Hotwire Travel Products Rules and Restrictions

Hotwire Travel Products Rules and Restrictions

Please click here to find the additional terms and conditions that specifically apply to:

Airline Travel, Hotel Reservation, Car Rental Services, Vacation Packages, HotDollars, and Warsaw Convention as indicated.

Travel Service Limitation of Liability

Hotwire is acting solely as an intermediary facilitating the booking of travel products and services provided by airlines, hotels or other travel service providers (collectively, "Travel Suppliers") in providing travel services, or in accepting reservations or bookings for such services to be provided to you. Hotwire does not assume liability for any injury, damage, death, loss, accident or delay due to any fault, act of negligence, omission or default of a Travel Supplier, or by an act of God. Further, no responsibilities are accepted for any damage and/or delay due to sickness, pilferage, labor disputes, machinery breakdown, quarantine, government restraints, weather or other causes. No responsibility is accepted for any additional expense, omissions, delays, re-routing or acts of any governmental authority or entity other than Hotwire. The contract of carriage in use by a Travel Supplier, when issued, shall be between the Travel Supplier and the passenger.

Airline Ticket Restrictions

For Oregon Residents

Transportation, lodging and all other services are sold to you by the supplier via Hotwire on a nonrefundable basis. If you cancel any service for any reason, sums paid by you for Hotwire's service will not be refunded.

For Washington Residents

If transportation or other services are cancelled by a participating airline, all sums paid to such airline for services not performed will be refunded to the User by Hotwire within 30 days of receipt of the funds from the airline; or if the funds were not sent to the airline, the funds shall be refunded within 14 days after cancellation to the User (unless the User requests the airline or Hotwire apply the money to another travel product and/or date).

Airline Ticket Restrictions

Airline tickets available through this Site are subject to the published conditions of carriage and rules of the applicable airline. Airfare is only guaranteed once the purchase has been completed and the tickets have been issued. Airlines and other travel suppliers may change their prices without notice. The following restrictions will apply:

For Hot Rate Flight Reservations:

 

  1. All ticket bookings are final and cannot be cancelled, refunded, changed or transferred, even with a fee. Once you book a reservation, your credit card will be charged for the amount shown - regardless of whether or not the reservation is used. Credit will not be given for any unused airline tickets and cannot be used toward any future bookings;
  2. The name of the airline carrier and flight times are not shown until after payment has been made for the booking;
  3. All travel will be round-trip with no unscheduled stopovers or open-jaw travel permitted. If you do not use one of the flights in your reservation, the airline will cancel your remaining itinerary;
  4. All tickets will be issued for economy class only;
  5. Airline tickets booked through Hotwire are not eligible to earn frequent flyer miles. Upgrades and standbys will not be permitted;
  6. Flight times and routings are selected by Hotwire in advance and cannot be changed;
  7. Seat assignments will be made at the airport on the day of departure;
  8. Unaccompanied travelers under the age of 15 may have to pay a fee at check-in. Please check with your airline for specific policies and fees.
  9. Pets are allowed on flights booked through Hotwire, pursuant to the airlines' availability and individual restrictions.

For All Other Flight Reservations

 

  1. All ticket bookings will be subject to the standard airline rules for published-fare tickets, including, without limitation, rules regarding frequent-flyer mile accrual, seat assignment, seat reaccommodation, itinerary changes, and eligibility for upgrades and standby flights;
  2. Airlines may allow itinerary changes, subject to change fees and the payment of any applicable fare difference; please refer to complete fare rules for information on changes and other restrictions.
  3. All air travel must be booked as round-trip flights; no unscheduled stopovers or open-jaw travel are permitted. If you do not check in for one of the flights in your itinerary, the airline will cancel your remaining flights;
  4. All tickets will be issued in economy class only;
  5. Unaccompanied travelers under the age of 15 may have to pay a fee at check-in. Please check with your airline for specific policies and fees.
  6. Pets are allowed on flights pursuant to the airlines' availability and restrictions; and,
  7. All tickets are nontransferable.

