Travel help

When plans change

Most travel problems are cheaper to fix early. Here is what to check, in what order, for the situations we see most.

Change your trip

Changing a flight

What to check before you pay a change fee, and when rebooking is the cheaper route.

1Find the fare rules on your booking confirmation, not on the airline homepage. Rules attach to the fare you bought, not to the airline in general.
2Compare the change fee plus the fare difference against the price of a completely new one-way ticket. On short routes a new ticket often wins.
3If you booked through an agency or a third party site, the change usually has to go through them, even if the airline is willing.
4Make the change before departure. Once a flight is missed, most tickets lose value quickly.

Change travel dates

Shifting a whole trip means flights, accommodation and any prepaid extras, in that order.

1Start with the flight, because it is normally the least flexible part and it sets the new dates.
2Then contact accommodation. Many properties will move a booking rather than lose it, especially outside peak weeks.
3Check whether transfers, car hire or tickets are dated. These are easy to forget and often refundable if you act early.
4Keep every confirmation in one place so you can prove what was agreed.

Cancel your reservation

Cancellation outcomes depend on the supplier's terms, not on how the trip feels.

1Read the cancellation window on the confirmation. Free cancellation dates are usually specific to the hour.
2Cancel in writing where possible, and save the confirmation of cancellation, not just the request.
3If a supplier cancelled on you, ask what they are offering before you accept anything, and get it in writing.
4Refund timing is set by the supplier and the payment provider. Weeks, not days, is normal.

Find another flight

When a flight disappears, speed matters more than finding the perfect option.

1Search nearby airports as well as the original one. An hour on a train can save a day of waiting.
2Look at the same alliance or partner airlines first if you are being rebooked by an airline.
3Check the arrival time, not just the price. A late night arrival can cost you a night of accommodation.
4Hold or book quickly during disruption. Seats on the good alternative go fast.

Check airline policies

Policies vary widely between airlines, fare types and regions. Always verify your own ticket.

1Identify your fare family. Basic and promotional fares usually allow the least flexibility.
2Check whether changes are allowed at all, and whether the fee is fixed or a difference in fare.
3Look for the cut off time before departure. Many policies stop applying a few hours before the flight.
4Rules change. Confirm the current policy with your airline or booking provider before you rely on it.

Find accommodation

Late accommodation searches go better when you fix the area first and the price second.

1Pick the neighbourhood before the property. A cheap room in the wrong area costs you in taxis.
2Filter for free cancellation while plans are still moving.
3Read the most recent reviews only. Properties change hands and standards drift.
4Confirm arrival time if you land late. Reception hours are the most common late night problem.

Plan a new trip

Sometimes the fix is not repairing the old plan but building a simpler one.

1Keep whatever is already paid for and flexible, and design around it.
2Shorten the itinerary. Replacement trips fail when they try to recreate the original.
3Choose one base instead of two. Fewer moving parts, fewer things to go wrong again.
4Tell us what you have left to work with and we will suggest options that fit.

Send us what happened and the booking details you have. We will tell you the fastest sensible fix.