I book 99% of my flights and hotels with points, and all of them will refund points and taxes. Some take a long time (looking at your Virgin). Changes vary but Southwest and Delta make it easy. I used to use airbnb a lot, but their refund policies make it less desirable.
Booked with Air Canada. They cancelled (due to the country not receiving any visitors) and refund was in like 4 business days. So it went well. :) And Yes I've been dying to travel!!! Hoping that the country I want to visit the most will open up this year *fingers crossed*
I booked a flight on Delta with Expedia. I experienced a terrible migraine so had to go to a hotel instead of a connecting flight on Delta. Expedia took care of everything to get me on my way two days later with no additional fee. It was very easy with Expedia acting like a very helpful travel agent.
I had a problem getting a refund from an airline in 2020. After 6 months of no response after the initial request I emailed the Department of Transport who wrote to them and copied me. After that the refund was quick. Thanks DOT.
Wise advice. I had a trip/tour to Costa Rica this week. I ended up blind in my left eye one morning and found out I had a detached retina. The docs said no flying with a bubble in your eye. I had to cancel everything. Expedia had nothing to do with me and referred me to American Airlines. They made extremely difficult to cancel...and said 'prove it'. My doctor wrote a beautiful letter for me (barring me frin flying) and even with that, I only got back $405 of the $725 fee. I did have cancellation insurance ($350) with the tour group. This really paid off! I recommend travel insurance anytime and NEVER use Orbitz or Expedia etc. Book directly with the airline.
Great advice, especially on the callout with Southwest for everywhere they fly. Great customer service, competitive pricing, and guaranteed to be able to cancel your flight and keep the flight credit to use up to a year from the booking. I would say for US domestic travel, Google Flights and Southwest Airlines website are your best friends (since Southwest prevents Google and other aggregators from listing their flights and prices on their sites by law). I've pretty much written off the possibility of international travel until the US lifts the strenuous reentry procedure of testing negative for COVID one day prior to the return flight. The threat of being locked out of home far outweighs the possibility of a fun trip. I'd just be stressed the whole time that I would be covid positive and ineligible to reenter the US
I'd fly with Southwest but their prices aren't competitive from my local airport and they have a limited number of flights. I also had a bad experience with them where the flight for the first leg of my trip was late and I ended up sitting in a middle seat in the last row (no recline). Ugh. I like having a reserved seat! (I know, first-world problems...)
Glad to hear. I already booked flights for wife & I from Detroit to LA with SW using their sight. Some airlines were cheaper but the no charge for our two bags each made up for any difference. We bought one way and like flexibility because we are coming for birth of our 2nd grandchild and not sure when we will return.
I'll be moving to Poland this fall, and will be booking the flight just before I apply for 1 year visa. I'm just going to trut God to prepare for all of the things I need to do.
Yes! Ready to travel. Agree with booking flights directly thru airlines vs 3rd party. So frustrating when airline makes changes but I had to deal with the 3rd party. More often than not, I would have to pay more or lose the money paid. So never again will I book through 3rd party.
Yes. Mexico from March to May and Thailand from July to September. The cost of travel insurance is going up, but my flights were cheep cheap compared to previous trips and included more flexibility than normal. By the way, Southwest is my absolute go-to carried for the US and Mexico. Cheers.
@@dver2562 The latest reporting from Reuters in late April says that Thailand has dropped pre-flight and on-arrival testing requirements for vaccinated visitors. No more SHA+ hotel or follow-up testing either. Travelers will still need to obtain a Thailand Pass online by showing proof of vaccination and at least US $10K in travel insurance medical coverage. There are differing media reports, however, and these latest guidelines could suddenly change too. Good luck!
Yes! Traveling overseas for the first time in September to Greece! We are using a travel agent and bought travel insurance that does include COVID coverage, just in case. Thank you for the tips!
@@blueberrypie844 I usually book most of our trips myself when we travel domestically, but since this is a BIG trip, and our first to that side of the world, there are a lot of details to put in place. Since we will be there for 2 weeks, with a cruise in the middle, and visiting multiple cities, there will be lots of logistics to set up, like transportation & tours, so it's just easier & worth it for someone well versed in this sort of trip to do the leg work.
@@lisabaker4255 Wow that sounds so exciting! I understand why it would be worth it to turn to a professional for this kind of vacation. It's not exactly just a weekend getaway. And it's a vacation after all, so I'm sure your money is well spent if you're getting peace of mind. Thanks for the tip, and hope you enjoy your trip!!
Great video! If I have learned anything from this plague, it's to spend the extra and get refundable/flex. And I have also learned that when it comes to airfare, NEVER to use these 3rd party places. I once dealt with Flight Hub (IIRC). They are terrible. They do bait and switch. Advertise a great price and then all of a sudden when you're ready to pay, the price is quite a bit more. Never again. I will only deal with the airlines direct.
Wow omg. Ikr. I had a trip planned to go to Arizona. I bought my plan ticket I think for 5 or 600 hundred dollars. I asked my probation officer if I can go. She said no and I’m out of all the money because I didn’t have refundable. Now I have a trip planned to Kenya for a month. I’m going to go anyway.
