travel connect review

Hasbro Travel Connect Four Game › Customer reviews

Customer reviews.

Hasbro Travel Connect Four Game

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Top positive review

Top critical review

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the united states, there was a problem loading comments right now. please try again later..

• ← Previous page
• Next page →

Questions? Get fast answers from reviewers

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

• Our Heritage
• Get in Touch

Travel Connect is a leading tourism company in Northern Europe, bringing together nine reputable and independent travel brands.

These brands leverage their core competencies to service diverse market segments in the travel industry. We specialise in inbound tourism to our destinations in Northern Europe.

Travel Connect is the bridge between our brands. We handle support services such as finance, IT, HR, and online marketing.

Our Destinations

The destinations we cover are:

Faroe Islands

Sustainability at travel connect.

Sustainability is at the heart of our operations. Read our Sustainability Policy and what we are doing for our destinations, their communities, and the planet.

Our Equal Pay Policy

Equality and respect are an important part of running a business. Read our Equal Pay Policy and what we are doing to implement and continuously improve our processes.

Suggested companies

Airports taxi transfers, my transfers, suntransfers.com.

Connecto Transfers   Reviews

In the Transportation Service category

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 4.4.

6,320 total

Most relevant

Everything was perfect

Everything was perfect - we Will use This service another time without any doubt. We was informed that we would be very early in the airport so they suggested to wait for departure 1 hour wich we did - any it was perfectly Timed

Date of experience : April 27, 2024

Lisbon airport to Fatima and Return.

Courteous drivers, very clean and comfortable vehicles. Pick up on both occasions punctual and driving safe. This company's rates were the cheapest among many and I will be using them again in the future.

Date of experience : April 22, 2024

40% cheaper than the taxi outside the…

40% cheaper than the taxi outside the airport. We used a taxi outside the airport because it was a late flight and it was expensive. We looked up this company who were 40% cheaper for out return trip to the airport. The driver was very kind and nice and was on time at 4.0am . I will be using this company again when we return.

Date of experience : April 21, 2024

Great service - highly recommend

Great service - I had to change my Pick Up point on transfer back to Malaga Airport and thought it would be much more complicated than it was. The office emailed me back within the hour with a link that allowed me change my pick-up location. I had What's Apped the driver who initially collected us to ask what to do about change in pick - up location and impressively he also replied saying he contact the office. I thanked and told him there was no need as office had replied to me so promptly.

Date of experience : April 13, 2024

Brussels Airport transfer

Used Connecto for airport transport in Brussels (Charleroi - Brussels city centre and return) on the 20th and the 23rd of April 2024. Good experience, clean cars, friendly drivers, one of whom gave us a list of sights to visit. One way trip was 106 Euros. You have the option to pay 25% online and the rest in cash when you meet the driver.

Date of experience : April 20, 2024

Great service

Great service. Pick ups were on time and plenty of contact by email and WhatsApp to confirm times and bookings. A suggested earlier time for the return home flight worked out great as we missed all the queues and had time to get breakfast at the airport 🤗🤗

Date of experience : April 24, 2024

The first driver was bad

The first driver who drove us from Naples airport to the hotel was almost an hour late and didn't have a child seat, even though we booked it. He even said we hadn't booked it, despite having confirmation. He didn't even know where he was supposed to drive. Additionally, he didn't have any change. The second driver was very punctual and polite, but also didn't have any change.

Date of experience : April 19, 2024

Super Transfer Service

We were very impressed with the Connect to Transfer service. Easy to book. Sent reminders 24 hours before the pickup. The taxi driver was waiting at arrivals with our name on a sign. Taxi was comfortable and the driver was pleasant. He found our Airb&b easily. For our return to the airport, the driver texted upon arrival, and was very pleasant and courteous. The service was very reasonably priced. We would be very happy to use them again. Thank you!

Date of experience : April 18, 2024

Missed my plane due to driver no show

Missed my plane due to their driver not showing up. When calling they couldn't send any new person after calling me back only 20 minutes later. By the time I found my way to the airport the gate had closed. Total disaster and had to buy a new ticket... Connecto Transfers did refund me for the trip but all in all it cost me so much more money than they were willing to take responsibility for. Cannot recommend.

