Travel cancellation rights: What are my options?

Hey everyone, okay, so here’s my situation: I paid for this trip two months ago through a big-name travel agency here in the States, specifically for an England-America qualifier match. That was the whole point of the package. For two people, I shelled out 10 $0.00, and the ticket itself wasn't included in that price because their fine print says tickets go on sale a month before the game. The lady I signed everything with didn't really walk me through the nitty-gritty details of the contract, though—she just brushed it off, telling me the tickets were a sure thing, that they've never had issues before, and that since the USSF handles the distribution, everything would be totally fine. Then, just three days ago, she hits me with the news that they haven't received any tickets from the USSF and there's nothing coming. Honestly, what do you think my reaction was after dropping 10 $0.00 for two people on this whole setup? I seriously don't get how anyone can sell a package like this and then just fail to deliver; do they really think they can just screw over 50, 100, or even 150 people who all booked this exact same deal? Am I entitled to a full refund? Because there is zero point in flying to New York City if I'm not seeing the game—I'm not going there for a sightseeing tour, the match is the entire reason I'm going!! Please, if anyone has dealt with this kind of nonsense before, please give me some advice. I am just beyond gutted with how the whole system works right now, and I can't even begin to tell you how miserable I feel, because I never in a million years thought a reputable travel agency could pull a scam like this on me.

Thanks to anyone who replies or can point me in the right direction, and if anyone knows anything about consumer protection laws regarding trip cancellations when an agency fails to meet its contract terms...

Most stories I hear involve people realizing they’ve been scammed only AFTER they've already flown out. It is fortunate you caught this early; you still have a window to get some solid advice from goldengull3 🙂

Are you the one planning to gift this entire package to your boyfriend for his graduation? Since I didn't mention this when you were first asking, let me be blunt now: 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 !

I assume you haven't approached them about canceling yet? If I were in your position, I would go straight to the agency, demand an immediate cancellation and a full refund, and then pivot immediately to finding a reputable alternative. Do not let this situation slip through your fingers.

👍

ironjackal40 said:Most stories I hear involve people realizing they’ve been scammed only AFTER they've already flown out. It is fortunate you caught this early; you still have a window to get some solid advice from goldengull3 🙂

Are you the one planning to gift this entire package to your boyfriend for his graduation? Since I didn't mention this when you were first asking, let me be blunt now: 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 🙏 !

I assume you haven't approached them about canceling yet? If I were in your position, I would go straight to the agency, demand an immediate cancellation and a full refund, and then pivot immediately to finding a reputable alternative. Do not let this situation slip through your fingers.

👍

They always seem to drag my name into these discussions, even though I barely touch the legal side of things... 🙂

Ultimately, everything hinges on the fine print—specifically the contract and the general terms and conditions. You need to determine if providing the ticket is an explicit obligation of the agency. If it is, the solution is straightforward: it constitutes a material breach of contract (not something trivial like swapping Restaurant X for Restaurant Y), which provides grounds to terminate the agreement and demand a full refund.

Read the fine print carefully—whether it's on a flyer, a website, or a brochure. I was just looking at an offer myself (not posting a link because I don't want this to look like an ad), and it says "package price includes... match tickets..." yet the whole thing is priced around $550.

Every single offer needs to be explicit about what's actually covered; if there isn't a specific mention that the agency is providing the tickets, then... 😢

Did you pick up travel insurance to cover cancellations? If you did... get a doctor's note confirming you're sick and unable to travel, and the insurance should reimburse you. If not, your only recourse is whatever the standard cancellation policy dictates—usually, organizers charge 40% if you cancel 21–15 days out, 80% if it's within 14–8 days, and 100% if it's less than 8 days before departure.

Thanks for all the help, everyone—I’ll give you guys an update on Monday once I see how everything shakes out...

So, I didn't pay for the trip cancellation insurance because the employee—this lady who was handling my contract—never even mentioned it or suggested it, and honestly, I looked up the law and apparently, whoever drafts these contracts is legally obligated to warn you about things like travel cancellation coverage and other stuff too.

Look, it’s not even that I don't want to go on the trip anymore; I’m just so incredibly let down by this whole mess that I don't even feel like going, even though I wanted it so badly... It’s just the money, okay? We aren't talking peanuts here, we're talking a serious chunk of change that's already been paid.

The ticket price wasn't included upfront because the woman I was dealing with claimed they wouldn't know the cost until a month before the England-America match, so they'd charge it later, but come on—the whole package is literally marketed as a "trip to the England-America qualifier"!!!! It is absolutely insane that anyone would even think about taking my money when they sold me a specific package and then completely failed to deliver it; it’s just a total disaster!!

I mean, I could easily just go scorched earth on this agency, especially since I've already seen plenty of reviews online from people trashing them and complaining about how rude the staff is, but I really don't have the energy to waste my breath on people who don't deserve it, mostly because I know deep down that nobody who actually has the power to do something is ever going to read my posts anyway.

But hey, if anyone is dying to know, I’ll be more than happy to spill the tea on exactly which agency it is, ha!

Anyway, thanks again, cheers

Hey everyone...

Does anyone know where I can find some official info regarding cancellation rights for accommodation bookings?
Here’s the situation:
It was an individual travel booking.
We already paid a deposit—about 30% of the total cost.
Then, just two days after we sent the money, the people I booked for had a sudden change of plans.
I let the "owner" know as soon as I found out—which was 17 days before the guests were actually supposed to arrive.

What do you all think? Is it worth asking for a partial refund or some percentage back?
And where could I look up the actual rules on this?

Best, A.
🙏

I mean, I guess the whole point of it is just making sure the host doesn't get totally screwed over—like, they should at least get some of that lost revenue back if someone cancels last minute or just ghosts them entirely...

That deposit basically acts as a buffer—covering costs if you decide to bail...

Based on what you mentioned, it sounds like you weren't booking through an agency, but rather dealing directly with a private host—which means there aren't any universal rules regarding deposit amounts or refund percentages when someone cancels.

You should probably check the specific reservation terms from whoever took your payment—see if they mention whether the deposit is refundable or if you can get anything back at all.

For context, the general travel guidelines set by the American Association of Travel Agencies state the following:
Regarding cancellation fees, ASTA guidelines dictate that a traveler must cancel in writing. The date of that written notice determines the cancellation fee based on this scale:
for cancellations up to 30 days before departure, the organizer charges 10% of the package price, with a minimum of $33
for cancellations between 29 and 22 days before departure, 25%
for cancellations between 21 and 15 days before departure, 40%
for cancellations between 14 and 8 days before departure, 80%
for cancellations between 7 and 0 days before departure, the organizer will charge 100% of the package price
for cancellations between 7 and 0 days before departure, the organizer will charge 100% of the package price

More info here: keep in mind those rules apply to agencies, not private rentals.

Thanks so much for getting back to me, Leah!