Yes I agree and with Point one I had first hand experience. I could not get a refund from the online site as it claimed it was not a agent and on the reservation of United it said it was booked from an agent. However United was nice to allow me to rebook my flight with payment of lower rate and credit me for full amount in the future. This was a good compromise and I did not loose any money. Since then I have stopped using the online site and I go to United directly. I found out there are more options and in one case cheaper alternative then on the websites.
If you are flying spirit, frontier or allegiant and live near the airport go to the gate and order your ticket. Learn how to pack light. I can easily book a weekend getaway for under $40 round trip. Pack light and from what I have learned getting the ticket at the kiosk can get you the best seats without paying because checking in online they start in the middle seats in the back and work their way up.
I recently booked tickets directly with Austrian to Thailand, business basic, I felt this was fine because it offered free changes of date. When Thailands entry conditions changed I tried to amend my dates and while Austrian didn't charge to make the change, every new date was double the price of the original ticket. I ended up writing to the Chief Executive, explaining the situation, and eventually one of his team allowed me to cancel with a full refund. Lesson - Beware the "Only pay the difference in fare" clause.
@@CbosEasyRecipes7 Hi. It means that if the new flight is more expensive you pay the fare difference. If like many of us you buy a ticket at the best price, the same business class ticket a few months later can cost twice as much. I'm my case the fare difference would have been over $2000.
@@chrisemblen7812Hello, I hope you are joyful. Could you please tell me the best airline that is cost-effective, customer friendly reliable, and flexible with changes? Since it's my first flight to abroad, Thailand, I want my experience to go smoothly. Thanks in advance❤
I went to the US in February and when it was time to come back to Brazil I tested positive for covid, I had to change the flights and it was really hard and expensive! Book flexible flights whenever you can!
I still have not got my refund ( Covid related airline cancelled flight) from Travelgenio and Opodo ( Feb 2021) Never book with a 3rd party site and never book with Travelgenio or Opodo
I'd been following your videos back in the pre-covid Danang days, but for some reason YT stopped feeding yours since then before today. Who knows why. I'm an experienced traveler so these recommendations are second hand to me, but I'm sure that for many they're invaluable. I also find it fascinating how many outfits and expressions you find for your video's thumbnails. Keep smiling.
Booked my April 2022 flights from Amsterdam to Orlando and back in September 2021, right after European travellers were again welcome to the US. It was dirt cheap, through a 3rd party, but my actual itinerary was changed 3 times in between booking and departure. It wasn't a big deal, and it didn't cost me any money, but it was still a bit of a hassle. I'll be flying again in November, Amsterdam-Atlanta-Tampa and back, and this time I've booked directly with the airline. As this time I'll be staying for close to 3 months instead of just 3 weeks, I opted for some flexibility AND a 'free' checked piece of luggage :-) Already got my seats confirmed for all 4 flights as I like to have aisle seats. I've read all the 'fine print', so I know I can cancel if the US closes up again for travelers from Europe.
The problem I have had the last couple years is the airlines cancelling or changing my flights. Delta, American and Southwest is notorious for it. Last year I had enough points to fly to Aruba on my Southwest account and they cancelled my flight and rebooked on the day before I was supposed to arrive. I had no reservations in Aruba for that night. I had them cancel a flight and I then had to find another airline at a much higher price. I have a trip booked next October on Delta to Los Angeles and Delta has already changed that flight two times on me. American has also changed my flights. You cannot trust them anymore. The only thing good is when they do change it on you you can then get them to book you on a flight that previously had been over your budget at no additional cost. I leave in 4 weeks to Aruba again using my points and I am praying they do not cancel on me again.
Never again will I go third party. I booked Delta Vacations because it had a great deal on flight +hotel room. My Friend decided to go with me and just booked flight on Delta. We had to change our plans because of a Covid scare. You can’t compare the experience to get this changes.. Her change was one phone call to Delta, maybe 1 1/2 hours on hold. She ended up with flight credit….Mine required multiple calls over several days, several hours on hold. Call backs to correct two huge errors I was lucky to catch. The change costs me $200. At one point I had a email confirmed flight but the flight number was never assigned so I did not have flight booked at all!
Yes. As soon as Thailand removes all of their restrictions, I’ll buy my ticket. I have a house in Chiangmai that I’d like to stay at after 4 years. The only restriction that I carefully check is the luggage allowance. I want 2 pieces at 23 kilos per bag. I tend to take stuff over that’s hard to get in Thailand for the time in 4-5 years when I’ll retire there. I don’t see the $500 pre Covid cheap fares, probably because the Chinese airlines, like China Eastern Airlines, aren’t flying from LAX (I almost always take SWA to LAX using points to reduce the cost) but am looking every day I may have to bite the bullet and fly Eva Air to Chiangmai for around $825
If you look on EVA website they still show the non-Taiwan citizens cannot transfer through Taipei yet, anyone know if this has changed? BTW I live in Bangkok and have to get back to SEA soon. The last time I called the EVA office here, they said that this restriction is still in effect. It's not EVA it's the Taiwanese government COVID rules.
I book using SkyScanner and book directly with the airline. I got a round trip to Phuket with seats from SFO for $970 in February for a month We get two free checked bags!
