Buzz
While many airlines and hotels have made updates on how to adjust or cancel your bookings due to the coronavirus, you may be curious about what happens to the travel plans you booked with your rewards credit card. If you used points or miles for your reservations, what should you expect?
I reviewed the policies from three leading rewards card providers to understand what they are offering during these uncertain times.
In short: Contact the airline, hotel, or rental car service related to your booking first before reaching out to your credit card provider. Then, consider the best time to contact your credit card company. Card issuers are asking customers to delay inquiries about future travel to prioritize those with imminent travel plans.
Chase Ultimate Rewards program offers a variety of benefits.
Chase provides a dedicated page with instructions on how to handle travel cancellations and adjustments with Ultimate Rewards.
For bookings made via Ultimate Rewards, you can request cancellations directly online. If you paid with points, those points will be refunded to your account.
If your journey is within three to seven days from starting, Chase advises you to use the refund form provided above. For trips within less than three days, reach out to customer service (the number on the back of your card).
You may also have the option to modify your travel plans, such as selecting a different date, by logging into Ultimate Rewards.
Capital One Travel
Capital One recommends contacting the airline directly for any adjustments to rewards travel before reaching out to them.
If your departure is within three to five days, the company suggests calling; for trips further away, they recommend waiting until closer to the date to make the call.
American Express Travel
If your journey is more than 72 hours away, American Express requests that you refrain from calling. For changes or cancellations of travel booked through American Express Travel, the company will follow the airline, hotel, cruise, and car rental policies. Additionally, it is waiving its own flight change fees for changes made before April 30.
American Express will issue canceled ticket refunds as statement credits, even if points were used for the payment, according to The Points Guy. However, some customers have reported receiving their refunds as points instead.
Have you ever had to cancel travel booked with points or miles? Share your experience with us and offer your advice on handling future trips in the comments.