Hotel Booking Restrictions

Hotel bookings available through this Site are subject to the published conditions of carriage and rules of the applicable hotel. Hotwire offers two kinds of rates: (1) Hot Rate Hotel rate and (2) other hotel rates. A hotel rate that is accompanied by the phrase "Hot Rate" in search results and/or on the booking details page is considered a Hotwire Hot Rate. Any rates not accompanied by the "Hot Rate" phrase are considered other Hot Rate Hotel rates. The following restrictions will apply:

For Hotwire Hot Rate Hotel Reservations

 

  1. All bookings are final and cannot be changed, refunded, exchanged, cancelled, or transferred to another party;
  2. The name and exact address of the hotel are not shown until after payment has been made for the booking;
  3. Once you book, your credit card will be charged for the amount shown even if you do not use the booking.
  4. Room type will be determined by the hotel based on the number of guests provided at time of booking. All reservations are booked for stays in non-smoking rooms (subject to availability).
  5. Hotel room assignments are determined at check-in and upgrades are not available;
  6. The maximum number of rooms that can be booked at one time is six. All hotel rooms will be booked under the same name and the guest under whose name the reservation is made must be present at check-in;
  7. Bookings made through Hotwire are not eligible for hotel reward or club programs;
  8. Hotwire's minimum age requirement for checking into a hotel is 18;
  9. Upon check-in, guests must present a valid ID and credit card in their name (the amount of available credit required will vary by hotel). Debit cards may not be accepted; and,
  10. Hotwire rates do not include special fees charged by hotels upon check-out (e.g., energy charges, convention fees, resort fees, parking fees). Customers will be required to pay these fees directly to the hotels at check-out time.

For All Other Hotel Reservations

  1. Once you book, your credit card will be charged for the amount shown
  2. Change and cancellation policies vary by hotel and room type. The change and cancellation policy will be presented to you before you book. It will also appear in your booking confirmation email and My Account page.
  3. Room type will be determined by the hotel based on the number of guests provided at time of booking. All reservations are booked for stays in non-smoking rooms (subject to availability).
  4. Hotel room assignments are determined at check-in and upgrades are not available;
  5. The maximum number of rooms that can be booked at one time is six. All hotel rooms will be booked under the same name and the guest under whose name the reservation is made must be present at check-in;
  6. Bookings cannot be transferred to another party;
  7. Bookings made through Hotwire are not eligible for hotel reward or club programs;
  8. Hotwire's minimum age requirement for checking into a hotel is 18;
  9. Upon check-in, guests must present a valid ID and credit card in their name (the amount of available credit required will vary by hotel). Debit cards may not be accepted.
  10. Hotwire rates do not include special fees charged by hotels upon check-out (e.g., energy charges, convention fees, resort fees, parking fees). Customers will be required to pay these fees directly to the hotels at check-out time.

Car Rental Restrictions

Car rental bookings and reservations available through this Site are subject to the published conditions of carriage and rules of the applicable rental car agency. Hotwire offers two kinds of rates: (1) Hot Rate Car rates, and (2) all other car rates. A car rental rate that is accompanied by the phrase " \Hot Rate" in search results and/or on the booking details page is considered a Hot Rate Car rate. The following restrictions apply:

For Hot Rate Car Rentals

 

  1. All bookings are final and cannot be changed.
  2. The name of the rental car agency is not shown until after payment has been made for the booking.
  3. Reservations cannot be cancelled, refunded, exchanged or transferred to other individuals. Once you complete a booking, your credit card will be immediately charged for the amount shown during the booking process.  The amount you are charged by Hotwire may not include mandatory tax and insurance charges required for certain international rentals, which you will pay directly to the rental car company.  Credit will not be given for unused reservations.
  4. All vehicles must be picked up and dropped off at the same location.
  5. Reservations made through Hotwire are not eligible for express service, car rental loyalty programs or frequent flyer miles.
  6. All drivers must be at least 25 years of age to rent a car through Hotwire.
  7. All drivers must present a valid driver's license and a credit card in their name with a minimum of $200 in available funds when picking up the car. If optional items are selected (e.g. insurance), additional available credit - above the initial $200 - will be required. The amount of credit necessary varies, depending on the car type and the rental period. Prepaid credit cards are NOT acceptable.
  8. All car rentals include unlimited mileage.
  9. Neither Hotwire nor the rental car agency will accept coupons for upgrades, free days, discounts or any other promotions.
  10. Optional items - such as optional equipment, or the addition of drivers or days to your rental - must be requested and paid for at the rental counter. Such optional items are not included in Hotwire's quoted rate and will be charged by the rental car agency as an additional expense.

