Why more Americans are cutting vacations short, and how to avoid it

How to avoid airline cancellation fees for early departures?

What causes recent rise in early vacation exits?

What is 'cancel for any reason' travel insurance?

Who did Glen Powell bring on stage during his 'SNL' monologue?

It was supposed to be his first real vacation in years — a hiking trip to the Canadian Rockies. And then Erwin Gutenkunst got a call from the office.

"Shipments were stuck, and a project deadline was about to crash hard," said Gutenkunst, who owns a building supply business in Marina del Rey, California. "I sat there looking out at these beautiful mountains, and all I could think about was the people depending on us. There was no way I could stay and pretend it would sort itself out."

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Vacation-quitting is happening more often, according to experts. But coming home early can be expensive. Fortunately, a few new tricks can help you avoid the often draconian cancellation penalties that airlines and hotels apply to customers who change their minds.

Gutenkunst said he threw his clothes into his luggage and drove to the Calgary airport, cutting his vacation short. He lost a few days in his hotel and had to pay for a new airline ticket. But he got back in time to fix the problem.

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Why are people leaving their vacations early?

One reason more people are cutting short their trips is that they've bitten off more than they can chew.

“Americans treat vacations like checklists,” said Susan Sherren, founder of luxury travel agency Couture Trips. 

She said that since the pandemic, people have tried to squeeze more events and activities into their schedules. They ignore their travel advisors' warnings about pacing and overindulge in tours, meals and sightseeing, and they get tired. It's been happening with greater frequency to her clients and often, it's an expensive decision.

Another cause of trip-quitting: uncertainty. That's especially true at a time like this, when the economy feels like a roller-coaster ride. There's nothing quite like being thousands of miles from home as the stock market plunges. It's a unique feeling of helplessness and anxiety. You're not sure what you will come back to when your vacation ends.

And, of course, there's homesickness. That's what happened to one of James Katz's clients last summer. "She decided she no longer wanted to be on the trip," recalled Katz, a travel advisor for OvationNetwork. "Fortunately, we were able to cancel the rest of her hotels without any penalty. The only out-of-pocket expenses were the change fees for her flights."

Regardless of the reason — homesickness, worries about work or overplanning — the results are often the same. You have to pay more to travel home early.

How can you avoid paying change or cancellation fees?

There are a few simple ways around the extra expenses.

• Know the cancellation policies before you go. "Travelers often regret not checking cancellation policies before booking," said Deepak Shukla, CEO of the travel agency Pearl Lemon Adventures. Sometimes, you can secure a flight or hotel room that's completely refundable for a small premium. If you think you'll have second thoughts, it might be worth the extra money.

• Consider travel insurance. A good policy is a way to safeguard your travel investment against a cancellation, said Beth Godlin, president of Aon Affinity Travel Practice. "Historically, during periods of uncertainty, people tend to look for greater flexibility when making plans," she said. But regular travel insurance only allows you to cancel for a covered reason, like a canceled flight or an illness. If you want to quit anytime, Godlin recommends a "cancel for any reason" policy, which will reimburse you for a percentage of your prepaid, nonrefundable bookings. (It's a little more expensive, but it'll get the job done.)

• Ask. Even though travel companies can be quite strict about cancellation fees, they can make exceptions for extraordinary circumstances. "Airlines and hotels demonstrate unexpected flexibility when customers present their situations honestly to these companies," said Abdullah Boulad, the CEO of a rehabilitation clinic in Zürich, Switzerland. By "honestly," he means: Don't make up a story, and don't embellish your circumstances. You might be surprised by the answer — in a good way.

But leaving a vacation early doesn't just cost money

There's more than the financial toll of cutting out early, experts say.

"Leaving a vacation early without incurring heavy emotional costs requires a combination of practical and psychological strategies," said Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University.

For starters, almost no one quits their trip in a vacuum. You have to run the decision by your spouse, partner, kids or travel companion. And that can be difficult, said Romanoff.

"Try to communicate openly. If you're traveling with others, discuss the possibility of leaving early and set expectations beforehand," she advised. "Clear communication reduces misunderstandings and helps everyone adapt if plans need to shift."

She recommended staying positive and thinking about the long-term outcome.

"It’s okay to prioritize your well-being over the sunk cost of staying longer," she said. 

I agree. I've left halfway through a few trips. One time, I had booked an outdoorsy hotel in Central Florida that ended up being completely unsuitable for my family. I also had a lot of work piling up back home, so I was ready to go. We arrived, turned around, and left.

And I've wanted to leave a place more times than I care to admit, but didn't. I'm on the road constantly, and believe me, travel is nowhere near as glamorous as influencers would have you believe. Often, it's unbearable.

And that's why this trend gives me hope for the quality of future vacations. More Americans are quitting their vacations, and that's absolutely fine. If you plan it right, you can avoid some of the worst fees and penalties. Getting your family to forgive you for coming home early — well, as a father of three, I haven't figured that out yet. But I'm working on it.

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He foundedElliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishesElliott Confidential, a travel newsletter, and theElliott Report, a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you canreach him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.