The Points Guy: Refunds v. Vouchers Advice (Video/Article)

Thanks for posting this Points Guy advice piece. There is a lot of good information in it. RS Travel Forum is filled with cancellation related questions and concerns, refunds, rebooking, vouchers etc. A main point of this informational posting is:

"The key to understanding the process is knowing the difference between voluntary and involuntary flight changes."

This "voluntary vs involuntary" type of reservation / booking cancellation designation is important to understand when dealing with all types of COVID-19 era travel cancellations. It is nerve racking to wait until you are notified of a cancellation but you have more options that way than if you instigate the cancellation (like getting a refund vs voucher). Another thing I now realize is that I will never book another "non refundable" hotel reservation again! These are trying times, indeed.

I agree with you about the discussion in detail about voluntary/involuntary cancellations. What made it easier for me to wait for the involuntary cancellation is that I knew that Switzerland enacted restrictions regarding who can enter the country and who cannot. Delta had not yet canceled my flights but I knew they would be forced to do so eventually as I was scheduled to leave for Zürich tonight.

As luck would have it, this trip would have been the first time I had ever reserved a hotel room on Expedia at a fully refundable rate. Typically I always choose the nonrefundable rate and often paid in full in advance to get that rate thinking there would be no reason for me to cancel. It was a risk that I took freely. I didn’t do it this time because the fully refundable rate was the exact same rate as the nonrefundable so why not pick the fully refundable?

How fortuitous that was. Like you, I will never pick a nonrefundable hotel rate again. No way.