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International travellers are being urged to speak to their travel agent about payment options, after some providers increased the price of existing bookings in the wake of United States tariff announcements.
Following US tariff announcements in April, some global travel suppliers increased their booking costs by 6% or more in an attempt to shield themselves from currency fluctuations as the Australian dollar fell.
In some cases, Australian travellers saw the price of deposited (but yet to be fully paid) trips increase by thousands of dollars without notice, as major suppliers adjusted the price of existing bookings.
Meanwhile, other suppliers chose not to pass on currency fluctuation changes.
The price increases were mostly reversed when the US tariffs were paused, but many suppliers’ terms and conditions are explicit that future price rises are possible.
It’s prompted RAA Travel to alert holidaymakers their booking price may be subject to change.
RAA Travel General Manager Gina Norman said paying up-front may be one way to lock in the offered price on the spot.
“No one wants the price of their holiday to jump by 10 per cent overnight, which is what we saw in some cases across the industry last month,” Ms Norman said.
“Wholesale travel suppliers vary when it comes to their Ts and Cs – with many reserving the right to adjust their prices in response to things like currency fluctuations.
“The Australian dollar has been volatile as markets respond to economic announcements and this has increased the likelihood of price changes, so it pays to be aware of the status of your booking.
“In most cases, paying in full and up-front will guarantee your price won’t change.
“This applies across all international trips – not just those travelling to the United States.
“The best advice is to speak to your travel agent about the possibilities and how you can protect yourself, or check the terms and conditions on your booking platform and assess your options from there.”
To speak to an RAA Travel expert visit https://travel.raa.com.au/.