Yes. I had booked a flight to Hawaii using Expedia. Something came up and I didn't use the Ticket. Expedia said the flight ticket to Hawaii was good for a year. Great. Not. I tried to use it ten months later and was not able to. I got some weird excuses. They should have just told me the ticket must have been deleted or lost or something. Expedia is easy to use and usually always on point so I still use them. It's not the company s fault that they have an employee that sabotage someone but it happens.
Some economy flights are so cheap I will book 5 flights and consider myself "ahead of he game" if I cancel 1 out of 5 trips. (In practice, it is actually more like 1 in 12.) This way, I do not even worry about fighting for a refund or paying a "change ticket fee" that is about 1/2 of the discounted flight fare. It helps that I travel light, and never check-in my luggage (even for International travel). Unfortunately, some airlines are now starting to charge for carry-on luggage. Always read the fine print. lol
Watching this in May 2022 Airfares have gone through the roof. I paid $600 for a flight that I would normally pay $250 for, tops. I don't ever see tham going back down so I be booking well in advance. It's crazy. Prices are NOT cheap now I don't know when you made this video.
Yes I did travel already in 2022 and contrary to what you said about flights being Cheap, that was not my experience. Long story short. I went from my home in Canada to Thailand Feb 2nd 2022 until March 4th. This was my 5th time to Thailand and the most expensive flight by close top 3 times what I paid the previous 4 times. I did book the first 4 times via an online provider but because in 2020 my return flight was cancelled and the battle was on from BudgetAir for a refund of the return portion, Which this April will be 2 years later, I still haven't seen that refund. My last trip I booked directly through the airline and received exceptional service but paid dearly for it. But I also paid for peace of mind, in the event the flight was cancelled for any reason I Wouldn't receive a refund but they said my ticket would then be able to be used to fly anywhere they fly, with NO expiration date, PLUS I could even transfer it to another name if I wanted which would've been perfect in my case because if I couldn't get to Thailand maybe I could get my wife to Canada once she got her Visa (which by the way is any day now.) There where so many restriction and hoops to jump through to get into Thailand I feared I would potentially not get there so I was thankful to have an airline that would give me options even more then I mentioned here. The only thing would be extra fees if I needed to make changes. Turns out the trip was uneventful and awesome. Great video thanks.
Borderless tool is an excellent tip. Yes, it's worth it to pay for the flexibility option on tickets. I can't say how many times I wished I had done so. Thanks for the Southwest tip. Also, good to have travel insurance on international trips. Yes on traveling domestic No on traveling international
Fuel surcharges will most likely kick in big time! 🤷♀️. Yes, Barbados next week and Portugal in June 🎉. Wish I was in PDC today, it’s snowing like crazy in Montreal!
Yes we are ready to go again. During the worst of the pandemic we had to cancel 3 international flights. Because we booked with a quality airline (Air France) we got our money back in a short time. I find the 3rd party cheap airline choice unreliable and difficult to deal with. You get what you pay for.
Booked flights on OPODO but then prevented from traveling by government actions. Three months later no refund or flight voucher. Same with British Airways and had to cancel. Voucher by return email. Go directly to the airlines
The prices from the direct airlines are usually way more expensive that if you go through a 3rd party. An issue that i keep having with 3rd parties is that after i book my ticket, they will call a few minutes later and say that the flight was a promotion and it doesn't exist anymore and raise the price sky high on u. There must be something legal to do about that. Its been happening to me very often
Didn't watch past the 1st minute! I have been booking through Expedia for years. We've had accomodation changes, many, many flight changes and refunds. Never had to pay flight change charges or any other fees when making changes. We even had our Airbnb costs reimbursed, immediately when having to leave an inadequate hotel. Expedia is awesome and I never have to wait long on hold.
A dirty trick is charging for the return flight on a Round Trip Ticket. Sometimes the Return Flight is over twice the price they stated, In the past 10 years I lost over $2500 to Expedia. All due the changing Covid Requirements. And even with the Flight Insured it took 5 months to deny my claim. I will never book through any means but the airline itself. At least if something does go wrong you can speak to them face to face at the airport.
@@claudiahansen4938 My partner booked the flights so I'm missing a lot of the info but the short of it is she couldn't go and it was 2 weeks away. So It became a father daughter trip, she had her passport and was able to get off from work. WE COULDN'T SIMPLE CHANGE THE NAME ON THE TICKET! The reservation had to be canceled and rebooked so we were no longer side by side but managed to get on the same plane - comfort plus - sky priority - Delta. Sky Priority was a blessing with much shorter lines! The only seats on the same plane for the return were DELTA ONE! Then our connecting flight from JFK to RDU was canceled for weather. All the surrounding hotels were booked and it took us two hours to finally get a room for the flight the next day. No compensation was offered since it was canceled for weather not Delta related problems.
Yeah, booked a flight with Turkish Airlines to Georgia on Skyscanenr (thru a third-party company) in 2019. Still haven't seen the money. Called both the airline and the provider, quoting the PNR code and all but oh well.....
A other great video from a smart beautiful woman. I have found that flexible flights are a lot more than regular tickets.. so much so that it defeats the purpose.. at least for international flights.
