Travel plans change, and having the flexibility to switch a flight or cancel a hotel room without paying exorbitant fees is a huge relief. But not all cancellation policies are equal. If you made travel reservations with Booking.com, which partners with properties and airlines all over the world, you’ll need to comb through the reservation’s fine print to see what the options are. Luckily, there are ways to ensure you always come out on top. Follow this Groupon Coupons guide to navigating Booking.com’s cancellation policies, and be sure to save on your next vacation by browsing our collection of Booking.com coupons.
Cancellation Policies By Type
Before you decide to book anything on Booking.com, be sure to read through both the Terms and Conditions and Fare Rules to uncover your trip’s cancellation policy. You can also find it later in the booking confirmation email. Here are the three types of cancellation policies:
Free Cancellation
This is what you want to look for, especially with pricier bookings. Free Cancellation gives you the flexibility to cancel your booking without incurring any charges. There can still be charges for modifying a booking, however, so be sure to read the fine print.
Partially Refundable
With Partially Refundable tickets, you’ll be obligated to pay a set amount for cancelled bookings. Check your Fare Rules to determine how much you’ll owe (it varies by property). While you won’t have the peace of mind of Free Cancellation with this ticket option, you’ll still be able to recover some of your money.
Non-Refundable
There’s absolutely no wiggle room here. Non-refundable bookings mean you’re out the entire ticket cost if you cancel. These bookings are likely a bit cheaper than more flexible options, but they come with a lot of risk. We recommend only going this route for lower price flights and hotel stays—bookings you can afford to lose out on.
Booking.com COVID Cancellation Policy
Given that Booking.com partners with properties all over the world, there is not a universal policy on cancelling bookings due to COVID concerns. Instead, it’s left up to the properties themselves to set their own fees and refund policies. Reach out to the individual property to learn about the COVID cancellation policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will you be refunded on a cancelled booking?
Bookings that are cancelled by the partner property—including instances where they’re overbooked or close down—will be refunded immediately by Booking.com. Depending on your bank, processing times can take 7–10 days.
Can you make changes to your booking?
You’ll want to be SUPER careful during the booking process, as you’re unable to make any changes on Booking.com. This includes changing the stay dates, guest name, or email address.
How do you know your booking was cancelled?
If you cancel a booking, you should receive an email confirmation from Booking.com. In the event your booking was cancelled by the property, Booking.com will email you and issue a refund.
How do you get in touch with Booking.com customer service?
Visit the Booking.com Help Center for answers to common questions or to chat with a representative 24/7. For booking questions, be sure to have your confirmation number and PIN ready (you can find them at the top of your confirmation email).
Before you book your next vacation, be sure to check out our Booking.com Genius Rewards Program for more ways to save.
