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The 15 Biggest Travel Scams, and How to Avoid Them

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You know that old saying “there’s a sucker born every minute”? Don’t be one of them. Stay ahead of these surprisingly effective travel scams to keep your vacation plans from falling apart. The schemes below may be just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to travel cons, but preparing yourself for these common swindles is a good place to start.

Vacation Clubs

Wholesale travel clubs claim that you’ll have access to incredibly cheap vacations if you join. However, once you pay the joining fees, you find that the deals offered aren’t any better than what you can find for yourself online—for free. Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott , whose book Scammed lays out a helpful roadmap for being a responsible and effective shopper in a world of corporate swindles, has told SmarterTravel: “I’ve never come across a legitimate travel club. My advice is to run, don’t walk.”

Elliott advises that anyone considering joining a travel club do research with a very critical eye beforehand. Simply doing an internet search for the name of the travel company plus “travel scam” will usually reveal a host of problems experienced by other members. Also check the Better Business Bureau for complaints about the specific service before you buy.

Timeshare Sales

Ed Perkins, a longtime contributing editor at SmarterTravel, calls the up-front fees for selling your timeshare the biggest travel scam out there.

“Scammers promise to get you out from under, saying they have buyers, but all they really do is take a fee, upward of $400, and do nothing,” says Perkins.

Never pay up front to have someone help you sell your timeshare. If you want out, go to a licensed company and check them out with the Better Business Bureau before listing with them. If you’re having trouble getting out of your timeshare , work with a rental company and rent it out to recoup some of the money until you can sell.

Vacation Certificates

Ed Perkins also warns against prepaid vacation certificates: “Travel scams promise really great prices but deliver nothing. The idea here is to get the up-front money, then keep stalling: ‘Sorry, these dates are sold out; try again soon.’ They delay until people just quit trying.” Or the company charges huge additional fees to redeem the certificates, and the trip is considerably less luxurious than promised. Before prepaying for a vacation package, be sure to research fees and blackout dates, as well as the company’s reputation.

“Travel-Agent” Card Mills

Ah, the life of travel agents. Cheap hotels and airfares are thrown at their feet once they pull out their travel-agent ID cards, right? Wrong. Don’t believe the hype from outfits that promise to issue you a travel-agent ID that provides access to discounts. Scammers charge hundreds of dollars for these cards, but victims who shell out will quickly find that no place will accept the fakes, and they never see any discounts. The only way to avoid this travel scam is to not buy a travel-agent card if you’re not a travel agent—there’s really no legal way to get around it.

Car-Rental Collision Damage Waivers

Rick Steves calls the car-rental collision damage waivers (CDW) a “collision damage waiver racket” for a reason. When you rent a car, the company often pressures you to buy a CDW supplement, which will prevent you from having to pay a high insurance deductible if the car is damaged. (The deductible can be thousands of dollars before insurance kicks in.)

But most major credit cards already include deductible collision coverage for free , so check your credit-card terms and pay for the rental car with your credit card. Then you’ll be covered without having to shell out extra cash for phony insurance. Most credit-card collision coverage is secondary, meaning you have to claim from your regular insurance first. If you don’t want a claim on your insurance, you can buy third-party primary collision coverage from the booking agency for about $10-$11 a day. Or, if it’s pricey, you can instead buy coverage from an independent outlet; sites like Bonzah.com offer rental coverage from $7.99 per day. That’s about one-third of what the rental companies charge.

“You Won a Free Trip!”

If you’ve ever dropped your business card in a “win a free trip” drawing at a restaurant or signed up to win at a fair, you may have gotten a phone call, letter, or email claiming you’ve won a free vacation. These days, the hustle is often via robocall. Be wary—many of these “prizes” are actually booby traps in which you’ll have to pay hefty fees to claim the vacation or give your credit card number to “verify your eligibility,” resulting in identity theft. After a recent lull in monitoring these robocalls, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is again cracking down on them. If you’re scammed, get the names of resorts and airlines included in the prize and call them independently to verify the trip. Never give credit card information to someone who cold-calls you, and be sure to get details of the prize in writing before accepting.

