What you should know if you’re changing or cancelling a trip

We’ve all been there: looking forward to a vacation, everything’s planned and then something comes up—a family emergency or a change in finances—and all your best laid plans have to change. Or maybe you booked flights yesterday and the next morning you realize you got the dates wrong, or work concerns mean you need to move your annual leave. Whatever the reason, changing or cancelling your trip can be a stressful time. This article covers the basics, so changing your holiday bookings will be easier and less costly.

For more specific information, check out our Expedia quick guide to cancelling a flight or hotel.

The quicker you are, the less you pay

In general, the earlier you cancel or change your plans, the more money you should be able to recover. Many airlines, for example, have a policy that if you change or cancel your flight plans within 24 hours of booking, you don’t have to pay. So, if you got the wrong day, or made a 2 a.m. impulse purchase that seems less inspired in the bright light of day, then you can fix that without a problem. At any point after that window, the best time to cancel your flights is always right away. Any potential penalties might increase over time, so as soon as you know your plans have changed, head over to the place you booked your flights and let them know.

Accommodations tend to follow a similar pattern, though if you booked with a flexible rate, the free refund period often extends up to 24-72 hours before check-in. In that case, changing hotel bookings is generally less urgent than changing your flights. However, a full refund may no longer be possible by that point. Policies vary depending on where you booked your stay and the hotel you’re booked into; some might charge you for one night, while others might still require you to pay the full stay. Rental properties might have additional cleaning or service charges that are non-refundable, so keep an eye out.

Whether you’re just changing your flights or trying to reschedule or cancel a package holiday, you’ll want to get in early to reduce costs and recoup as much of your money as you can. So, when you realize you need to make a change, don’t waste time. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

Use the same portal that you booked with

While you’ll be flying with a specific airline or staying at a certain chain of hotels, these days many of us don’t deal directly with that airline or chain when we’re booking our vacations. Odds are you used a portal or comparison site that allowed you to see multiple options or get exclusive deals or packages when you were planning your trip. To keep things simple, use the same website or service you booked with to change your travel plans.

You may be charged a service fee when making changes to your booking through the original booking service; however, it can be less complicated than trying to deal directly with the individual airline, hotel or resort, which may not be able to connect you with your information easily. In addition, if you’ve booked a package holiday, using the same company means that you might get refunds for any of those added extras, events and special meal bookings included in your vacation.

An exception to this rule might be found with rental properties if you have a direct line of communication to the hosts. While not guaranteed, if you communicate politely and respectfully with the hosts and explain your circumstances, then they may be able to help you out. Of course, it’s always best to have these discussions as soon as possible, as last-minute changes to plans, which might leave their property empty on the dates you booked, are less likely to get refunds.

In general, making any changes or cancellations through the same service you booked with will lower stress and avoid complications, and might have specific policies for refunds.

Package holidays

When multiple vacation bookings are linked together, as in a package holiday, things can get more complicated. Similarly to other aspects, for the best results, you’ll want to make any changes or cancellations as early as possible, but because elements are connected, flexibility is limited. This means that if, rather than wanting to cancel or change your entire vacation, you just want to change one thing, it might have a knock-on effect that changes the prices of everything else.

Before you cancel a package holiday, we recommend checking whether it’ll be cheaper to modify the whole package or accept a credit to your account for a future vacation. It might be easier or cheaper to change multiple aspects of your holiday rather than trying to recreate the same package with just one difference. Some of the features included might be time-sensitive, especially cultural or seasonal events. For that reason, don’t be too wedded to your original plans and keep an open mind: there’s sure to be something else that you’ll love.

If it’s the company that changes the package, rather than you, then you might be entitled to a refund. Some contracts include a clause saying that the company reserves the right to change or substitute items, but if the change is big enough that it’ll make your holiday significantly different, for example, changing your accommodation from a beachfront villa to a hotel room in the middle of the city, then it might be possible to ask for compensation or cancel your trip and receive a refund.

Check your insurance and local regulations

If you’re past the refund window and an emergency or incident means you have to make a last-minute change of plans, there’s no need to despair. Depending on the policy, holiday insurance can cover cancellations or changes to your bookings. If your change in plans is due to illness or emergency, then you may well be able to get a full refund through your insurance, even if the regulations of the airline or hotel would refuse one.

Insurance is also important if the cancellation or change of plans is not on your end, but rather because of an issue with the provider. Say an airline or hotel goes out of business or declares bankruptcy, there’s no need to panic. Some countries or regions have travel protection rules for consumers in such cases, so check the guidelines for your area to see if you’re eligible. Or maybe the hotel itself will provide the refund, but if they don’t, then insurance might be the way to go.

Making a claim will require you to provide relevant information; for instance, in the case of illness, you will be asked for a doctor’s note. However, when unexpected circumstances strike, and you can’t get a refund via another method, this is what insurance is for.

Keep it simple with the Expedia app

Technology can make life simpler, and that works when cancelling and changing trips as well. The Expedia app is designed to make managing your travel changes more convenient, especially when plans shift unexpectedly. By signing into your account, you can view all eligible bookings in one place, including flights, stays, packages and more. This streamlines your holiday-booking experience at every step of the process.

For many reservations, the app allows you to cancel or change directly, showing applicable fees or refunds before you confirm the modification. This transparency helps you compare options quickly, working out whether it’s better to accept travel credit or pay a fee. On top of this, push notifications can alert you to flight delays, cancellations or schedule changes, allowing you to respond promptly.

Be aware that not all bookings are fully self‑service. Some changes, particularly for complex itineraries or certain airline fares, may require you to contact customer support through the app.

Using the app also makes it easier to keep records of confirmations, credits and updated itineraries, which is especially helpful when travelling. Before making changes, always review the policy details displayed in the app to avoid unexpected charges.

When it comes to cancelling or changing your holiday plans, it’s important to know what you’re entitled to and the restrictions and limitations. But if you weren’t paying attention when you booked, there’s no need to panic. Take the time to work out what you can do and how you can minimize costs and confusion. Check the fine print on the confirmations you’ve received and make sure you know who you need to get in touch with. To make things easier, get the Expedia app so that any costs and deadlines are clearly visible to help you make informed decisions.