Date of experience : April 12, 2024

On time despite the impredictable problem

There was an accident on the higway so the driver could not come at the time of booking but he dud his best ti come as quik as possible and we arrived at the airport well on time. Thank you 😊

Date of experience : April 23, 2024

Wonderful two days in Perugia

Maurizio ,.. our taxi driver was really a professional ! Always on time , Italian/English speaking , perfect telephone/sms/WhatsApp communication , the car was spotless , bottles of water on demand , wide knowledge about the area we were visiting , safe driving , cash/electronic payment possible , ....what a pleasure to cooperate with him. Thank you Maurizio ! Artur

Driver was 20 minutes late!!!

Driver was 20 minutes late!!! Nice guy once he arrived and made good time. Stressful waiting with my elderly mother to go to the airport. probably won't use this transfer service again.

Date of experience : April 26, 2024

Easy and professional

I found the booking and communication process of using connect to transfers very easy and professional. The driver arrived early and made me feel very at ease. They were very professional. The drive was very relaxing. I would recommend them to everyone.

The drivers where friendly on time with great communication on where to meet them &punctually perfect could not ask for more

Punctual, reliable service

The cars both ways were punctual, the drivers helpful and polite, the first pick up provided water for us and played music he thought we might like. I would definitely recommend the company and use them again in the future.

Date of experience : April 14, 2024

Absolutely disgracefull I gave correct…

Absolutely disgracefull I gave correct details off pick up an flight but driver came at am instead of pm. So they cancelled our pick up and we paid this company in full

Our driver was very friendly and…

Our driver was very friendly and helpful. Everything was very professional and to our complete satisfaction!

Good Service

The driver was on time. I had access to his whatsapp number which made it easy to coordinate everything with him. The car was comfortable and the driver was kind. We even had waters and sweets offered on the trip! It was also easy to coordinate with the organizers by e-mail, with prompt replies at any time.

The ride was on time

The ride was on time. Both the dispatcher and driver provided great communication with emails and phone call before arrival. The vehicle itself was very nice as well.

My driver Alfredo

My driver, Alfredo (I think) was wonderful. I arrived at the pick up point early, but he was already there. The car was beautifully maintained and very clean. He was friendly without being intrusive. His driving was professional and skillful. I arrived at my destination in good time.

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

• Orlando Health/Amtrak Station • 8 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

Mears - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Sun - Sat 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
• (0.36 mi) Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando Downtown South Medical Center
• (0.49 mi) Aloft Orlando Downtown
• (0.56 mi) The Delaney Hotel
• (0.34 mi) Towneplace Suites Orlando Downtown
• (0.62 mi) Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, Autograph Collection
• (0.84 mi) Solorzano's Pizzeria & Poolside Bistro
• (0.71 mi) Kres Chophouse
• (0.60 mi) The Boheme
• (0.66 mi) Hamburger Mary's
• (0.32 mi) Uncle Dendog

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Review: Top Contender for Travel and Gas

Frequent flyers and road trippers will find a lot of value from the card’s lucrative rewards, especially considering that the sign-up bonus and streaming credit can make up for its annual fee over a number of years.

• High rewards rate
• Bonus categories
• New cardholder bonus offer
• No foreign transaction fees
• Has annual fee

$0 intro for the first year, then $95

21.24%-29.24% Variable APR

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.

Ongoing APR

APR: 21.24%-29.24% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%

Balance transfer fee

Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater

Foreign transaction fee

• Intro Offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.
• 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
• 4X points on travel, gas stations, and EV charging stations.
• 2X points on streaming services. Plus, a $30 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more!
• 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, and dining.
• Receive up to $100 in statement credits for reimbursement toward your TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® application fee once every four years.
• 1X point on all other eligible purchases.
• Points never expire.
• Pay over time by splitting eligible purchases of $100+ into equal monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay™ Plan.
• Protection and assistance when traveling with Trip Cancelation/Interruption, Trip Delay Reimbursement and SmartDelay.
• Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership that gives access to more than 1,300 VIP lounges worldwide.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Compare to Other Cards

Detailed review: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is an exciting option for travel-lovers and those with gas guzzlers.

The card charges an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95 and is U.S. Bank's midtier version in its cast of Altitude-branded credit cards.