Fake International Driving Permits

The FTC also warns against fake International Driving Permits (IDPs) . Some countries require tourists to have an IDP in addition to a U.S. driver’s license. However, there are only two American associations that are legally authorized to issue IDPs—the American Automobile Association (AAA) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). Fraudulent companies sell fake IDPs over the Internet, but you’ll pay hundreds of dollars for a permit only to face legal problems for using the imposter IDs in another country.

The Bait and Switch

The hotel you’re thinking of booking is suspiciously cheap, but the property’s website makes it look beautiful and centrally located. When you arrive, the hotel is run-down, missing amenities, and in a deserted part of town—and it won’t refund your money. Avoid this travel scam by using websites like Oyster (one of SmarterTravel’s sister sites) and TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent site) to read real customer reviews and see honest photos of the property.

“Grandparent” Travel Scams

Even if you’re not currently traveling, you can still be the victim of a travel scam: The State Department warns that scammers will call an older relative or friend of someone who’s away on vacation and pretend to be the traveler in desperate need of help. The scammer usually poses as the traveler or a foreign government official and directs the victim to wire a large sum of money, citing an array of things: They have been robbed and need money to return to the United States, or they have run into legal trouble and need bail money. Sometimes the scammer will even pretend to be someone from the U.S. embassy calling on behalf of the relative for money. Never wire money in response to a suspicious phone call; instead contact the State Department to ask if the situation is legitimate, or call your relative directly. If you encounter this scam, the FBI advises you report it to local authorities or a state consumer protection agency. You can also file a complaint with the FCC .

The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) offers the following advice to prevent “grandparent” travel scams:

Never give out personal information such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers’ maiden names, passwords, or other identifying information in response to suspicious calls or to callers demanding immediate action. Scammers can spoof the caller ID of their number to make it appear to be from a trusted source. If a caller claiming to represent a company or a government agency asks for personal information, hang up and verify the authenticity of the request by contacting the company or agency yourself, using information found on its official website or through other means such as the phone book. If a caller claims to represent a company with which you have an account—such as a utility or a bank—hang up and check the contact information on a recent bill or statement, then call the company back yourself.

Rental Property Scam

Rule of thumb: Never go to Craigslist (or anything similar) for a rental home. Scammers will place an ad and ask the victim to wire money to secure the vacation rental—and then disappear. Or they’ll have you send money to them rather than to the actual property owner. Avoid the rental scam risk by going through a reputable vacation rental site with protections and insurance guarantees such as Airbnb , HomeAway , or SmarterTravel’s sister site FlipKey , all of which will protect your money from fraudsters.

Bogus Travel Agents

Don’t trust a tour operator or packager you don’t know of or can’t find reviews of easily online—especially with a big payment. An even more worrisome version of these travel scams in the U.S. is fake versions of websites: You search for a hotel or tour and get through to what looks like a legitimate website from a known company. But it isn’t: It’s a copy-cat version run by a scamster who paid a lot of money for a good search engine position. At best, after you make a payment, the hotel will honor your reservation—but probably at a higher price than you should have paid. At worst, you get nothing.

Take a close look at the website’s URL. Unsure if it’s right? Do a new search to find the company’s homepage and compare it to the first half of the link—any rogue characters, numbers, or symbols might mean it’s a fake. You should also never pay for a service via wire transfer, or any other irreversible money-transfer system.

Currency Short-Changing

A longstanding travel scam relies on tourists’ unfamiliarity with a foreign currency. This can take various forms: counterfeit bills, miscounting change, mixing smaller bills into what should be a pile of larger notes, etc. Get to know the bills of any country you visit, and limit the amount of foreign currency you exchange and have with you at any time. Get your foreign currency from an ATM, and put all your big-ticket purchases on a credit card.

