Whether to include your air in your travel insurance policy is a choice you will have to make. If you are traveling on frequent flyer miles, you will not be able to insure your flight – check the airlines policies on changing flights booked with mile. If you paid for your air with a credit card, check to see whether that credit card provides insurance and, if it does, what restrictions might apply. Further, is the cost of the flight worth insuring? A $200 fare to Ft. Lauderdale might not be worth it. Keep in mind that the airlines also offer insurance, but I have never used it. I have a post coming up on cruise insurance. I am a believer in cruise insurance although I have had to use it only once. Generally, if I booked my air through the cruise line, I will insure it. If I paid for it myself, I will insure it depending on the cost (it might be cheaper to pay the change fee),

Whether to include your air in your travel insurance policy is a choice you will have to make. If you are traveling on frequent flyer miles, you will not be able to insure your flight – check the airlines policies on changing flights booked with mile.  Here are some of my recommendations.

Frequent Flyer Miles

Every frequent flyer program has its own policy, so check the one you are using.  For example, United charges a fee that increases as you get closer to the date of the trip.  However, if you have flown sufficiently and have Premier status, the fee may be waived.  United treats a cancellation (and redeposit of  your points back into your account) like a schedule change.  You will have to pay a fee, but it is usually much less than the cost of a flight.  Delta, on the other hand, charges a flat fee and will waive the fee if you have achieved a Diamond or Platinum status, so long as the cancellation is within 72 hours of the flight – Delta’s charges for changes are a bit more complex and can be up to $200.  Keep in mind that airlines change their frequent flyer programs at will, so always verify the current rules.  In any event, there is no need to insure your frequent flyer trips.

Credit Card Purchases

Most credit cards offer a travel protection benefit for purchases made with that credit card.  Many offer reimbursement for cancelled flights, expenses incurred for delays, and costs of lost luggage.  Check the benefits for the card you use to determine what is available.  Just keep in mind that getting a reimbursement from your credit card company will probably be more difficult than collecting from your cruise insurance.  I have never had to try to collect from a credit card, so cannot speak on the quality of this service.

Third Party Travel Insurance

Even though my credit cards say they will reimburse should I have problems with the cruise, I always get a third party (not the cruise line) insurance for my cruise.  The primary reason is that may insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions.  I will write more about insurance in a separate posting.  I have two rules of thumb I use.   If I am flying internationally, the cost of the trip is sufficient that I will insure it, since the insurance also provided additional benefits when flights are delayed or other mishaps occur.  For domestic travel, I can generally find good fares, so will not include them in the insurance.

Rules of Thumb

  1. Know you risk tolerance.  Can you afford to lose your air fare or pay the fees for changing/cancelling a flight?  Sometimes this cost is not significant and well worth the risk.
  2. Use a credit card that provides travel protection.  While this may not be your first line of protection, it is always smart to pick credit cards with a travel protection benefit, especially if you travel a lot.  If this credit card is affiliated with the airline you are flying, you may also receive bonus frequent flyer miles and they may be easier to deal with should you have a problem.
  3. Read the fine print.  When I decide to insure, I add the flight to my third party cruise travel insurance since it covers pre-existing conditions, which is important to me.  I have had to cancel a trip once and came close to cancelling a second one, both at the last minute and both with large air costs.  I will write separately on insurance, but verify what is covered and what you have to do to get reimbursed.
  4. If you have to cancel or reschedule, do it early.  The earlier you cancel or reschedule, the easier it is to get your refund.  Some insurances have time limits on when you need to notify them.  This normally is not a problem, but do not procrastinate on filing your claim.
  5. Don’t worry – have fun.  We have only had to cancel once out of over 30 cruises.  And we have never had to use the trip interruption benefit for late flights or missed connections.  Just make sure you have the phone numbers to contact in case you do.  If you booked through the cruise line, they will help you if you trip get delayed or interrupted.  In any event, you can always pay the fees and file the claim later.

Please let me know what experiences you have had with your flights.  Take the poll and let us know how you handle your travel protection.