Articles

Money and Fees

Article / Entry Requirements & Customs

Travel Safety Tips: I Lost My Wallet, Now What?

Losing your wallet can happen to even the most seasoned traveler. Either you forgot it on a counter or left it in a cab, or worse, a pickpocket makes off with it. So how can you board…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Who's Gonna Pay These Overdraft Fees?

When a traveler is charged twice for a hotel room, he also incurs a $35 overdraft fee. Should the hotel pay for the mistake?

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: A Reservation and a Charge -- But No Room

A traveler arrives at a hotel only to find out that his reservation is missing. Later, he's charged for the phantom room. How can he get his money back?

Article / Money and Fees

Are Travelers Frill-Seekers? No, But Here's What They Really Want

A recent study shows that most travelers look for value when booking a trip. Here's a look at what the travel industry could do to make everyone's vacations just a little better.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Help! They Upgraded My Hotel Bill

A traveler is moved to another hotel in Spain, which triples the cost of his original reservation. Who should reimburse the extra fees: the hotel, travel agent, or reservations company?

Article / Money and Fees

Money Matters: 5 Credit Card Tips for the World Traveler

Credit card acceptance continues to rise in almost every corner of the globe, but with many cards, that convenience can come at a cost. Here are five ways to be smarter about using…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Complaints That Fail: 5 Kinds of E-mails You Should Never Write

There are successful ways to complain, and then there are the things you should never say to a travel company. Here are 5 tips on what not to do.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Hey, What Happened to My Internet Connection?

A traveler changes hotels after the Wi-Fi promised on the Hotels.com website turns out to be incorrect. Should he be compensated for the misleading hotel description?

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: No Refund for My Package Vacation

A traveler books a Priceline package, discovers the hotel is in a bad neighborhood, and wants a refund. Should she get her money back?

Article / Money and Fees

They Canceled My Hotel Room (And I Can't Get It Back)

A traveler's Priceline reservation is mistakenly canceled when he calls to add an extra night. Here's what you should do if you're ever in a similar situation.

Article / Money and Fees

What You Can Do About New Hotel Fees

Just when you thought airlines were the only ones to charge extra for amenities that used to be free, some hotels are adding fees for everything from fresh towels to TVs. The next time…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: But I Asked Them to Hold My Ticket

A traveler calls an online travel agency to hold a reservation, but the agent on the phone misunderstands and books the ticket anyway. Is this reluctant traveler out of luck?

Article / Money and Fees

Oops! I Didn't Mean to Buy Insurance

A traveler books tickets through Orbitz but then discovers a $24 charge for unwanted travel insurance. Learn how to avoid these pre-checked boxes and sneaky fees.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Wait! I Never Bought Flight Insurance

A traveler calls her airline to fix a seat assignment and ends up with a $35 charge for flight insurance that she never bought. What was the fee really for, and what can you learn from…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: The Vikings are Real on This Riverboat

Our reader tries to arrange a special side-trip before a Seine river cruise, but the company nixes the idea. What's more, it won't communicate with their travel agent. Can't it bend a…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: An Australia Tour That Wasn't Meant to Be

First our reader's flight is canceled. Then she misses another flight after her bus breaks down. Finally, she cancels her Australia tour. And then the tour operator refuses her request…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: A Canceled Flight, a Missing Refund

When our reader's honeymoon flight is delayed by two days, she buys a ticket on another carrier with the promise of a refund from her first airline. But now that the honeymoon is over,…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: A Hurricane Hit My Hotel, So Where's My Refund?

Our reader's hotel promises a refund for a nonrefundable hotel room after a hurricane strikes. But it's months later now and the hotel has gone into radio silence. Is the money gone…

Article / Money and Fees

How the Travel Industry Can Win You Back

We've become convinced that the travel industry is largely comprised of money-grubbing opportunists, and no fire sale is going to fix that. But here are a few things that might.

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: My Ticket Price Fell -- How About a Refund?

Our reader buys a package to Hawaii through United Vacations. But when the price of her ticket falls, United refuses to offer her a voucher for the fare difference. Why not?

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: Socked for My Friend's Single Supplement

Our reader cancels her vacation and her friend is squeezed for a single supplement. If she doesn't pay immediately, the tour operator threatens to cancel her vacation. Can it do that?

Article / Money and Fees

3 Ways to Avoid the Newest Travel Gotchas

One of the travel industry's favorite new tricks is waiting to tell you about onerous new terms until it's too late -- whether they're trying to modify a reservation or redeem their…

Article / Money and Fees

Travel Troubleshooter: A Refund for My Downgraded Airline Seat?

Our reader thinks she buys a first-class ticket to Peru on TACA. But it's actually economy class, and Cheaptickets.com only offers her a $400 voucher. Isn't she entitled to more?

Article / Money and Fees

Charge This: 7 Tips for a Successful Credit Card Dispute

A lot of unwanted charges are popping up on credit card bills -- fees that, if not removed, will end up being contested. Here's what you need to know in order to file a successful…

Article / Money and Fees

'No Waivers, No Favors' Reaches New Highs (and Lows)

The travel industry, hammered by the worst economic downturn in more than a generation, is taking a hard line in an effort to contain costs and preserve profits. Here's how to turn a…