Counterfeit Event Tickets

These days, high-tech forging can make almost any piece of paper or cardboard look authentic. Don’t buy a high-priced ticket (or even a low-priced one) to a sold-out event from someone on the street or via an unfamiliar website. You might be turned away at the gate. Buy from an authorized source—the box office or an online dealer that’s a verified reseller.

Fake Tour Guides

Have you ever been walking in a tourist-frequented area and had someone approach you offering to be your guide? Of course, you would have no idea in this situation whether this person has any useful knowledge of the city, but you may be coaxed into a nearby store that they claim offers the “best” prices on local specialties.

Pre-arrange a guide through an official tourism office or a local travel agency so you can compare prices and know what you’re getting. I once arranged the best local guide I ever had through an American Express agency. A university history professor showed us the fantastic National Museum of Damascus in Syria.

Credit Card Fraud

One of many potential credit card fraud risks is the familiar “verification call” gambit. In this travel scam, within a few hours of checking into a hotel, you get a call from someone claiming to be at the front desk to “verify” the details of the card you used. Of course, that caller is a scammer with no connection to the hotel who just wants to get your card data. In this and any other situations, be highly suspicious of anyone who calls you asking for credit or debit card information, no matter how plausible the excuse may seem. Tell the caller you’ll be right down to settle the problem, and instead call a known number, like the hotel’s direct line, to settle whatever account is involved.

More from SmarterTravel:

• How to Avoid Counterfeit Money While Traveling
• 6 Cruise Scams You Should Never Fall For
• Europe Travel Scams to Watch Out For

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2012. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Caroline Morse Teel and Ed Perkins contributed to this story.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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Great service, prices and knowledge !

Great prices, services and quick to respond. Great service all round. Ellie was extremely helpful and knowledgeable, feel a great sense of trust especially with long haul holiday to new places

Date of experience : 16 August 2024

Reply from Travel Center

Hi Sufyaan, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Emily met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Our agent Roman was very patient and…

Our agent Roman was very patient and understanding with all our queries and ensured we got the deal we wanted. As two older ladies, our trip to the far east is our first, so understandably we needed to make sure all worked well for us. Thank you for your dedication Roman, it has been really appreciated. 🙏

Date of experience : 06 August 2024

Hi Janine, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Roman met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Shoutout To Patrick & Joseph

I have booked a ticket to India and I had a wonderful experience with Travel Center. Special shoutout to Patrick Spencer & Joseph Mills. They helped me through out the process and make it hassle free. I will definitely recommend them. From finding best flight option to seal the deal everything was done by them very carefully and also follow up on each and every little thing. Thank you for helping me out with best option.

Date of experience : 09 August 2024

Hi Rutu, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Patrick and Joseph met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Ronan was so helpful and went above and…

Ronan was so helpful and went above and beyond to make booking a dream holiday for us simple. Thank you Ronan, we can’t wait for our trip of a lifetime!

Date of experience : 10 August 2024

Hi Jessica, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Ronan met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Quick and informative responses

Quick and informative responses, no question too daft and a great price

Date of experience : 27 August 2024

Hi Clive, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by our Agent met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I never regret This company ,

I never regret This company , Thank you so much very helpful to us ,. We are very glad all was excellent services. They are very Organized and smooth processed. I can highly recommend.!! :)

Date of experience : 05 August 2024

Hi Grace, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by our agent met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Very knowledgeable staff

Very knowledgeable staff Very polite and helpful staff

Date of experience : 31 August 2024

Hi Thelma , Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by our agent met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

great experience

after making our smooth booking we had to make a change to the flight details so we asked Patrick at Travel Center to assist. He sorted it with the minimum of fuss, what a star

Date of experience : 13 August 2024

Hi Russell, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Patrick met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Booked holidays with Travel Center…

Booked holidays with Travel Center twice. Scott Teagan was very helpfully. He was responding to our queries straightaway. He is very polite. He will make sure we understood everything. Good service. Will definitely book next year holiday with them.

