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The Delta Skymiles Savings or Cash Costs to IRELAND are NOW (not post vaccine "back to normal")

Posted by (Hatfield, PA, USA) on

Delta Airlines

1/2020 booking for US -Ireland for May 2020 PHL-DUB and SNN -PHL (connect in BOS)
Comfort seatingg outbound Main aCabin inbound
Cost 155k Delta Amex Skymiles
Cancelled because of Covid - miles reinstatement fee waived.

12/1/2020 booking US-Ireland for Aug 2021 PHL-DUB DUB-PHL (connect BOS) no SNN service available
Comfort seating R/T
Cost 140k Delta Amex Skymiles
Free Cancellation for any reason (no fee reinstatement Skymiles, and no change fees, except if new date more expensive you pay)

My point here is that right NOW is when you should book any 2021 overseas travel, NOT (POST-VACCINE) WHEN THE PENT UP DEMAND HITS THE MARKET AND LIMITED AVAILIBILITY AND DIZZYING CASH AND SKYMILES COSTS HIT

Plenty of Hotels and B and Bs avilability for 2021 if you book now EVEN IN DUBLIN.

Travel Insurance note especially for Seniors and/or disabled: In order to get a pre-existing condition waiver exclusion most ALL insurance companies REQUIRE that you purchase a policy WITHIN 14 DAYS OF YOUR INITIAL DEPOSIT FOR YOUR TRIP AND INSURE FOR THE FULL COST. Some companies have some other requirements. MY suggestion: use the Travel Insurance aggregator website "Squaremouth" for the best coverage/deals. Excellent telephone support ! I've purchases policies through Squaremouth several times. Right now many travel insurance policies include Covid protections/coverage. Some policies offer an optional Rental car CDW coverage. Mine AXA Platinium costs an extra $39 for $50k CDW coverage. IMPORTANT: Travel Insurance compaines and Credit Cards with CDW coverage have excluded countries, OFTEN IRELAND [and or "Northern Ireland (6 Counties)"], and/or Italy, places you wouldn't think of being excluded. You must read the Travel Insurance fine print, eg the $56 travel insurance on Delta Flight booking page, sometimes insures your flight to a maximum of $200 ! Would you pay $56 for $200 insurance ? They can do this because most people don't read the policies or even the summary page. And there is NO pre-existing condition waiver too.

My wife and I are 72 yrs old with health issues. If we are confidant enough to do this now, then you young healthy folks should be too. If got more expensive cancel for ANY reason travel Insurance. So, our only loss if we cancel is the $1026 Travel Insurance premium.

Posted by
7549 posts

Yes, I think if you are willing to be flexible, and maybe accept that you will have to cancel, then now is a good time to look for deals.

We are pushing it a bit and used Delta miles to get tickets to Rome for April of 2021 at 50,000 miles RT. Will it happen? Who knows, the miles are fully refundable, though if we change dates, a new ticket will likely be much more. Will we be able to get vaccines by then?, maybe, maybe not; Will they allow travel?, don't know. We just figured that for little financial risk, it was worth what might be a great reward.

Edit: By the way, I do agree that once everything clears up, travel demand will hit like an avalanche. There may be some deals, but places will try to capitalize on demand to make up losses, meaning that bargains may be few. If demand is just a bubble, then maybe some deals will come back. It may pay to commit early and maybe take some risk.

Posted by
2745 posts

I actually have a Delta ticket reserved on miles for May and another one for late August. We’ll see if either trip goes. I have some hotel rooms booked with Marriott points to, but everything is fully cancelable so if the situation has not improved then I guess I can cancel.

I figured it didn’t hurt to plan and we’ll see what happens

Posted by
10189 posts

I think you two are wise, especially using your miles and points with their built-in flexibility. And the dates might fly for you. Fingers crossed.

Posted by
7549 posts

To Carol's point, yep, we are also looking for a deal for sometime in September as a backup for April...or what the heck, maybe go both times

Posted by
991 posts

Back in September, I used all of my Delta points to buy two round trips tickets at 50,000 each from STL to LHR for June 2021. (Delta/Virgin). They are now at 70,000 each and I am sure they will go higher if US tourists get a green light for Europe this summer. I am a US/UK passport holder and the purpose of my trip is to visit family (so less risk in my situation). Typically over the summer period, Economy to London is usually over 100,000 points each but If I was a regular tourist, I am not sure I would be quite ready to buy yet.

I also used my travel guard insurance e-voucher within the 14-day time frame.

Margaret

Posted by
2745 posts

As far as insurance goes, I recently went to Mexico. I realized about a week before I went I had no insurance. So I went to insuremytrip I put in my information and I bought insurance that covered Covid. It covered broken legs and other things too. Now it would not have covered me if I had decided not to go because of Covid or because I was going to be quarantined when I got home or anything like that but if cover me if I got sick there. Now I was only buying medical, but if all you’re buying is medical you do not have to buy it within 14 days of paying for your flight. And I never ever pay for anything but medical. (And yes I’ve worked in healthcare administration a long time I know how to read an insurance policy so I was covered:))

Posted by
86 posts

I posted the original comment on this Thread. I booked the Ireland trip as described shortly after. I try to stay abreast with Irish media. The 26 Counties government is quoted in today's IT as suggesting that the Tourism sector will be good to go "mid-summer" whatever that means. I'm still waiting for definitive guidance for the 6 Counties ("Northern Ireland").

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