook their flights through Oct. 24, 2020.
Lufthansa Group loosened rebooking policies for Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti.
Ryanair will waive change fees for customers through March 31. This policy applies to all existing and new bookings.
United is waiving change fees for all tickets issued on or before March 2 — domestic or international — with original travel dates of March 9 through April 30. Flights booked through March 31 can also change for free over the next 12 months.
Cruise Lines
Avalon Waterways has canceled all cruises through June 30.
AmaWaterways has a new cancellation and refund policy after delaying the start of its European season.
Carnival’s pause in operations will now affect all North America sailings through to May 11, 2020. Guests can receive a refund or a 100% credit on a future cruise with additional onboard credit.
CrosiEurope has no cancellation fee or penalty up to 30 days before departure for reservations booked between March 9 and May 1, for cruises departing through Aug. 31, 2020.
Cunard added a 48-hour cancellation policy, and has extended the suspension of all voyages an additional month until May 16, 2020.
Disney Cruise Line bookings can be changed up until the day before embarkation. Cruises through April 28 have been suspended, and impacted guests a future cruise credit or a full refund. Travel advisor commissions will protected for those reservations.
Holland America Line has canceled sailings scheduled to depart through May 14, 2020.
Hurtigruten has suspended global expedition cruise operations through April 28 and Norwegian coastal cruises through April 19.
MSC Cruises Mediterranean cruises with departures in March and April may be changed to an itinerary scheduled for a year into the future.
Norwegian Cruise Line suspended all sailings until May 10. The cruise line also changed its final payment policy and added a 48-hour cancellation policy.
P&O Cruises are temporarily suspending operations from U.S. ports for 30 days, and is suspending any new cruises until April 11, 2020.
Paul Gauguin has a new change policy because of the virus.
Princess Cruise has updated both its final payment and its cancellation and refund policies after announcing a suspension of operations for 60 days.
Ponant has added new temporary payment and cancellation policies.
Regent Seven Seas suspended sailings until May 10. It’s extending final payment date and added 48-hour cancellations.
Riviera River Cruises 2020 bookings can be canceled with 24 hours’ notice and guests will be credited to a future 2020 cruise.
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) is allowing guests on Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara, and Silversea to cancel up to 48-hours before a sailing.
Seabourn has suspended sailings scheduled to depart through May 14, 2020. Guests on impacted voyages can receive a 125% refund of the fare paid in the form of a future cruise credit, which can be applied toward any future cruise through Dec. 31, 2021, or a refund.
Silversea issued a new cancellation policy.
Uniworld has suspended operations until at least April 23 and has issued a new reschedule and cancellation policy.
Viking will now suspend operations through June 30, 2020. It has issued a cruise credit or refund option for its guests.
Virgin Voyages has delayed its inaugural season and has issued refund and cancellation policies for impacted guests.
Windstar changed has updated its cancellation policy and suspended operations through April.
Tour Operators
Air Canada Vacations’ new flexible booking policy allows one free change or cancellation for bookings made before March 4.
Big Five Tours — which operates in Asia, Africa and Latin America — is letting clients who choose not to travel postpone until next year or choose another destination.
Collette is offering change in itineraries and cancellations with a refund free of charge of all of its Italy and China itineraries.
Globus Family of Brands has updated its cancellation and change policy, calling it “Peace of Mind,” and will suspend travel to all destinations until June 30.
G Adventures is suspending tours through the end of April.
Goway’s customers who cancel to China are booking to another destination.
Intrepid is suspending all tours, excluding Australia, departing through April 30, 2020.
Mayflower canceled its trips to China for the entire year.
Railbookers and Amtrak have a new cancellation and rescheduling policy.
Trafalgar is offering customers the choice to arrange an alternative trip into next year with Trafalgar (or any TTC travel company), with up to 15% savings.
TUI announced it will suspend the majority of all its travel operations until further notice, including package travel, cruises and hotel operations. The operator will automatically cancel the trip and issue a refund.
Hotels
Hilton added free 24-hour cancellations.
Hyatt reservations made before March 13, for arrivals between March 14 and April 30, 2020, can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before arrival. Any reservation made between March 13 and April 30, 2020 – for any future arrival date – can be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before arrival.
IHG is waiving cancellation fees for existing and new bookings at all IHG hotels globally for stays between March 9 and April 30, 2020.
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts new or existing direct bookings for stays in any hotel through May 31, 2020 will have their cancellation or change penalties waived at least 24 hours prior to arrival.
Marigot Bay Resort & Marina in St. Lucia will waive the cancellation fees for guests who book new reservations through March 31, for stays at the resort through Dec. 15, 2020. If guests cancel their reservation, a full refund will be processed upon receipt of written notification from the guest or the travel advisor that the cancellation was due to the coronavirus.
Existing Marriott reservations for any future arrival date can be changed or canceled without a charge up to 24 hours prior to arrival, as long as the change or cancellation is made by June 30, 2020. New reservations for any future arrival date, between now and June 30, 2020, may be changed or cancelled at no charge up to 24 hours before the arrival date.
MGM will be temporarily closing all of its Las Vegas hotel and casinos. That includes: Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, Bellagio, The Mirage and New York-New York.
Vail Resorts will close its North American mountain resorts and retail stores through March 22, 2020.