Date of experience : 01 August 2024

Hi Vimla, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Scott met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Booked a flight ticket and Luke was…

Booked a flight ticket and Luke was helpful and got me a great deal. Thanks mate.

Date of experience : 01 September 2024

Hi Shakib, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Luke met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Amazing Experience

I had an amazing experience booking my last two trips through this travel centre. Rodney and Patrik were very receptive and organized in ensuring I got the best tickets booked. He looked up the best fares with the criteria I asked for and followed through to ensure I booked accordingly. Thank you again for all your help!

Date of experience : 27 July 2024

Hi Renuka, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Rodney and Patrick met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

It’s our first time to book with travel…

It’s our first time to book with travel centre and emily is been very very helpful and explained everything very goid customer service thank you emily

Date of experience : 15 August 2024

Hi Flory, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Emily met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Best in the business!

Amazing service from Allen who was keen to do me a great deal, went out of his way to contact me with updates when he had quotes etc. it’s scary booking complex holidays sometimes but he made the process so easy! Definitely recommend Travel Center and beat everyone on price!

Date of experience : 31 July 2024

Hi Billy, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Allen met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

A satisfied Travel Center customer....

I have been using Travel Center for my flight tickets since 2014 and the experiences have been awesome. I tried to book a flight ticket for a family member recently, and thankfully, Martin Roy was able to get a better deal for me. I have recommended Travel Center to families and friends in the past, and they all have nothing to complain about!

Date of experience : 03 August 2024

Hi Adeyemi, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Martin met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Excellent customer services

I first made contact about my travel plans with an advisor. It was simple and easy and actually a pleasant experience to deal with someone who knew exactly what to do and nothing was ever to much. We can’t wait to go on our trip and I’m sure with all the help and advice we’ve got from Natalie Spears from the beginning there won’t be no faults. Definitely recommend Natalie Spears when booking and we will be returning customers. Thanks for the great experience!

Date of experience : 26 July 2024

Hi Laura, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Natalia met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Amazing staff great company

Jacob has been amazing with both the holidays we have booked nothing has been too much trouble for him and he’s worked hard to get us what we want for the best possible price

Hi Mrs Burke, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Jacob met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I have had the best travel councillor…

I have had the best travel councillor guiding me through my first time cruise ship experience . Adam was more than willing to help me choose the right holiday and cruise for my husband 60th birthday nothing was to much for him . Would highly recommend Adam from Travel Centre London . Very pleasant and very helpful now I’m excited to fly out to Nashville then onto a Miami cruise

Date of experience : 25 July 2024

Hi Lavina, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Adam met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Billy, who dealt with my holiday arrangements has the patience to answer my questions & request.

Date of experience : 19 August 2024

Hi Carmen, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Billy met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Natalia Spears did a great job answer…

Natalia Spears did a great job answer any queries that I had and was very polite and patient with me. I'm a pensioner and takes me a while to understand things. I highly recommend Natalia for booking your holidays and explaining everything. Thank you so much.

Date of experience : 29 July 2024

Hi Mary, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Natalia met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Liam was so patient with me yesterday…

Liam was so patient with me yesterday ..a little problem on my part with a credit card and then all sorted and paid in full.. I can’t thank him enough and I think this is the third time he has helped me with a booking..travelling to New Zealand just after Christmas and looking forward with confidence thanks to Liam ..

Date of experience : 30 July 2024

Hi Jennifer, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Liam met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

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Travel Center   Reviews

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Reviews 4.8.

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Amazing SriLanka experience, highly recommend.

We booked a packaged for the 3rd time with Travel Centre. Jennifer has smashed it again with one of the best holiday packages we could ask for. We were able to see many different cities with lots of excursions throughout the day! We had an 8 day tour with a personal driver that went above and beyond our expectations. Sri Lanka is an amazing country with travel centres day to day plan and service we captured one of our most memorable holidays to date. It was lovely to meet Jennifer while we were out in Colombo also, thank you Jennifer for our amazing holiday treat come true.