It offers exceptional rewards on travel and gas, in addition to decent earnings in bonus categories like grocery stores, dining and eligible streaming services. And, if you can make use of the card's two ongoing credits, those savings can significantly offset the cost of the annual fee.

However, unlike comparable cards, it doesn't allow for transferring points for maximized value. And if your spending habits lean less toward travel, a different Altitude-branded or cash-back card might be a better option for you.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best U.S. Bank credit cards

U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card : Basics

Card type: Travel .

Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95 .

Sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.

Ongoing rewards:

5 points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked through the Altitude Rewards Center.

4 points per $1 spent on travel and at gas stations.

2 points per $1 spent at grocery stores (including grocery delivery), dining and on eligible streaming services.

1 point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

U.S. Bank points are worth a penny each and can be redeemed for cash back, travel, merchandise and gift cards. Points don’t expire, and there’s no cap on the amount that you can earn.

APR: The ongoing APR is 21.24%-29.24% Variable APR .

Foreign transaction fee: None.

Balance transfer fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.

Other benefits:

$30 annual credit for eligible streaming service purchases such as Netflix and Spotify.

Up to $100 in statement credit every four years for reimbursement toward either your TSA Precheck or Global Entry application fees.

Cell phone protection .

» MORE: NerdWallet's best travel credit cards

How the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card compares with other Altitude cards

As the midlevel option among U.S. bank’s Altitude-branded credit cards, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card doesn't feature rewards or benefits as rich as those of its premium sibling, the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card — which comes with an annual $325 travel credit but a steeper annual fee.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card , on the other hand, doesn't offer as much as its counterparts do as far as travel rewards and perks go, but it's a top-of-wallet card if you spend a lot of your budget on dining.

Here’s a quick glance at how the cards compare:

» MORE: Full review of the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card

» MORE: Full review of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

Benefits and perks

Big sign-up bonus.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card features the following generous welcome offer for new cardholders: Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.

This bonus alone makes up for the card’s annual fee over at least five years.

» MORE: How to tell if a credit card's sign-up bonus is worth it

Best in its class for travel and gas rewards

The card's 4x earnings rate on travel and gas make it among the very best for bonus rewards in those categories, especially considering it won’t cost you anything to carry the card for the first year.

While there are cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories that offer a 5x back rate for travel or gas, they typically have caps on how much you can earn, which is not the case with the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card .

Additionally, cards that offer rewards that are on par with or better than what the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card offers typically come with pricier annual fees to boot.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best gas credit cards

U.S. Bank offers a perk called Real-Time Rewards, which allows you to shop nearly anywhere and redeem points instantly.

Perks if you use streaming subscriptions

In addition to the 2x rate you'll earn for charging your eligible streaming services, like Netflix, Spotify and Hulu, to the card, you can also get an automatic $30 annual statement credit toward those subscriptions.

The downside is this credit isn't instant — you’ll receive it only after 11 months of continuous streaming service purchases — but it's still a good amount of change toward your binge watching and music streaming.

Plus, this streaming credit combined with the $500-value welcome bonus can make up for the card’s annual fee for over nine years. (If you hold the card for nine years, you'll pay a total of $760 in annual fees. But, you'll also get the $500-value welcome bonus plus $270 in total streaming credits, for a total of $770.)

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for streaming services

Drawbacks and considerations

Average rewards on everyday spending.

Although the card’s 2x earn rate on dining and groceries is not far off from what most travel credit cards offer, it leaves much to be desired if you spend a large chunk of your monthly budget on those everyday spending categories.

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card , the lowest-tier option of the Altitude-branded credit cards, may be a better fit if you don't spend a lot on travel and would prefer more competitive rewards for dining . It earns quadruple points per dollar spent on dining purchases, including takeout and delivery, but offers lower rewards on gas (2x back). The card charges an annual fee of $0 .

For a card that’s high earning on groceries but offers a comparable cost consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express . It charges a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. It offers 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year); 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions; 3% back on transit, including U.S. gas stations; and 1% back on everything else. (Terms apply — see rates and fees .)

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for groceries

Rather than paying cash, you can choose to redeem 9,500 points to offset the cost of the $0 intro for the first year, then $95 annual fee.