For All Other Car Rentals

 

  1. The names of the rental car agencies are shown on the reservation details page, prior to confirming reservation.
  2. Hotwire calculates estimated charges based on the rental car agency's published rates, taxes and fees, which may not include mandatory tax and insurance charges required for certain international rentals. A reservation will not result in a charge on the renter's account. Actual rental charges are billed by the rental car agency upon the renter's return of the car.
  3. Reservations may be cancelled at any time without penalty.
  4. All vehicles must be picked up and dropped off at the same location.
  5. Reservations made through Hotwire may not be eligible for express service, car rental loyalty programs or frequent flyer miles; please refer to the rental car agency for full details.
  6. All drivers must be at least 25 years of age to rent a car on Hotwire.
  7. All drivers must present a valid driver's license and a credit card in their name with a minimum of $200 in available funds when picking up the car. If optional items are selected (e.g. insurance), additional available credit - above the initial $200 - will be required. The amount of credit that is necessary varies, depending on the car type and the rental period. Prepaid credit cards are NOT acceptable.
  8. If possible, Hotwire will submit coupons for discounts, upgrades, free days, or other promotions, but we cannot guarantee they will be accepted by the rental car agency. Read your coupon carefully so that you're familiar with any restrictions. Present the coupon when you pick up your car. Final pricing will be determined by the rental car agency.

Vacation Package Restrictions

  1. Vacation packages available through this Site will be subject to the published conditions of carriage and, as applicable, rules of the applicable airline, hotel or car rental company. The following restrictions will apply:
  2. All bookings and ticket bookings are final, and cannot be changed;
  3. The name of the airline carrier and exact flight times are not shown until after payment has been made for the booking;
  4. Any package including an airline ticket booking is subject to the restrictions listed in the Airline Ticket Restrictions section (above);
  5. Any package including a hotel booking is subject to the restrictions listed in the Hotel Booking Restrictions section (above); and,
  6. Any package including a car rental booking is subject to the restrictions listed in the Car Rental Restrictions section (above).

 

Payment

All prices and amounts shown on this Site are in U.S. Dollars (USD), unless otherwise noted. If a User submits a Hotwire Request for airline tickets, hotel rooms or other services, the User agrees that the total cost shown to the customer will automatically be charged to the credit card submitted by the User. The total cost shown will include all taxes, charges, surcharges, shipping/handling and Hotwire Request resubmission or other fees. Such amounts will be posted on this Site but will not be separately itemized. Rather, all tax recovery charges, fees, charges, surcharges, shipping/handling and Hotwire Request resubmission or other fees will be presented together as "Tax Recovery Charges and Fees."

You agree that your credit card will be charged for the full cost of your reservation upon submitting your booking request. The cost of your airline ticket booking is the total of: the indicated price per ticket which includes a tax recovery charge plus an additional amount for our service fees, including a booking fee. The cost of your hotel booking is the total of: the indicated nightly room rate multiplied by the number of days in your reservation, plus an additional amount for the tax recovery charges, our service fees and any taxes required to be collected by a tax authority. The cost of your rental car booking is the total of: the indicated rental rate multiplied by the number of days in your reservation, plus an additional amount for the tax recovery charges and our service fees. The cost of your package booking is the total of: the indicated price per person multiplied by the number of travelers, plus an additional amount for the tax recovery charges, our service fees and any taxes required to be collected by a tax authority. The tax recovery charge is assessed to recover the amount we pay to the vendor in connection with your reservation, including sales and use, occupancy, room tax, excise tax, value added and other similar taxes etc., and the balance of the additional amount is a fee we charge in connection with the handling of your reservation. Our service fee varies based on the amount and location of your reservation and can include variable fees and may be rounded up to the nearest dollar. Additionally, the tax recovery charge is assessed on the nightly room rate that we pay to the vendor for the hotel room reservation, which may be less than the nightly room rate charged to the User.

For tax recovery charges, we are not the vendor collecting and remitting said tax to the applicable tax authorities. The vendors bill all applicable taxes to us and we remit such tax directly to the vendor. We are not a co-vendor associated with the vendor with whom we book or reserve our customer's travel arrangements. Taxability and the appropriate tax rate vary greatly by location. Our actual tax cost paid to the vendor may vary from the tax recovery charge, depending upon the rates, taxability, etc. in effect at the time of the actual use of the airline ticket, hotel, rental car, etc. customer.

