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The entire travel industry is experiencing an unprecedented increase in service requests from customers due to the overwhelming impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). As a result, Orbitz is working daily to assess new impacts and provide continual updates from our hotel, airline, cruise and global travel partners. This includes adding more customer service capacity and self-service options to help you change your plans. Whether you already have travel booked or were planning a future trip, here’s what you need to know. 

Travel Advisors at call centers are focused on customers with travel in the next 72 hours. If your travel is not immediate, please visit Orbitz’s customer service page, which includes new online tools to help you change or cancel travel plans electronically yourself.   

Travelers with hotel bookings 

  • Orbitz is contacting eligible travelers with upcoming hotel stays with new cancellation and refund options.  For customers who booked a non-refundable rate prior to March 19, 2020 for stays between March 20, 2020, and April 30, 2020, Orbitz will email you in the coming days to ask if you wish to keep or cancel your existing booking. If you decide to cancel, you will be eligible for a full refund or, in some cases, a voucher allowing you to rebook the original property at later dates. There is no need to call us, however, you must cancel your booking at least 24-hours before check-in in order to be eligible for this offer. 
  • For travelers who booked a non-refundable rate for stays after April 30, 2020, Orbitz will continue to work with travel partners as necessary to implement flexible policies as the situation continues to evolve. Please wait to contact Orbitz closer to your travel date. 
  • For travelers whose accommodation plans have already been impaired by COVID-19 and whose travel date already passed, we want to assure you that Orbitz teams are working to attend to your needs and we appreciate your patience. 
  • For customers who have booked a hotel with free cancellation or booked a refundable rate, please visit Orbitz’s customer service page to change or cancel. 
  • For those looking to make a new booking, we strongly recommend choosing a rate that allows for free cancellation. 

 

Travelers with flight bookings 

  • For customers with an upcoming flight booking, Orbitz will email you in the coming days to ask if you wish to keep or cancel your existing booking. Terms and conditions for credits of each specific airline will apply. 
  • For customers whose flights have already been impaired by COVID-19 and whose travel date has passed, Orbitz wants to assure you that teams are working with travel partners to attend to your needs. 

 

Planning travel 

  • Refer to WHO, CDC and U.S. Department of State guidelines for travel in addition to federal, state and local ordinances. There’s nothing more important than keeping travelers safe through this anxious and stressful time.  
  • If you must travel, many airlines are offering flexible change policies for travel booked in March. For a limited time, due to COVID-19, many trusted airline partners such as American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue and United Airlines are waiving change fees on eligible new bookings. Consider filtering for these air carriers when searching on Orbitz for future travel. 
  • Book refundable hotels for any trips you are planning. Many hotels offer free cancellation, and Orbitz has made it easy to find refundable hotels vs. non-refundable options. Use the “free cancellation” payment type filter to easily find options within your travel window and price point. 
  • If you’re traveling for an event, double check to see if it’s been postponed or cancelled. For event tickets purchased through ticket marketplaces like CheapTickets, travelers should review policies related to cancelled and postponed events. 

Tagged: Feature

Note: Orbitz compensates authors for their writings appearing on this site.

Orbitz Travel Blog Editors

Orbitz Travel Blog Editors

We're the editors of this travel blog, brought to you by Orbitz!

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