Date of experience : September 02, 2024

Reply from Travel Center

Hi Fatima, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Jennifer met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

This is not the first time we have…

This is not the first time we have booked with Reed Gomez, he always goes that extra mile to ensure our holiday runs smoothly and all the travel information and documentation is available to us 24/7 .We highly recommend him and his company

Date of experience : August 30, 2024

Excellent service from Chad Smith. Travel Centre.

Chad Smith, the agent, was extremely helpful and professional. He went out of his way to find us the best deal. He also assisted me with filling out the technical details. Excellent service. I’ll be contacting them again for my future travel needs.

Date of experience : August 31, 2024

Hi Howard, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Chad met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Reed Gomez was really helpful and saved…

Reed Gomez was really helpful and saved us money which other companies was charging up to £300 more, Reed was very patient and understood when we was very indecisive Thank you Reed

Hi Sharon, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Reed met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I've been booking with Travel Center…

I've been booking with Travel Center for the past 3 years, and I must say they are always very helpful. Patrick Spencer was super professional and made sure to find me an affordable ticket for my journey. I highly recommend Travel Center to anyone looking to travel!

Hi Asha, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Patrick met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Always very helpful

Always very helpful, dealt with Jennifer on our last trip and dealing with her again, so helpful in getting us what we are asking for 😊 xx

Hi Lisa, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Jennifer met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Booking a big trip

Luke Fitzroy has been fabulous in helping me to arrange my biggest adventure yet. He was remarkably patient and listened to all the little foibles regarding my needs and wants, managing to adhere to all my whims. I'm hopeful that the trip itself to SAfrica will be amazing and I'm very grateful for his gentle but persistent guidance.

Date of experience : August 26, 2024

Hi, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Luke met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I was looking for a holiday to Japan…

I was looking for a holiday to Japan and wanted to visit other countries along the way, Ronan Kirby at travel centre was so helpful, he found me really good deals and was very attentive, the minute I put my deposit down I got my email including all my flights and itinerary, it really took the stress off booking etc. I’m very happy with my service.

Hi Alicia , Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Ronan met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

**Excellent Service by Aria Smith: Flight to Islamabad**

Aria Smith provided exceptional service in helping me book a flight to Islamabad. From start to finish, she was incredibly helpful and patient, taking the time to understand my preferences and requirements. She went above and beyond to find the best flight options, ensuring that I received a great deal. Aria kept me informed throughout the entire process, promptly updating me on any changes and answering all my questions with professionalism. Her friendly and efficient approach made the booking process smooth and hassle-free. I’m extremely satisfied with the service she provided and will definitely reach out to her for my future travel plans. Highly recommended!

Date of experience : August 17, 2024

Hi Waris, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Aria met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Luke Fitzroy has been very helpful and…

Luke Fitzroy has been very helpful and accommodating. He was patiently find and fit in what we requested in each country we’re going. He answers all our queries. We can’t wait to have our holiday and definitely we will book again in the future. I will give 5 stars.

Date of experience : August 28, 2024

Hi Medina, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Luke met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Aria provided great service today to…

Aria provided great service today to source flights, grand prix seats, and accommodation for the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix. Many thanks!

Date of experience : September 01, 2024

Hi, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Aria met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I’m prepared to update my rating but at…

I’m prepared to update my rating but at the moment I feel mixed. I actually wanted to wait until I’d been on the booked holiday before writing a review but now finding myself writing before. I have to say at the start planning my first trip with Kyle was excellent. Very responsive and very helpful and very quick to reply. Now the holiday is booked I’ve raised a couple of questions since nothing major and also enquired about another holiday. I have to say….since my original booking the service has gone downhill drastically. I might be waiting a week for a reply. Whereas before it was minutes. I was definitely impressed to start with and now I’m starting to worry about the actual holiday either that or they don’t want more business from me.

Date of experience : August 27, 2024

Thanks to travel center for making the…

Thanks to travel center for making the process of booking our package holiday easy. A special thanks and 5stars to Zac Rowan for his professionalism, patience and commitment to helping us find a package deal suited to us. It is not easy satisfying 14 ladies and multiple demands. Zac was patient, listened and worked tirelessly within a short window of time to help us find the right package.