No option to transfer points

If you opt to get both the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card and the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card , you could pool and redeem points together. While having both cards can earn you 4x back on both travel and dining, you won’t be able to outsize points values by combining earnings — points are worth one cent each for both cards regardless of redemption option.

More importantly, points earned from either card cannot be transferred to their premium sibling, the U.S. Bank Altitude™ Reserve Visa Infinite® Card , which allows cardholders to redeem points at a higher value of 1.5 cents each for travel through U.S. Bank.

There are other rewards systems, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards®, that allow for points transferring between cards and to external partners as well. If you hold the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and also the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve® , you can transfer your points and redeem them for 1.5 cents for travel through Chase. Not so with the Altitude cards.

Plus, U.S. Bank has no external transfer partners. The ability to transfer points to travel partners can often create outsized value from other credit card rewards programs.

To get an idea of how this card compares to other options, see NerdWallet's roundup of the best credit cards to have .

With no annual fee, this card gives you an unlimited 1.5 points per dollar spent on all purchases. It also earns 3 points per dollar spent on eligible travel booked through the Bank of America® Travel Center and comes with a bonus offer for new cardmembers.

How to decide if it's right for you

If you're a frequent traveler whose mode of exploration mostly involves car journeys, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is the ideal pick for you.

However, if your spending habits won’t allow you to take advantage of the card’s competitive travel and gas rewards rate, you may be better off with a different option.

• The best credit cards of 2024
• Best travel credit cards
• Best rewards credit cards
• Best cash back credit cards

Methodology

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

About the author

Funto Omojola

Advertisement

The Best Travel Plug Adapter

By Geoffrey Morrison

If you want to use electronic devices in a different country, you’ll probably need a travel plug adapter. After spending more than 30 hours researching and testing 14 options, we found the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter to be the best one. It fits four types of outlets, and it has more USB ports than any of its competitors, so it can can charge more devices at higher speeds.

Everything we recommend

Epicka Universal Travel Adapter

Best universal travel adapter.

With four plugs that will work in most countries, plus faster-charging USB ports (and more of them) than its competitors, this adapter is the best all-around choice.

Buying Options

Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set

The best plug adapter.

Individually, these tiny plug adapters are smaller, lighter, and cheaper than any universal travel adapter. To juice up multiple devices, though, you’d need a separate multiport charger too.

Ceptics Plug Adapter Set

Heavier, but sturdier.

The plugs in this set of five are bigger and heavier than our top pick for plug adapters, but more solidly built.

In a sea of almost-identical travel adapters, the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter stands out, combining the best of the features we were looking for. It contains the three most common international plugs and a US-style plug, which should cover you in the majority of countries around the world. It has the most USB ports—four of the standard USB-A and one USB-C—of any universal adapter we tested, and it could charge more of our devices faster. A replaceable fuse and an included spare should take the brunt of any accidental, unfortunate, or shockingly bad connections. The Epicka is fairly compact and well built, and it even comes with a nylon case.

However, no universal travel adapter is truly universal, and they’re all a lot bulkier and more expensive than simple plug adapters. If you want the smallest adapter possible, or if you’re going someplace where a universal adapter won’t work (more on that in a minute), then a plug adapter could be what you need.

The Ceptics tiny plug adapters are barely larger than the prongs they convert. Small, simple, and cheap, they’re perfect for someone who wants to carry only the adapter they’ll need and who already has a multiport USB wall charger they like. Like our universal adapter picks, this set contains the three most common international plugs and the US plug. However, it also includes a somewhat rarer plug used in some European countries that has two thick, cylindrical prongs. This means that the Ceptics will likely cover you in even more places—as long as you pack the appropriate plug adapter.

These plug adapters are bigger than our top pick for plug adapters, but this means they offer a larger surface for chargers to brace against, which makes them more stable and less likely to fall off the wall. (We’ll call these “ Ceptics White ” to minimize confusion and set them apart from our “Ceptics Black” top pick.) While you can purchase these as a five-pack, which contains basically the same assortment of plugs as the Ceptics Black set, the company also sells, in this same model line, three-packs for nearly a dozen specific regions. So if you’re headed to a country not covered by the so-called universal travel adapters (for example, Brazil , India , Israel , or South Africa ), or if you want to purchase multiple adapters for your gear, there’s probably an option available here.