It is best to approach airlines counter in person for paynent, ---you'd still be required to prove its you, or your debit /credit used for the payment; verification of check cards takes a while, have been known to warrant investigations, and should you encounter a disagreeable person at the counter, solicitations---engendered by amounts in one's check cards often ensue while verifications of it's ownership continue.
I just booked a flight to Vietnam in 2023 and need to buy travel insurance to get a refund on my airline tickets because the excursion company in Vietnam has to cancel due to Covid, what would you recommend? I am using Japan Airlines. Thanks for the video.
Borderless is not updated. I checked travel restrictions on India, most of them are gone but the borderless website is still carrying old restrictions from last year.
to be honest, reaching for example Qatar Airways to get a different flight was such a pain in the ass that I eventually tried to reach the agency where I bought it and it took like 2 days... still don't understand how such a large airline in the 21st century has one single point of contact - phone...
Just came unstuck with British Airways. Was told not allowed to take a return flight if a no show on the first leg. Despite buying a second single ticket. Nightmare.
That's right! We are still waiting for a refund through expedia that has been promised twice. I think they and Quatar Airlines are going to just keep our money just because they can.
It can take a long while with the airlines too. Took me 2 years to get a refund back from Philippine Airlines. Now you might say “ We’ll what did you expect?” But PA are generally pretty damn good domestically and Internationally. But this experience was hugely frustrating and involved several trips back to their Manila booking office. But I’d agreed I only book direct with the airlines.
+1 on not booking thru a third party website. I did this once, 4 months out. The game they played with me was they kept changing a flight I had booked. Come to find out when I arrived at the airport for my return flight, the boarding pass they issued me was for a standby ticket, and I had to get a later flight so I missed my connection at another airport, very frustrating.
Me and my wife just booked air line tickets to go to Mexico. The ticket price started out cheap but by the time we paid for everything it was kind of expensive. But we are still going to Mexico.
I want to travel to Taiwan for 5-6 weeks but won't book my ticket until the country opens to foreign tourists. I am planning a solo backpacking trip and will probably book a one week "test" trip from CZM to MEX to make sure everything works as expected.
Have you ever had to change or cancel a flight?! Who did you book with and how did it go? ✈
I book 99% of my flights and hotels with points, and all of them will refund points and taxes. Some take a long time (looking at your Virgin). Changes vary but Southwest and Delta make it easy. I used to use airbnb a lot, but their refund policies make it less desirable.
@@kvom01 Did you know that the Refund Policies at AirBnB are set up by the individual Host not by AirBnB?
@@truckn That's irrelevant as it's risky to book more than a couple of days in advance.
Booked with Air Canada. They cancelled (due to the country not receiving any visitors) and refund was in like 4 business days. So it went well. :)
And Yes I've been dying to travel!!! Hoping that the country I want to visit the most will open up this year *fingers crossed*
I booked a flight on Delta with Expedia. I experienced a terrible migraine so had to go to a hotel instead of a connecting flight on Delta. Expedia took care of everything to get me on my way two days later with no additional fee. It was very easy with Expedia acting like a very helpful travel agent.
I had a problem getting a refund from an airline in 2020. After 6 months of no response after the initial request I emailed the Department of Transport who wrote to them and copied me. After that the refund was quick. Thanks DOT.
THANK YOOOOUUUUU.
First time booking a flight and feeling totally overwhelmed, this is exactly the kind of info I was hoping to learn about.
Wise advice. I had a trip/tour to Costa Rica this week. I ended up blind in my left eye one morning and found out I had a detached retina. The docs said no flying with a bubble in your eye. I had to cancel everything. Expedia had nothing to do with me and referred me to American Airlines. They made extremely difficult to cancel...and said 'prove it'. My doctor wrote a beautiful letter for me (barring me frin flying) and even with that, I only got back $405 of the $725 fee. I did have cancellation insurance ($350) with the tour group. This really paid off! I recommend travel insurance anytime and NEVER use Orbitz or Expedia etc. Book directly with the airline.
thankyou! Expedia refused to give me a refund after booking a flight within the 24 hour mark. Very frustrating and horrible third party website.
Great advice, especially on the callout with Southwest for everywhere they fly. Great customer service, competitive pricing, and guaranteed to be able to cancel your flight and keep the flight credit to use up to a year from the booking.
I would say for US domestic travel, Google Flights and Southwest Airlines website are your best friends (since Southwest prevents Google and other aggregators from listing their flights and prices on their sites by law).
I've pretty much written off the possibility of international travel until the US lifts the strenuous reentry procedure of testing negative for COVID one day prior to the return flight. The threat of being locked out of home far outweighs the possibility of a fun trip. I'd just be stressed the whole time that I would be covid positive and ineligible to reenter the US
I'd fly with Southwest but their prices aren't competitive from my local airport and they have a limited number of flights. I also had a bad experience with them where the flight for the first leg of my trip was late and I ended up sitting in a middle seat in the last row (no recline). Ugh. I like having a reserved seat! (I know, first-world problems...)
Glad to hear. I already booked flights for wife & I from Detroit to LA with SW using their sight. Some airlines were cheaper but the no charge for our two bags each made up for any difference. We bought one way and like flexibility because we are coming for birth of our 2nd grandchild and not sure when we will return.