Date of experience : August 19, 2024

Hi Chris, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Zac met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Representative was very patient and understanding

Representative was very patient and understanding. Unfortunately trying to pay through travel centre system was very problematic and drew out the completion of booking. The music while on hold was painful.

Hi Irene, Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We’re pleased to hear that our representative was patient and understanding throughout your booking process. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the payment system and the extended time it took to complete your booking. We also appreciate your feedback regarding the hold music and will look into making improvements. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to providing you with a smoother experience in the future Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

I've booked a family trip to Bucharest…

I've booked a family trip to Bucharest after seeing an advert on Facebook. Devon was very helpful and they did their utmost to make the transaction as easy as possible.

Hi , Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Devon met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Big thank you to Riley Clayton at the…

Big thank you to Riley Clayton at the Travel Centre. Despite having our family demands in enquiring about a holiday to Thailand, she handled our questions and naively "wants" like a true professional. At the time of writing this review, we are not just there on making the booking however should we decide to progress, I would have no hesitation in getting back in touch with her! Thanks Riley once again!!

Date of experience : August 18, 2024

Hi Robert, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Riley met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Professional, knowledgeable and trustworthy!

For the second year running I booked a flight through Travel Center from London to Manila. Patrick Spencer was the agent who advised me and subsequently made the reservation. He was delightfully competent, as well as helpful and patient, answering a number of queries in great detail and offering me useful alternative choices so I could make a well informed choice. I shall certainly use Travel Center again and will seek to deal with Patrick if available.

Date of experience : August 24, 2024

Hi Clive, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Patrick met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Great holiday - Bad aftercare

We were booked to go to New York on the 16th August and then to Orlando from the 19th to 25th. Our flight home was at 19:55pm on the 25th and we were booked to stay in the hotel the night of the 25th, I’ve simply asked for a refund for the extra night but Jasper is not capable of doing this and conveniently Roger Maxwell is off. Quite disappointed as we were pleased with the booking process and the holiday itself was once in a lifetime to the point we wanted to plan another but it’s hard to put trust in a company with no aftercare as they have my money now.

Date of experience : August 16, 2024

Read is a good person he made my…

Read is a good person he made my booking very smooth and it was my pleasure to book my travel ticket from here. I personally sujjest this platform to everyone of my friends. Thanks you so much

Hi Shiva, Many thanks for your amazing words of appreciation and your positive feedback on our Service. We are delighted to know that the service provided by Reed met your expectations. It would be an honor to assist you once again with your next reservation and we hope to hear from you very soon. Wish you the very best and stay safe Team Travel Center

Great to work with Patrick

Great to work with Patrick, he had helped me through the whole process of booking my flights, will be back 🙏🏼

Date of experience : September 03, 2024

Free COVID Tests in the Mail Are Coming Back: How It Will Work

The US government will again start shipping free COVID-19 tests through the US Postal Service next month.

Much of the funding for COVID-19 tests expired when the official public emergency ended.

The COVID-19 summer surge continues -- 26 states and Washington, DC still face "very high" levels of COVID-19 in wastewater data as of Aug. 22, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . In advance of the fall season and cooler weather, the US government has again announced plans to ship free at-home COVID-19 tests to households that request them.

On Aug. 23, the  COVIDTests.gov website announced that US households will again be able to order four free at-home COVID test kits in "late September." No official date for the start of the program has been given yet by the US Postal Service or the Department of Health and Human Services.

Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, said, "As families start to move indoors this fall and begin spending time with their loved ones, both very old and very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them sent directly to their homes," according to ABC News.

Read more: New COVID-19 Vaccines Are Here: Here's What's Different This Time

On March 8, 2024, the federal government halted its free COVID test program, which had been restarted in September 2023. There have been a total of six previous rounds of free COVID tests. 

