• Air Travel
  
• Lodging
  
• Car Rental

Air Travel

• When you buy an airline ticket, ask whether or not the ticket is refundable, and if any fees apply for changes.
• If you've purchased an airline ticket and the airline goes out of business, you may be able to get a flight on another airline at no extra charge. If you can't get a flight on another airline, call your credit or charge card company immediately. Some card companies will give you a refund if you purchased a ticket with their card. Keep your ticket in a safe place since the credit or charge card company may ask you to send it to them for a refund. Send it by certified mail, return receipt requested, to be sure you have evidence your documents arrived.
• Confirm your departure with the airline at least 48 hours before you leave, and your return flight at least 48 hours before your return.

Lodging

• The laws in many countries hold you liable for charges if you make a hotel reservation, and then don't show or cancel. Make sure you understand refund or cancellation policies before you make your reservations. Once you do make reservations, get written confirmation from your travel agent or the hotel before you leave home.
• If your plans change and you will arrive later than expected, call the hotel. Otherwise, the hotel may give your room away, thinking you are not going to show up. If you cancel your reservations, get a cancellation number.
• When you check out, ask for and review an itemization of your bill, including phone calls. If you gave the hotel your credit or charge card when you checked in, but decide to pay with cash instead, ask the clerk to return the credit sales slip that was prepared when you checked in. Get a dated cash receipt with the manager's signature before you leave.
• Allow plenty of time for checkout. If you wait until the last minute, you may not have time to inspect your bill and resolve any problems. It can be extremely difficult to resolve disputes after returning home, particularly if there are language and time differences.

Car Rental

• Find out before you leave if you will need an international driver's permit to drive in the countries you are visiting.
• Many travelers prefer to pay for rental cars with credit or charge cards. In fact, if you don't have a major credit or charge card, you may find that some rental companies will not rent you a car, or will require a large cash deposit to cover any potential damage.
• When you rent a car, the rental company may place a "hold" on your credit or charge card for anticipated charges, plus incidentals. The amount of the hold is "frozen," which means you'll have less credit available for other purchases. Ask the clerk how much the hold will be and when it will be removed. To avoid tying up your credit line, you may want to use one credit or charge card for car rentals and hotels, and another for daily purchases. This may be less of a problem with cards that do not have credit limits.
• Report any problems with the car to the rental agency immediately and keep a record of who you spoke with. It's best to try to resolve any problems on-site at the rental agency before you leave.
• If your plans change and you want to keep the car for a shorter or longer period of time than you had agreed, get details in writing about extra charges such as mileage, daily charges or drop-off fees.
• Ask your credit or charge card company before you travel if it provides collision damage waiver (CDW) insurance, if it applies in the countries where you will be driving, exactly what is covered (for instance, personal injury or personal property may not be included), what restrictions and limitations may apply, and how the claims procedure works.

Bon voyage!

• Click here to visit our Travel site, where you can book and purchase airline tickets online.
• Click here for additional travel tips and resources, including a listing of American Express Travel offices around the world, weather forecasts and a "world time" calculator.