How to Plan to Unplan

TRIP CANCELED: Not almost roughing it in Bulgaria

Trip planning with unforeseeable events in mind

It figures I would start a blog highlighting travel tips during a worldwide pandemic where travel is unrecommended, being banned, or requiring a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. It also figures that a few months before the onslaught of the pandemic, I made plans to travel to Bulgaria and Turkey in May 2020, right in the thick of it. With stay-at-home orders in place and ultimate trip postponement eminent, it seems appropriate to dedicate my first blog post to travel planning and travel “unplanning” in uncertain times. What do I do now? I have purchased my airfare, paid deposits on accommodations, and incurred other fees. My challenge is to go through the process of canceling or postponing my trip and losing as little money as possible. What could I have done in the trip planning stage to make the unplanning less costly?

There are 4 major areas to look at when planning a trip with “unplanning” in mind.

• Budget airfare issues
• Travel insurance coverage
• Hotel booking policies
• Other reservations

Budget Airfares

When planning with unplanning in mind, I would think twice about going for the super cheap, basic non-refundable airline tickets.These days, airlines are offering a barebones fare that is even a step below non-refundable economy tickets. Typically, economy level fares, although not refundable, can be changed for a fee. However, new basic airfares offer rock-bottom prices in exchange for the option to change, even for a fee. If you can’t go, you lose your money. No possibilities for change.

Yes, I purchased two of these tickets for my current trip.  Considering closed borders and the unhealthy nature of airline travel during these times, I wanted out. Fortunately for me the airline created COVID-19 policy waivers and offered all ticket holders the option to postpone their flight with the fee waived regardless of the fare level. Good news because I was sweating it for a while and was about to kiss $1400 goodbye.   For future travel planning I would surely weigh the pros and cons of these saver fares.

Travel Insurance Coverage

It is important to purchase travel insurance that meets your needs. Typically, my main reason for buying travel insurance is for an emergency reason like accidents or evacuation. Trip cancellation benefits were a secondary consideration. Now, with trip cancellation my main concern, I have come to find that not all policies are the same. For example, the most flexible, high-end, and costly plans give you the option to cancel your trip for any reason. The cheaper, less flexible plans have limited cancellation terms. Compare policies and make sure they cover your cancellation possibilities.

When it was clear we were in the middle of a pandemic making travel iffy; I referred to my travel insurance policy to see how I was covered. Turns out the plan I purchased did not include canceling for any reason. In other words, there would be no refund should I chose not to go just because I feared traveling during this time. Also, the fact that Bulgaria has shut its borders was not covered either. A more inclusive policy might have been a better idea. Hindsight 20/20, right?

Hotel Reservation Policies

It is essential to pay attention to cancellation policies when booking accommodations. It is my practice to only book stays with flexible cancellation rules, especially if a deposit is required.

For this trip, I had paid several deposits for accommodations with Airbnb and Bookings.com in advance. Fortunately, I got a full refund including booking fees because cancellation occurred within the cancellation window. Understanding booking policies is a must when planning reservations in advance.

Other Reservations

When planning your trip I would think twice about booking unnecessary reservations. For example, don’t purchase city-to-city trains or busses, museum entry, theatre tickets, and other excursions if it doesn’t make a difference in price or availability. It is tempting to get everything planned and paid for in advance, but many of these expenses are not refundable and make unplanning more problematic.

I was fortunate that I had not paid for advance reservations when COVID-19 reared its ugly head. Funding these travel expenses would best be done closer to departure or upon arrival. Just bookmark them on your tablet or phone for easy reference.

So now I know…thoughts for next time

To wrap it up, I had never really thought about what would happen to my trip-related purchases if something goes wrong…something way beyond my control.  Everything turned out OK this time. I am probably just out a couple of fees and the cost of the travel insurance. However, all I learned will be in the back of my mind when planning my next trip for sure. Some things are worth gambling on to save money, but paying close attention to cancellation policies and making the right booking decisions can take some of the risks out of planning your trip.

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