Until the program restarts, there are still a few different ways to get free testing for COVID-19. Read on to find out the ways you can still get free COVID testing, as well as how to get your hands on free treatments and COVID-19 vaccines.

For more, here's what to know about long COVID  and all the latest information about mpox .

How does the USPS free COVID-19 test program work?

In January 2022, President Joe Biden announced the launch of  CovidTests.gov , a website where households could order four free rapid antigen COVID-19 tests shipped by the Postal Service. The site added four more free tests in March 2022, eight more in May 2022, four more in December 2022 and four more again in September 2023. This new round of shipments will also include four COVID tests to start.

Unlike some complicated government applications, ordering free tests from the Postal Service in the past has been simple. It should take less than 2 minutes to complete a short form asking for your name and mailing address, and the tests should ship in about a week or two. People without internet access or those who have trouble ordering online should be able to request tests using a toll-free phone number: 800-232-0233 .

It's not clear exactly how long the free COVID-19 tests will last, so it's best to get your order in early when the new shipments begin in September.

How will I order free tests from USPS?

When the Postal Service starts taking orders for COVID-19 tests again in late September, you'll probably need to provide only a minimum of personal information like your name and your address to order your tests. You won't need to provide any credit or debit card details -- the tests and the shipping are free. 

All orders will likely be shipped via First Class Package Service. People who can't access the website or who have trouble ordering online should be able to call  800-232-0233  to order their free tests, once the program starts up again in September.

When will my COVID tests arrive?

In the past, free COVID tests from USPS have arrived about two weeks after ordering. The tests are typically sent out within seven to 12 days and are delivered by USPS within one to three days after shipping.

What are my free COVID-19 testing options now? 

Until the Postal Service begins shipping free COVID tests again in late September, you have five main avenues to find free COVID-19 testing locations across the US: HRSA health centers, Test to Treat locations, ICATT testing sites, private health insurance, and Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program. These options function similarly, but we'll break down the specific steps to find your nearest free testing location.

HRSA health centers offer free COVID-19 testing

HRSA health centers offer free COVID-19 testing. 

The Health Resources and Services Administration funds health centers across the US. At these HRSA health centers, you will be able to receive free COVID-19 testing. You can use HRSA's locator tool to find a center near you.

First, select the language you would like to receive your results in. Then simply enter the location you wish to search into the box labeled Location . The locator also allows you to widen your search radius, so you can see all the options your area has to offer. 

Once you've found a center that works for you, click through to that particular location's website and follow their specific instructions for obtaining a free COVID-19 test. 

Test to Treat locations have COVID testing and medicine

The Test to Treat program makes COVID testing and therapeutics more accessible. 

Test to Treat is a federally funded healthcare initiative that provides more accessible COVID-19 care. This option differs from the others in this article as you can use the Test to Treat centers to receive both COVID testing and treatment for infections. Like the other COVID-19 free testing options, Test to Treat has a locator tool that you can use to find an eligible Test to Treat center near you. 

The Test to Treat center locator  works like the other COVID testing search tools. Enter your location into the search bar and the tool will display Test to Treat locations in your area. A sliding bar lets you resize the search radius to capture all of the Test to Treat centers within your area. 

Within the Test to Treat locator results, you'll be able to see each location's address, which COVID-19 therapeutics they offer and other special instructions you might need to know to get tested. If there's not an option to schedule a COVID test online through your chosen site, you may need to call.

Increasing Community Access to Testing provides COVID testing for the uninsured

ICATT offers free testing to uninsured patients who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have recently been exposed.

Increasing Community Access to Testing , or ICATT, is another free testing program that you can use if you need access to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a bit differently than the other programs on this list. 

ICATT is specifically designed for uninsured patients who have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Anyone can get an ICATT test at one of the program's locations, regardless of insurance status. If you are uninsured and you wish to be tested at an ICATT-eligible site, you will not need to pay for your test. If you are insured, you might need to pay a fee. 