I'll be moving to Poland this fall, and will be booking the flight just before I apply for 1 year visa. I'm just going to trut God to prepare for all of the things I need to do.
Nice, good luck!
Yes! Ready to travel. Agree with booking flights directly thru airlines vs 3rd party. So frustrating when airline makes changes but I had to deal with the 3rd party. More often than not, I would have to pay more or lose the money paid. So never again will I book through 3rd party.
I only fly Southwest due to their policies. Oh, and free bags.
Yes. Mexico from March to May and Thailand from July to September. The cost of travel insurance is going up, but my flights were cheep cheap compared to previous trips and included more flexibility than normal. By the way, Southwest is my absolute go-to carried for the US and Mexico. Cheers.
Hi, by any chance do you know if Thailand still has strict travel guidelines?
@@dver2562 The latest reporting from Reuters in late April says that Thailand has dropped pre-flight and on-arrival testing requirements for vaccinated visitors. No more SHA+ hotel or follow-up testing either. Travelers will still need to obtain a Thailand Pass online by showing proof of vaccination and at least US $10K in travel insurance medical coverage. There are differing media reports, however, and these latest guidelines could suddenly change too. Good luck!
@@markfoley3923 Thanks this was helpful!
Yes! Traveling overseas for the first time in September to Greece! We are using a travel agent and bought travel insurance that does include COVID coverage, just in case. Thank you for the tips!
What would you say are some pros of booking international trips with a travel agent, rather than doing it yourself online?
@@blueberrypie844 I usually book most of our trips myself when we travel domestically, but since this is a BIG trip, and our first to that side of the world, there are a lot of details to put in place. Since we will be there for 2 weeks, with a cruise in the middle, and visiting multiple cities, there will be lots of logistics to set up, like transportation & tours, so it's just easier & worth it for someone well versed in this sort of trip to do the leg work.
@@lisabaker4255 Wow that sounds so exciting! I understand why it would be worth it to turn to a professional for this kind of vacation. It's not exactly just a weekend getaway. And it's a vacation after all, so I'm sure your money is well spent if you're getting peace of mind. Thanks for the tip, and hope you enjoy your trip!!
@@blueberrypie844 Thank you! We can't wait!
Great video! If I have learned anything from this plague, it's to spend the extra and get refundable/flex. And I have also learned that when it comes to airfare, NEVER to use these 3rd party places. I once dealt with Flight Hub (IIRC). They are terrible. They do bait and switch. Advertise a great price and then all of a sudden when you're ready to pay, the price is quite a bit more. Never again. I will only deal with the airlines direct.
Wow omg. Ikr. I had a trip planned to go to Arizona. I bought my plan ticket I think for 5 or 600 hundred dollars. I asked my probation officer if I can go. She said no and I’m out of all the money because I didn’t have refundable. Now I have a trip planned to Kenya for a month. I’m going to go anyway.
Yes I agree and with Point one I had first hand experience. I could not get a refund from the online site as it claimed it was not a agent and on the reservation of United it said it was booked from an agent. However United was nice to allow me to rebook my flight with payment of lower rate and credit me for full amount in the future. This was a good compromise and I did not loose any money. Since then I have stopped using the online site and I go to United directly. I found out there are more options and in one case cheaper alternative then on the websites.
If you are flying spirit, frontier or allegiant and live near the airport go to the gate and order your ticket. Learn how to pack light. I can easily book a weekend getaway for under $40 round trip. Pack light and from what I have learned getting the ticket at the kiosk can get you the best seats without paying because checking in online they start in the middle seats in the back and work their way up.
Fantastic tips, you know your stuff!
I recently booked tickets directly with Austrian to Thailand, business basic, I felt this was fine because it offered free changes of date. When Thailands entry conditions changed I tried to amend my dates and while Austrian didn't charge to make the change, every new date was double the price of the original ticket. I ended up writing to the Chief Executive, explaining the situation, and eventually one of his team allowed me to cancel with a full refund.
Lesson - Beware the "Only pay the difference in fare" clause.
Thailand is a mess. They change like every week. Glad u got your money back.
@@CbosEasyRecipes7 Hi. It means that if the new flight is more expensive you pay the fare difference.
If like many of us you buy a ticket at the best price, the same business class ticket a few months later can cost twice as much.
I'm my case the fare difference would have been over $2000.
@@chrisemblen7812Hello, I hope you are joyful. Could you please tell me the best airline that is cost-effective, customer friendly reliable, and flexible with changes? Since it's my first flight to abroad, Thailand, I want my experience to go smoothly. Thanks in advance❤
I went to the US in February and when it was time to come back to Brazil I tested positive for covid, I had to change the flights and it was really hard and expensive! Book flexible flights whenever you can!
Not ready to fly yet. BUT, when I am I will use these tips!
Yes. From Poland to Yellowstone in June.