A note up here, which we’ll discuss in detail below: All of these are adapters only . They do not convert voltage. The majority of your electronic devices only need adapters—the voltage converter is built into the charger itself. (If the device charges via USB, just about any USB port will suffice, though different ports may provide different charging speeds.) Check out Do you need a voltage converter? if you’re curious about these aspects.

The research

Why you should trust us, who should get this, how we picked, how we tested, our pick: epicka universal travel adapter, flaws but not dealbreakers, our pick: ceptics international worldwide travel plug adapter 5 piece set, runner-up: ceptics adapter plug set for worldwide international travel use, do you need a voltage converter, the competition.

In addition to my work here at Wirecutter, I also write about tech and travel for CNET, Forbes, and Wirecutter’s parent company, The New York Times . Perhaps more relevant to this guide, I usually spend a good chunk of each year (global pandemics aside) as a digital nomad, living months at a time in different countries all over the world. My current country count is 50, spread across six continents, and since I travel with a lot of electronics gear for work, being able to plug in is obviously crucial.

I’ve owned and used many different types of universal-style travel adapters, and several different companies’ worth of plug adapters, plus I’ve talked with countless travelers about what they like … or, more important, what they hate. We also got some advice from Wirecutter's Mark Smirniotis, who used to oversee our power devices section.

Do you travel? Are you going to travel sometime in the (near or far) future? Do you want to be able to charge or use electronic devices in a different country? If so, you’re probably going to need a travel plug adapter. There’s a variety of different outlet types around the world, not to mention different voltages and frequencies, so you can’t expect your phone charger to just plug in and work wherever you’re headed. Sure, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and many other countries use the same small pair of prongs as the US, but places like continental Europe, the UK, Australia, India, Russia, and pretty much everywhere else do not.

You have two main choices when it comes to travel plug adapters: the universal-style travel adapters (that’s one device with multiple sets of prongs that you extend and retract) and smaller, individual plug adapters that usually come in sets. Both have pros and cons.

Should you get a universal travel adapter or a simple plug adapter?

Universal travel adapters are for the person who wants one handy adapter that will work in just about every country. You can keep it next to your passport and toss it in your luggage when you’re packing. The ones we considered have USB ports, so you don’t need to worry about bringing a separate charger for anything that charges via USB (think  phones  and noise-cancelling headphones ). However, these are bulky, they have parts that can break, and even the best will take longer to charge your phone or tablet than will a good USB wall charger .

The alternative is small and simple plug adapters. These attach to the prongs of your current USB charger (whether it’s a multiport one or the charger that came with your device) to allow them to fit into a foreign outlet. These can work because nearly every modern charger can adjust to the available voltage in pretty much every country, as long as you can adapt the prongs to fit in the outlet. (More on this in Do you need a voltage converter? ) These are great for people who already have a multiport USB charger they like and don’t want to deal with the additional bulk of a universal travel adapter. Also, these are necessary if you’re traveling to a country that has outlets incompatible with any of the four types included in a universal adapter (which, as that sentence reveals, aren’t actually universal).

The choice between universal travel adapters and individual plug adapters ultimately comes down to personal preference. Both types work, and different people will like or dislike each. If you’re not sure which will be best for you, read each section here closely.

Here’s the big caveat: If you’re planning on bringing something with you that has a motor, a heating element, or a single power cord that leads directly from the plug to the device (i.e. there’s no power brick or wall wart ), it almost certainly won’t work with a travel plug adapter. Most people will only need one of the adapter choices we recommend, but very occasionally there’s a piece of gear that needs a voltage converter. For more on that topic, also check out the voltage converters section below.

Where in the world will your travel plug adapter work?

All universal travel adapters have four different sets of prongs, which cover most countries most Americans tend to travel to. First is the big, wide-blade UK-style plug (often designated "Type G”) . This will work in places like the UK, obviously, and also Ireland, Hong Kong, and some other parts of Asia and the Middle East.

