18 Ways to Avoid Letting Airline, Cruise and Hotel Travel Vouchers Go to Waste

Millions of dollars in cruises, flights and other travel have been canceled already due to COVID-19, but it is likely the pain will continue throughout the summer. Unfortunately, some consumers have not received the refunds they hoped for, and many are stuck with a barrage of travel vouchers good for "future travel" instead. If you find yourself in that camp, these tips and tricks can help you avoid letting travel credits and vouchers go to waste.

All travel vouchers come with their share of fine print that can make them more difficult to redeem, which is why you should arm yourself with information from the start. Read your voucher's fine print from start to finish to check for rules or limitations you should know about before you start searching for future travel.

One of the most important details to keep track of is the date your travel voucher expires. Also note that your voucher may have both an expiration date you need to book it by and a "must travel by" date. Keep these dates in mind early on, and you will avoid a situation where your travel credit expires and your money goes to waste.

Many people with canceled travel this year are simplifying the voucher process by planning the exact same trip one year out. This strategy makes it easy to use airline vouchers for similar flights to the same destination or to use and rebook any cruise you had planned this year and received a voucher for.

Another important detail to keep in mind is the fact that airline vouchers typically cannot be used for someone other than the original traveler. This means that the same people will need to come on your trip when you redeem your vouchers, although you don't necessarily need to travel together.

Travel vouchers are good for a fixed amount of money, which means you can make them count even more if you combine them with an epic sale. Make sure to keep your eye out for flight deals, vacation package deals and cruise deals that might let you travel further from home or stay longer for the same price.

Also remember that some airlines will let you book with their partners on their websites, which can help you use your airline vouchers in a new way. If you have a voucher to fly with American Airlines, for example, you may be able to use it to fly to a broader selection of destinations with one of American's OneWorld Alliance partners.

If you have multiple travel vouchers from different trips to keep track of, it can help to start a document or folder where you can store all of the details. Not only can you track expiration dates this way, but you can keep track of who the vouchers are for and the amounts each one is good for.

Make sure you keep your eye out for travel sales that could make redeeming a voucher cheaper. If you have an airline voucher, for example, you could watch for hotel or cruise sales that could complement flying with that specific airline. If you have a cruise credit to use, on the other hand, you could keep an eye out for flight deals to cruise ports you might want to depart from.

With the cruise industry largely at a standstill right now, industry experts expect cruise lines to roll out huge incentives and sales for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, make sure to check for cruise sales and free upgrade offers, as well as deals that include free internet service, onboard credits, free excursions and other extras.

Whether you have a cruise voucher, a credit with an online travel booking site like Expedia.com or an airline credit, you have the right to mix up your travel plans. Vouchers are for fixed amounts of money, so you can use them for new destinations and itineraries if you want.

If your flight is canceled by the airline, keep in mind that you are due a refund of the money you paid instead of a voucher. This rule is per the U.S. Department of Transportation, and it is the law, but some airlines have tried to extend travel vouchers regardless.

As you prepare to use travel vouchers for another trip in the future, you should check whether you have some flexibility in the cancellation policy on your new travel plans. Ideally, you would have the option to cancel and rebook your plans with another voucher if you're still unable to travel by the time your new trip date arrives.

If you are dreading the idea of calling into an airline or cruise line in order to redeem your travel voucher, keep in mind that you may be able to redeem them online in some cases. Check whether you have an online booking code or discount code you can apply to an online booking, and you may be able to avoid calling in altogether.

Worried your coworkers will hog up all the available vacation time before you have a chance to use your voucher? We suggest asking off work for the days you want now so you can rebook travel safely once you are ready. If you need to adjust your dates, you can do so with your employer closer to time.

Still trying to decide where in the world to use your travel credit or voucher? In that case, it makes sense to start brainstorming new destinations and come up with a travel bucket list of places to see and experiences you hope to have one day. Once you are ready, check to see how your travel credits might align with one of the ideas on your list.

Also try to be as flexible if you can - especially if the price of your original travel has gone up. You will ultimately get more bang for your buck from your travel credits if you're willing to consider several different destinations and dates of cruises to find the best deal.

Also remember that most airlines will let you redeem multiple vouchers on a single new reservation. This can help you get the trip you really want if you have several vouchers in smaller amounts to use, yet the new flight you want is more expensive.

Finally, try not to get discouraged if you feel like you are running out of time to use your travel voucher. Some carriers including Delta Air Lines have already increased the amount of time vouchers from cancellations caused by coronavirus can be used for, and it is possible your airline will grant you an exception if you ask ahead of time.