I still have not got my refund ( Covid related airline cancelled flight) from Travelgenio and Opodo ( Feb 2021)
Never book with a 3rd party site and never book with Travelgenio or Opodo
I'd been following your videos back in the pre-covid Danang days, but for some reason YT stopped feeding yours since then before today. Who knows why. I'm an experienced traveler so these recommendations are second hand to me, but I'm sure that for many they're invaluable. I also find it fascinating how many outfits and expressions you find for your video's thumbnails. Keep smiling.
I am a very long term subscriber and I haven't seen her channel on my YT feed either.
Booked my April 2022 flights from Amsterdam to Orlando and back in September 2021, right after European travellers were again welcome to the US. It was dirt cheap, through a 3rd party, but my actual itinerary was changed 3 times in between booking and departure. It wasn't a big deal, and it didn't cost me any money, but it was still a bit of a hassle.
I'll be flying again in November, Amsterdam-Atlanta-Tampa and back, and this time I've booked directly with the airline. As this time I'll be staying for close to 3 months instead of just 3 weeks, I opted for some flexibility AND a 'free' checked piece of luggage :-) Already got my seats confirmed for all 4 flights as I like to have aisle seats. I've read all the 'fine print', so I know I can cancel if the US closes up again for travelers from Europe.
The problem I have had the last couple years is the airlines cancelling or changing my flights. Delta, American and Southwest is notorious for it. Last year I had enough points to fly to Aruba on my Southwest account and they cancelled my flight and rebooked on the day before I was supposed to arrive. I had no reservations in Aruba for that night. I had them cancel a flight and I then had to find another airline at a much higher price. I have a trip booked next October on Delta to Los Angeles and Delta has already changed that flight two times on me. American has also changed my flights. You cannot trust them anymore. The only thing good is when they do change it on you you can then get them to book you on a flight that previously had been over your budget at no additional cost. I leave in 4 weeks to Aruba again using my points and I am praying they do not cancel on me again.
Ur post explains exactly why I’m reluctant to book on American or Delta to Italy. My budget is tight to the point I cannot absorb getting stuck
Excellent advise, especially the advise to book directly with the airline.
Thanx for the borderless info.........and another amazing video.
Never again will I go third party. I booked Delta Vacations because it had a great deal on flight +hotel room. My Friend decided to go with me and just booked flight on Delta. We had to change our plans because of a Covid scare. You can’t compare the experience to get this changes.. Her change was one phone call to Delta, maybe 1 1/2 hours on hold. She ended up with flight credit….Mine required multiple calls over several days, several hours on hold. Call backs to correct two huge errors I was lucky to catch. The change costs me $200. At one point I had a email confirmed flight but the flight number was never assigned so I did not have flight booked at all!
We book with our air miles. We had to cancel because of Covid. They were very accommodating when we rebooked.
Yes. As soon as Thailand removes all of their restrictions, I’ll buy my ticket. I have a house in Chiangmai that I’d like to stay at after 4 years. The only restriction that I carefully check is the luggage allowance. I want 2 pieces at 23 kilos per bag. I tend to take stuff over that’s hard to get in Thailand for the time in 4-5 years when I’ll retire there. I don’t see the $500 pre Covid cheap fares, probably because the Chinese airlines, like China Eastern Airlines, aren’t flying from LAX (I almost always take SWA to LAX using points to reduce the cost) but am looking every day I may have to bite the bullet and fly Eva Air to Chiangmai for around $825
EVA Airlines is a great carrier.
Cannot wait to get back to Chaing Mai too!!!
lucky you have options, im 3000 miles closer and have to go via Japan at $1200
If you look on EVA website they still show the non-Taiwan citizens cannot transfer through Taipei yet, anyone know if this has changed? BTW I live in Bangkok and have to get back to SEA soon. The last time I called the EVA office here, they said that this restriction is still in effect. It's not EVA it's the Taiwanese government COVID rules.
I book using SkyScanner and book directly with the airline. I got a round trip to Phuket with seats from SFO for $970 in February for a month
We get two free checked bags!
Yes. I had booked a flight to Hawaii using Expedia. Something came up and I didn't use the Ticket. Expedia said the flight ticket to Hawaii was good for a year. Great. Not. I tried to use it ten months later and was not able to. I got some weird excuses. They should have just told me the ticket must have been deleted or lost or something. Expedia is easy to use and usually always on point so I still use them. It's not the company s fault that they have an employee that sabotage someone but it happens.
Yesss... I'm heading from Detroit to Atlanta for my 3rd time in just a year and a half. I CAN'T wait for September!!!
Yes I'm more than ready to travel again after reviewing all these amazing tips Megan. Many thx!
Yes to Canada hopefully in September/ October 2022
Some economy flights are so cheap I will book 5 flights and consider myself "ahead of he game" if I cancel 1 out of 5 trips. (In practice, it is actually more like 1 in 12.) This way, I do not even worry about fighting for a refund or paying a "change ticket fee" that is about 1/2 of the discounted flight fare. It helps that I travel light, and never check-in my luggage (even for International travel). Unfortunately, some airlines are now starting to charge for carry-on luggage. Always read the fine print. lol
What is the luggage size now for international carry-ons? 35 or 40-liter backpack acceptable? TIA
It's a very sad state of affairs, great video. I'm a frequent traveler and you taught me some things. Thank you
YESSSS!! We travelled in Sept, Nov and just got back a week ago from a 3 wk Caribbean cruise. So great to be going again!👏🥰
Watching this in May 2022 Airfares have gone through the roof. I paid $600 for a flight that I would normally pay $250 for, tops.