Next is the round Europe-style plug, aka the Europlug (Type C) . However, this is where we run into complications. This plug should work in most of Europe—it was designed, in fact, to fit into a wide range of European outlet types. For instance, parts of Italy, Switzerland, and Denmark each use different plugs from one another. Should this double-round one work in those locations? Yes. Will it? Hard to say. I’ve stayed in places where my Europlug didn’t work, yet it did in the hostel before and the hotel after—all within the same small region of a country. With any luck, if this happens to you, the place you’re staying will have a power strip that will let you plug in, though there’s no guarantee of that.

Third is the angled small-blade style (Type I) found in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and other parts of Oceania, and a few other areas. Some universal adapters have one set of blades for this and the US style—you just manually rotate the blades into the correct position depending on where you are. In our testing, we had no trouble getting them to work.

The last, the small US-style blades (Type A or B) , mean you could use our picks to visit the US and other countries that have the same plugs—if, that is, you’re reading this from outside the US.

What are the places not covered by these four styles? Some parts of Brazil, South Africa, India, and more. I’ve stayed in parts of Italy, for example, that should have Europlugs but only had something called Type L . I’ve stayed in houses in Brazil that had Type N , but the Europlug fit enough to work. In others, it wouldn’t.

To find out which plugs you might need while traveling, refer to the excellent Wikipedia article called Mains electricity by country that shows pictures of (almost) all the possible plugs and outlets, along with a list of the world’s countries and (almost all of) the style or styles they use. This is invaluable information to check before you leave. If multiple plug types are listed for a specific country and you’re staying in an older building, you should probably assume its outlets will require whatever plug isn’t on a universal travel adapter, since these only have the most common, newer varieties of plugs.

Which brings us to perhaps the most important fact: Getting your gear to work in different countries isn’t quite as simple as it should be, and there’s no single solution that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. Our picks should work for you, but you may have some random piece of equipment, or be traveling to some country, for which our “good for most” picks just won’t work. (Case in point: One Wirecutter editor visited Iceland recently. The house she stayed in had outlets unlike anything on Wikipedia’s chart, and the plug adapters she’d used elsewhere in Reykjavik didn’t fit at all. It turns out the mystery sockets belonged to an obscure Italian system from the 1960s that was popular in Iceland for a time. Luckily, the hosts had power strips in the house that her adapters fit into.) We’ll try to mention such potential caveats when we can, but the world is a big place, and when it comes to electricity and wall outlets, there’s a lot of variation. That’s important to keep in mind.

There are approximately 70 billion universal travel plug adapters on the Web. However, after spending 20 hours staring at them, I found there’s only about a dozen basic designs—and countless “companies” selling them. Among those dozen or so actually different products, I saw a few distinctions that helped narrow the field. Since most options had four USB ports, that seemed like a reasonable minimum to require. Their maximum power output, rated in amps, became a determining factor in our rankings. The higher the maximum output, the faster the port will charge your gear.

Some plugs came with a replaceable fuse, which seemed like a good idea, and a few included a replacement for said fuse, which seemed even better. This way, if either you plug the adapter into a sketchy outlet or a roommate at the hostel uses your adapter to plug in their completely necessary portable arc welder, the fuse will go, not your adapter. Then it’s just a matter of swapping in the included spare fuse and you’re good to go.

These fuses have a maximum power rating, and therefore the adapters have a maximum wattage rating. However, you shouldn’t be connecting anything with a high enough power draw to trip these fuses. Check out Do you need a voltage converter? for more information. The short version is that recharging portable electronic devices is fine, but powering anything that has a motor or heats up is not. Nearly every appliance or device has its power draw written on it somewhere , so worst case, you can compare that to what’s listed on the adapter. And so you don’t have to look it up, volts × amps = watts.

The other option we considered and tested is individual plug adapters. These small adapters attach to the prongs of your current charger so they’ll plug into a foreign outlet. In deciding which of these to test, we judged by size and available plug-type options. As you’ll see with our two picks, one is exceptionally small, and the other offers sturdier plugs that are available in a range of plug types that’s wide enough to cover you no matter where in the world you’re headed.

The universal travel adapters are far more similar to one another than they are different. However, getting in a dozen and playing with them for a while revealed that some felt better put together than others. After spending several minutes with each one, forcefully extending the various plugs, slamming them back in, and just being fairly rough with them, I found it easy to tell which felt like they’d last a few trips, and which wouldn’t. None felt like you’d own them for a lifetime. Since none are expensive, though, this didn’t seem like a major issue.