HotDollars

You must be a registered Hotwire user to earn and redeem HotDollars. You may use HotDollars only toward the full or partial cost of any booking on Hotwire of a Hot Rate Hotel or Hot Rate Car. All bookings are subject to applicable terms and conditions. One (1) HotDollar is equal in value to one (1) U.S. dollar. If you change or cancel a booking for which you used HotDollars, you will not receive a refund of the redeemed HotDollars. HotDollars must be redeemed from the account into which they were deposited. They are not transferable, assignable or redeemable for cash. HotDollars expire one (1) year after date of issuance. You may view your HotDollars balance at any time in the My Account section of Hotwire. Hotwire reserves the right to modify or discontinue the HotDollars program, or to restrict its availability to any person, in its discretion, at any time, without prior notice or liability to you. Our failure to enforce any provision of these HotDollars terms and conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other provision.

Warsaw Convention

CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT AND OTHER IMPORTANT NOTICES

Please read the regulations below. Note: When you purchase this ticket, you agree to accept these rules and restrictions.

WARSAW CONVENTION AND MONTREAL CONVENTION

PASSENGERS ON A JOURNEY INVOLVING AN ULTIMATE DESTINATION OR A STOP IN A COUNTRY OTHER THAN THE COUNTRY OF DEPARTURE ARE ADVISED THAT INTERNATIONAL TREATIES KNOWN AS THE MONTREAL CONVENTION, OR ITS PREDECESSOR, THE WARSAW CONVENTION, INCLUDING ITS AMENDMENTS (THE WARSAW CONVENTION SYSTEM), MAY APPLY TO THE ENTIRE JOURNEY, INCLUDING ANY PORTION THEREOF WITHIN A COUNTRY. FOR SUCH PASSENGERS, THE APPLICABLE TREATY, INCLUDING SPECIAL CONTRACTS OF CARRIAGE EMBODIED IN ANY APPLICABLE TARIFFS, GOVERNS AND MAY LIMIT THE LIABILITY OF THE CARRIER.

NOTICE OF LIABILITY LIMITATIONS

The Montreal Convention or the Warsaw Convention system may be applicable to your journey and these Conventions govern and may limit the liability of air carriers for death or bodily injury, for loss of or damage to baggage, and for delay.

Where the Montreal Convention applies, the limits of liability are as follows:

  1. There are no financial limits in respect of death or bodily injury.
  2. In respect of destruction, loss of, or damage or delay to baggage, 1,131 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 1,300; US $1,700) per passenger in most cases.
  3. For damage occasioned by delay to your journey, 4,694 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 5,400; US $7,100) per passenger in most cases.

EC Regulation No. 889/2002 requires European Community carriers to apply the provisions of the Montreal Convention limits to all carriage by them of passengers and their baggage by air.Many non-European Community carriers have elected to do so in respect of the carriage of passengers and their baggage.

Where the Warsaw Convention system applies, the following limits of liability may apply:

  1. 16,600 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 20,000; US $20,000) in respect of death or bodily injury if the Hague Protocol to the Convention applies, or 8,300 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 10,000; US $10,000) if only the Warsaw Convention applies. Many carriers have voluntarily waived these limits in their entirety, and US regulations require that, for journeys to, from or with an agreed stopping place in the US, the limit may not be less than US $75,000.
  2. 17 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 20; US $20) per kg for loss of or damage or delay to checked baggage, and 332 Special Drawing Rights (approximately EUR 400; US $400) for unchecked baggage.
  3. The carrier may also be liable for damage occasioned by delay.

Further information may be obtained from the carrier as to the limits applicable to your journey. If your journey involves carriage by different carriers, you should contact each carrier for information on the applicable limits of liability.

Regardless of which Convention applies to your journey, you may benefit from a higher limit of liability for loss of, damage or delay to baggage by making at check-in a special declaration of the value of your baggage and paying any supplementary fee that may apply. Alternatively, if the value of your baggage exceeds the applicable limit of liability, you should fully insure it before you travel.

Time limit for action: Any action in court to claim damages must be brought within two years from the date of arrival of the aircraft, or from the date on which the aircraft ought to have arrived. Baggage claims: Written notice to the carrier must be made within 7 days of the receipt of checked baggage in the case of damage, and, in the case of delay, within 21 days from the date on which it was placed at the disposal of the passenger.