I don't ever see tham going back down so I be booking well in advance.
It's crazy. Prices are NOT cheap now I don't know when you made this video.
Yes, I’m ready to travel again. Thanks for the info!
Yes. California in May. Go information by the way. Clear, and to the point.
in pla ning my first trip ever, and the select sest thing really got me, i thought it was necessary...
Yes I did travel already in 2022 and contrary to what you said about flights being Cheap, that was not my experience. Long story short. I went from my home in Canada to Thailand Feb 2nd 2022 until March 4th. This was my 5th time to Thailand and the most expensive flight by close top 3 times what I paid the previous 4 times. I did book the first 4 times via an online provider but because in 2020 my return flight was cancelled and the battle was on from BudgetAir for a refund of the return portion, Which this April will be 2 years later, I still haven't seen that refund. My last trip I booked directly through the airline and received exceptional service but paid dearly for it. But I also paid for peace of mind, in the event the flight was cancelled for any reason I Wouldn't receive a refund but they said my ticket would then be able to be used to fly anywhere they fly, with NO expiration date, PLUS I could even transfer it to another name if I wanted which would've been perfect in my case because if I couldn't get to Thailand maybe I could get my wife to Canada once she got her Visa (which by the way is any day now.) There where so many restriction and hoops to jump through to get into Thailand I feared I would potentially not get there so I was thankful to have an airline that would give me options even more then I mentioned here. The only thing would be extra fees if I needed to make changes. Turns out the trip was uneventful and awesome. Great video thanks.
Borderless tool is an excellent tip. Yes, it's worth it to pay for the flexibility option on tickets. I can't say how many times I wished I had done so. Thanks for the Southwest tip. Also, good to have travel insurance on international trips.
Yes on traveling domestic
No on traveling international
Definitely worth the price for flex! Thanks for sharing!
Where do you get travelers insurance for those international trips
Thank you 😊. Great advice 👍🏼
Fuel surcharges will most likely kick in big time! 🤷♀️. Yes, Barbados next week and Portugal in June 🎉. Wish I was in PDC today, it’s snowing like crazy in Montreal!
Woot woot, have a great time in Barbados!!
Yes we are ready to go again. During the worst of the pandemic we had to cancel 3 international flights. Because we booked with a quality airline (Air France) we got our money back in a short time. I find the 3rd party cheap airline choice unreliable and difficult to deal with. You get what you pay for.
going to travel this year to Asia thank you for the information
My pleasure! Have a great trip, Melvin.
Booked flights on OPODO but then prevented from traveling by government actions. Three months later no refund or flight voucher. Same with British Airways and had to cancel. Voucher by return email. Go directly to the airlines
I'm ready to travel to Spain/Portugal this summer so going through all your videos regarding booking flights. Lots of great info.
Great to hear! Sounds lovely!
Directly from the airline it’s going to cost you twice as much ...crazy
I subscribed to this channel because of this video, corresponded to my experience and clarified my planning
Hopefully I get respond do the airlines still require the COVID test?
Within USA =No. International travel =Yes !! &. A safety protocol,. Bring your vaccination card. 👍❤️😊
@@nellgrill3845 Thank You
Before COVID I didn't travel much may travel domestically or at some point fly to Canada or America one day.
Fully support this, Leo! :)
Amusing that Expedia and Kayak ads popped up on your videos!!!!!
Very informative and well presented. Thank you!
The prices from the direct airlines are usually way more expensive that if you go through a 3rd party.
An issue that i keep having with 3rd parties is that after i book my ticket, they will call a few minutes later and say that the flight was a promotion and it doesn't exist anymore and raise the price sky high on u. There must be something legal to do about that. Its been happening to me very often
Didn't watch past the 1st minute! I have been booking through Expedia for years. We've had accomodation changes, many, many flight changes and refunds. Never had to pay flight change charges or any other fees when making changes. We even had our Airbnb costs reimbursed, immediately when having to leave an inadequate hotel. Expedia is awesome and I never have to wait long on hold.
We like Expedia as well for booking flights from Canada
Question: when using Expedia, how do you get your boarding passes/tickets? Also, do they let you pick your seats on the flight?
Thank you . So many good points, I had to take notes.
Yes I’m ready to travel. I’ve been stuck in China for the past 2+ years!
I buy online from the airline itself
Great information! Thanks!
Great advice. I can't thank you enough. WOW!!!!!!!!!
Great advice! Thanks 🙏
Need to book a flight to Uzbekistan soon so I will remember this.
YES. AN THANKS, HAVE A GREAT YEAR
You speak so clearly. Nice.
A dirty trick is charging for the return flight on a Round Trip Ticket. Sometimes the Return Flight is over twice the price they stated,
In the past 10 years I lost over $2500 to Expedia. All due the changing Covid Requirements. And even with the Flight Insured it took 5 months to deny my claim. I will never book through any means but the airline itself. At least if something does go wrong you can speak to them face to face at the airport.
