Cancellation policy

The rules and deadline for cancelling a booking without penalty. Every hotel and airline booking carries its own cancellation policy, specifying how close to arrival or departure a traveller can cancel and still avoid a charge. Understanding this policy before booking helps travellers and travel managers weigh flexibility against the often lower cost of a restricted rate.

Hotel cancellation policies vary widely. Flexible rates often allow free cancellation until a certain time on the day of arrival or 24–72 hours before check-in, while non-refundable rates do not allow cancellation without losing the full amount. Some policies charge one night if the booking is cancelled late, and group or event bookings may have stricter terms. For flights, cancellation conditions are part of the fare rules, and rail and transfer services have their own policies.

For companies, cancellation policies are closely linked to both cost and risk. Business trips change frequently: meetings are rescheduled, projects move, and travellers fall ill. Choosing the cheapest non-refundable option for every booking can therefore end up costing more than paying slightly extra for flexibility. Many companies set rules requiring free cancellation for certain trips or employees, and track cancellation fees in reporting to see whether their approach is working. Keeping all bookings in one place also makes it easier to cancel everything quickly.

Tumodo makes cancellation terms part of the booking decision. The travel policy can restrict hotel bookings to rooms with free cancellation and allow only refundable air and rail tickets where needed, with rules set for the whole company, specific departments or individual employees. Hotel bookings can be cancelled in one click, and if a non-refundable booking needs to be cancelled, Tumodo's support team contacts the hotel to request a refund, although the outcome depends on the provider.