The 2024 hurricane season is in full swing and is expected to wreak havoc for travelers around the world through flight delays and cancellations.
Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy, a travel website, shared three ways travelers can protect their wallets throughout the season.
First, Kelly said, purchase travel insurance. Back in May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane season. This was proven accurate when Hurricane Beryl became the first Category 5 storm to form in the Atlantic Ocean in early July. The storm caused over 1,300 flight cancellations and 1,000 delays in a single day.
“[Hotels] will not refund you in most cases if there’s a hurricane,” Kelly told Yahoo Finance. “That’s on you to insure your trip.”
On average, travel insurance runs between 4% and 6% of the total trip costs, according to Forbes Advisor’s travel insurance rates analysis. Kelly advised travelers to get third-party travel insurance instead of purchasing insurance through their airline.
Kelly’s second tip, however, urges travelers to book their actual flights directly with airlines.
Although airlines allow passengers to change flights free of charge, and the US Department of Transportation’s new rule mandates airlines provide prompt, automatic cash refunds to travelers when owed, travel agencies aren’t held to this same standard.
“I was talking with one of our followers today,” Kelly said. “They’re having a terrible time trying to get a flight changed due to the hurricane through an online travel agent. So book direct with the airlines as much as possible.”
As his third tip, Kelly recommended travelers turn to their credit cards, which often have free, built-in hurricane protection “when the airlines fall short.” Although coverage varies from card to card, trip protections commonly include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, baggage delay insurance, trip delay insurance, and lost luggage reimbursement. Forbes outlined the best credit cards for travel insurance, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card leading the list.
Read more: Chase Sapphire Reserve review: A premium travel card with luxury perks and flexible rewards
“If the airline doesn’t give you what you want, always pick up the phone, call the credit card that you used to buy the ticket, because they can come through and help you with delays and cancellations and getting you rebooked,” Kelly said.
Maya is an intern for Yahoo Finance.
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