YES! and thank you for the tips
Yes, taking advantage of last weeks Delta flash sale for 32k miles for rt SAN to MAD in early November. Thanks for all your great tips!
I had the same experience, also with the hotel. I will never use a third party, order directly.
Thanks ,clear, concise information 👍 pleasant voice and delivery...
Current air travel, really brings to mind " uncharted waters " 🤪
YES - France in June 2022 Booked!
How did it go for you?
@@claudiahansen4938 My partner booked the flights so I'm missing a lot of the info but the short of it is she couldn't go and it was 2 weeks away. So It became a father daughter trip, she had her passport and was able to get off from work. WE COULDN'T SIMPLE CHANGE THE NAME ON THE TICKET! The reservation had to be canceled and rebooked so we were no longer side by side but managed to get on the same plane - comfort plus - sky priority - Delta. Sky Priority was a blessing with much shorter lines! The only seats on the same plane for the return were DELTA ONE! Then our connecting flight from JFK to RDU was canceled for weather. All the surrounding hotels were booked and it took us two hours to finally get a room for the flight the next day. No compensation was offered since it was canceled for weather not Delta related problems.
@@ROLLMEAWAY oh my goodness. That is quite a saga. Hopefully you did enjoy it.
@@claudiahansen4938 It was a blast - watch the video at UA-cam.com/rollmeaway
@@ROLLMEAWAY great video and lots of others including trains. Railfan!
Yes :) thanks to your information you share!
Yes, currently looking for flights from UK to Philippines returning to the UK from Australia Jan / March 2023 .
booking with a card helps in getting refunds..I have had the charges reversed several times when airlines would not honor tickets
Hopper was a nightmare. I will never use them again. Same with Spirit airlines
You are fantastic! Just on point.
Yes we are headed to Rome,Italy in 2 and half months!!
Yeah, booked a flight with Turkish Airlines to Georgia on Skyscanenr (thru a third-party company) in 2019. Still haven't seen the money. Called both the airline and the provider, quoting the PNR code and all but oh well.....
It can be a lot more difficult and time consuming when dealing with 3rd party bookings!
You bet yes ! Over 80 flights in 2020 !
Yes. I’m on my way to Singapore. Can’t wait.
Yes I am ready to travel, thank you for the advice.
A other great video from
a smart beautiful woman. I have found that flexible flights are a lot more than regular tickets.. so much so that it defeats the purpose.. at least for international flights.
Thnaks, great job, great info....
yes thank you
It is best to approach airlines counter in person for paynent, ---you'd still be required to prove its you, or your debit /credit used for the payment; verification of check cards takes a while, have been known to warrant investigations, and should you encounter a disagreeable person at the counter, solicitations---engendered by amounts in one's check cards often ensue while verifications of it's ownership continue.
ua-cam.com/video/m4SWkyqSFxM/v-deo.html
I just booked a flight to Vietnam in 2023 and need to buy travel insurance to get a refund on my airline tickets because the excursion company in Vietnam has to cancel due to Covid, what would you recommend? I am using Japan Airlines. Thanks for the video.
Can't believe it's almost April 2022 and the airlines require a negative covid test within 24 hours of flying out of the US.
I know..that’s the reason why I don’t wanna visit the Philippines.hopefully,things will get better on the 3rd qtr of this year.
Very useful info. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed
Yes, plan for international travel this year
Yes, great advice. !
Borderless is not updated. I checked travel restrictions on India, most of them are gone but the borderless website is still carrying old restrictions from last year.
How to get a cheap fly? Thanks to sharing this information 🙏🏽
You're welcome! Thanks for watching!
@@PortableProfessional ignoring his question is crazy
to be honest, reaching for example Qatar Airways to get a different flight was such a pain in the ass that I eventually tried to reach the agency where I bought it and it took like 2 days...
still don't understand how such a large airline in the 21st century has one single point of contact - phone...
Just came unstuck with British Airways. Was told not allowed to take a return flight if a no show on the first leg. Despite buying a second single ticket. Nightmare.
That's right! We are still waiting for a refund through expedia that has been promised twice. I think they and Quatar Airlines are going to just keep our money just because they can.
Yes. Europe in May.
Yes trying plan for my trip to maybe Bora Bora !
It can take a long while with the airlines too. Took me 2 years to get a refund back from Philippine Airlines. Now you might say “ We’ll what did you expect?” But PA are generally pretty damn good domestically and Internationally. But this experience was hugely frustrating and involved several trips back to their Manila booking office. But I’d agreed I only book direct with the airlines.
+1 on not booking thru a third party website. I did this once, 4 months out. The game they played with me was they kept changing a flight I had booked. Come to find out when I arrived at the airport for my return flight, the boarding pass they issued me was for a standby ticket, and I had to get a later flight so I missed my connection at another airport, very frustrating.
Me and my wife just booked air line tickets to go to Mexico. The ticket price started out cheap but by the time we paid for everything it was kind of expensive. But we are still going to Mexico.
I want to travel to Taiwan for 5-6 weeks but won't book my ticket until the country opens to foreign tourists. I am planning a solo backpacking trip and will probably book a one week "test" trip from CZM to MEX to make sure everything works as expected.
Yes! We are so ready!