Notice of Contract Terms Incorporated by Reference

  1. Your contract of carriage with the carrier that provides you with carriage by air, whether international, domestic or a domestic portion of an international journey is subject to this notice; to any notice or receipt of the carrier; and to the carrier's individual terms and conditions (Conditions), related rules, regulations and policies (Regulations) and any applicable tariffs.
  2. If your carriage is by more than one carrier, different Conditions, Regulations and any applicable tariffs may apply for each carrier.
  3. The Conditions, Regulations and any applicable tariffs of each carrier are, by this notice, incorporated by reference into and made part of your contract of carriage.
  4. The Conditions may include, but are not restricted to:
     
    • Conditions and limits on the carrier's liability for the bodily injury or death of passengers.
    • Conditions and limits on the carrier's liability for the loss of, damage to or delay of goods and baggage, including fragile or perishable goods.
    • Rules for declaring a higher value for baggage and for paying any supplementary fee that may apply.
    • Application of the carrier's Conditions and limits of liability to the acts of the carrier's agents, servants and representatives, including any person providing either equipment or services to the carrier.
    • Claims restrictions, including time limits by which passengers must file claims or bring actions against the carrier.
    • Rules about reconfirmations or reservations; check in times; the use, duration and validity of air transportation services; and the carrier's right to refuse carriage.
    • Rights of the carrier and limits on the carrier's liability for delay or failure to perform a service, including schedule changes, substitution of alternative carriers or aircraft and re-routing, and, when required by applicable law, the obligation of the carrier to notify passengers of the identity of the operating carrier or substituted aircraft.
    • Rights of the carrier to refuse carriage to passengers who fail to comply with applicable laws or who fail to present all necessary travel documents.
  5. You can obtain more information about your contract of carriage, and find out how to request a copy, at places where transportation on the carrier is sold. Many carriers also have this information on their websites. When required by applicable law, you have the right to inspect the full text of your contract of carriage at the carrier's airport and sales offices, and upon request, to receive a copy by mail or other delivery service from each carrier free of charge.
  6. If a carrier sells air transportation services or checks baggage specifying carriage on another carrier, it does so only as agent for the other carrier.

YOU CANNOT TRAVEL IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ALL REQUIRED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS PASSPORT AND VISA.

GOVERNMENTS MAY REQUIRE YOUR CARRIER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON OR PERMIT ACCESS TO PASSENGER DATA.

DENIED BOARDING: Airline Flights may be overbooked, and there is a slight chance that a seat will not be available on a flight for which a person has a confirmed reservation. If the flight is overbooked, no one will be denied a seat until airline personnel first ask for volunteers willing to give up their reservation in exchange for compensation of the airline’s choosing. If there are not enough volunteers, the airline will deny boarding to other persons in accordance with its particular boarding priority. With few exceptions, including failure to comply with the carrier’s check-in deadline, which is available upon request from the air carrier, persons denied boarding involuntarily are entitled to compensation. The complete rules for the payment of compensation and each airline’s boarding priorities are available at all airport ticket counters and boarding locations. Some airlines do not apply these consumer protections to travel from some foreign countries, although other consumer protections may be available. Check with your airline.

BAGGAGE: Excess valuation may be declared on certain types of articles. Carriers may apply special rules for fragile, valuable, or perishable articles. Check with your carrier.Checked Baggage: Carriers may permit a free checked baggage allowance, which is set by the carrier and may differ by class, and/or route. Carriers may apply extra charges for checked baggage in excess of their permitted allowance. Check with your carrier. Cabin (Unchecked) Baggage:Carriers may permit a free cabin baggage allowance, which is set by the carrier and may differ by class, route, and/or aircraft type. It is recommended that cabin baggage be kept to a minimum. Check with your carrier. If more than one carrier is providing the transportation for your journey, each carrier may apply different rules on baggage (both checked and cabin).SPECIAL BAGGAGE LIABILITY LIMITATIONS FOR US TRAVEL: For domestic travel wholly between US points, federal rules require any limit on a carrier's baggage liability to be at least US$3400.00 per passenger, or the amount currently mandated by 14 CFR 254.5.

CHECK-IN TIMES. The time shown on the itinerary/receipt is the departure time of the aircraft. Flight departure time is not the same as the time you must check-in or the time you must be available for boarding. Your carrier may refuse you carriage if you are late. Check-in times, as advised by your carrier, are the latest times at which passengers can be accepted for travel; boarding times, as advised by your carrier, are the latest times at which passengers must present themselves for boarding.

DANGEROUS GOODS (HAZARDOUS MATERIALS). For safety reasons, dangerous goods must not be packed in checked or cabin (unchecked) baggage except as specifically permitted. Dangerous goods include but are not limited to: compressed gases, corrosives, explosives, flammable liquids and solids, radioactive materials, oxidising materials, poisons, infectious substances, and briefcases with installed alarm devices. For security reasons, other restrictions may apply. Check with your carrier.

Revision Date June 01, 2015