How to book a holiday during the Covid pandemic
It is essential to check what will happen if you need to cancel transport or accommodation, whether you are booking the different elements yourself or opting for a package. Many may offer free cancellation but read the small print carefully – there will be a deadline for this, and it could be several weeks before your holiday is set to start.
Read flexible policies carefully. Qin Xie from Hey Money Talk says flexible booking should mean not paying an admin fee or losing your deposit if plans change. “What’s included in flexible booking obviously depends on who you book with but amends are usually for travel dates and/or destinations.”
If you are booking a holiday let only, book through a third-party site that has has a clear refund policy and which takes secure payments by credit card. Your contract is always with the company or person to which you paid the money. For example, if you book through Airbnb you need to contact the company for a refund, whereas with Vrbo you would need to contact the property owner.
Tracey McLaughlin, a blogger at Mind Over Money Matters, is a member of the Air Miles scheme and has beenusing it to book her holidays – it offers more flexibility than paying for the flights with a credit card, she says. “Air Miles gives us the option to cancel our booking 24 hours before travel for only a £35 charge,” she says. “All accommodation, etc is also booked with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.”
Put your holiday on a credit card, if possible – under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act this gives you protection on purchases of more than £100, and will cover your costs if a holiday firm you have booked with goes bust. To benefit from the cover make sure that you book and pay directly with the
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