The  ICATT locator tool works just like the other locator tools for free COVID testing -- input your address or your ZIP code to find ICATT locations near you. There is a search radius adjuster in this locator to tweak your searches to capture the entire area that you want to search. 

Once you've found a location, follow your testing site's steps for scheduling your appointment. 

What about free COVID tests from health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid?

On Jan. 10, 2022,  President Joe Biden announced that all health insurance companies would be required by law to provide their customers with eight free COVID-19 tests per month. However, that requirement expired with the  end of the national public health emergency for COVID-19 on May 11, 2023.

California law still requires all health care providers to offer eight free at-home COVID-19 tests per month to their customers. Outside that state, you'll need to check with your own health insurance to learn its coverage policy for over-the-counter COVID tests.

Medicare generally doesn't pay for over-the-counter products like COVID-19 test kits, according to the  Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services . Medicare's coverage of at-home COVID tests ended with the public health emergency.

If you're enrolled in Medicare Plan B, you still have access to "laboratory-conducted COVID-19 tests" such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, but you won't be covered for over-the-counter rapid antigen tests. If you have health care coverage through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program, you can still receive free at-home COVID tests through Sept. 30, 2024.

How can I get free COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots?

COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are an important protection against contracting or getting seriously ill from the virus. Since the CDC has recommended updated COVID-19 booster shots for everyone 6 months or older, you might be wondering how to find free COVID-19 vaccines. 

If you don't have insurance or a health provider, you can still get COVID vaccines free for a short period of time.

On Sept. 14, 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services launched the  Bridge Access Program , which will continue to provide free vaccines to those who are uninsured through local health departments and HRSA centers. The CDC has also partnered with "more than 20,000 retail pharmacy locations nationwide" to provide free vaccines by modifying the existing ICATT program mentioned above.

Funding for the Bridge Access Program will end after August 2024, but until then, you'll be able to access free COVID-19 vaccines. To use it, go to vaccines.gov , choose which shot you want, and then click the "search" button. On the next page, select the option that says "Bridge Access Program Participant" to show which locations offer no-cost vaccines. 

For more, learn how your blood type could make you more susceptible to COVID and everything about the new COVID-19 vaccines for fall 2024 .

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Back-to-school reminders about university travel

August 29, 2024

As we embark on a new academic year, the financial and accounting compliance team (FACT), controller's office, reminds faculty, staff and students about several procedures regarding university travel. The team thanks you in advance for following these guidelines.

An additional reminder (below) affects all fee-for-service units.

Questions may be directed to the financial and accounting compliance team .

Travel guidelines

• Ticket class : All air travel must be booked in economy or coach fare. Business and first-class tickets are only permissible with preapproved medical exceptions.
• Combining personal and business travel : When university employees combine personal and business travel, they must conduct a flight comparison for the same dates and times prior to the trip. Without an accurate flight comparison, university funds cannot be used for trips that mix personal and business purposes. This comparison rule also applies to a driving versus flying consideration.
• Lodging : Reimbursement or reallocation will be provided for lodging that has a base rate at or below the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) or U.S. Department of State per diem rates, even if taxes and fees exceed the per diem. Conference hotels are exempt from these GSA limits.
• Mileage and meals allowance : Mileage and meals are reimbursed as allowances, and meals will be reimbursed according to the published per diem rates set by GSA. The team recommends that employees personally cover the cost of gas and meals during their travels and then claim reimbursement for mileage and meals. This method ensures that you receive the appropriate allowances.
• Expense reports : Submit expense report requests to  [email protected] . The procurement and expense specialist team is ready to assist you with creating your expense reports.
• New travel vendor : Iowa State has partnered with Diversity Travel to assist with booking airfare, lodging and car rentals, domestic and international. More information about Diversity Travel is in this summer announcement from procurement services on travel agency changes. It joins Collegiate Travel Planners as the university's contracted travel agencies.

Rate review for fee-for-service centers

All fee-for-service accounts should have their rates reviewed at least once per year. If your account has not undergone a rate review in 2024, please contact [email protected] for assistance.

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