All had a US-style plug, so I tested each one in several outlets around my house—some new, some old. I didn’t find much difference in how they fit and worked. I connected several chargers and plugs to the output side of each adapter as well. Again, not much difference. Last, I checked how bright the LED on each was, since a too-bright LED keeping me awake has been a pet peeve of mine for years. Many USB chargers have LEDs bright enough to practically read from; I eliminated any universal adapter that had this problem.

For the plug adapters, I tried plugging in several devices, as well as inserting them into outlets around my house. I checked how tight the connections were and how they felt overall. Would they fall apart with simple use or perhaps hold up to being tossed around in bags for a few weeks or months?

In reality, the testing for all the adapter types didn’t reveal much variation in terms of performance. These are all remarkably similar products. How they felt to use and their different features played a far bigger role in establishing our final picks.

While all the universal travel adapters we tested included the same three types of plugs (plus the familiar US-style one), they differed in how many USB ports each had and how quickly they could charge—and that’s where the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter excelled. It has five USB ports: four of the standard USB-A size and one of the newer USB-C. (You may not have a USB-C device at the moment, but you likely will in the future.) These will let you charge, say, three phones, two tablets, and—via the adapter’s main plug—a camera battery that has its own wall charger, all at once.

In addition, and just as important, is the maximum power output: 5.6 amps. This was the highest of all the adapters we considered, which means you can charge more of your devices at higher speeds before hitting the max output.

Keep in mind that the maximum output per USB-A port is 2.4 amps, the max on the USB-C port is 3 amps, and if you’re using all five ports you won’t be able to charge every connected device at full speed—it’ll only give you that 5.6 amp output in total . The output is still far lower than what you can get from a decent USB charger combined with our pick for a simple plug adapter (more on that in the plug adapter section , below), but it’s significantly better than most universal travel adapters, which often max out under 3 amps total.

The Epicka has three sliders on one side, with a button on the other to lock/unlock your chosen plug in place. This arrangement feels more secure than the semi-locking or slide-locking system that some other universals use. However, this is plastic-on-plastic, so don’t expect a tank. As these things go, the Epicka feels sturdy. The US and Australia share a pair of prongs—you twist the prongs manually to set them up for an angled Australia-style outlet.

The four regular USB plugs are all on one side, which is tidier than the “flailing gibbon” look of some other universal adapters.

The above details were what put the Epicka at the top of our list, but the adapter has a few other features that are the cherry on top, so to speak. For instance, it comes with a small nylon case and a USB cable with a split end, so it works with either Micro-USB or Lightning devices. While the adapter has an LED to show you it’s working, the glow isn’t so bright as to be a distraction at night.

One last note. There are multiple Epicka universal adapters, and even Epicka can’t keep the names straight. We’ve seen this one called, variously, Universal Travel Adapter, International Travel Adapter, Travel Adapter-2, Universal USB Travel Power Adapter (2018), and even Universal Travel Adapter One Worldwide International Wall Charger AC Plug Adaptor with 5.6A Smart Power 3.0A USB Type-C for USA EU UK AUS Cell Phone Tablet Laptop (Grey). Best to follow the link above. Also, you may find another company selling a twin of this. The Epicka has the most reviews and offers free shipping with Prime. The other options we saw have few or no reviews, or charge outrageous shipping costs.

As with all of these adapters, I wouldn’t expect the Epicka to last forever. Given its locking design and case, it’s probably going to last longer than many others, but all of these are almost entirely inexpensive plastic devices. Just something to keep in mind.

While the prongs themselves felt secure, and being able to lock them into place was nice, it’s entirely possible that the size and weight of the adapter, plus whatever you’ve plugged into it, could pull it out of an outlet. That is, unfortunately, a risk with every universal adapter.

Another risk with any universal adapter—as we mentioned above—is that it’s not going to work where you’re headed. Epicka claims it will work in 150 countries, but there are more than 200 countries (the exact number is harder to pin down than you might realize) . And even in each of those 150 countries, there’s no guarantee that the adapter will work in every outlet in every building. Plug adapters are a somewhat safer bet to work specifically where you’re going, but they have their own downsides, which we’ll discuss below.

Also, while the Epicka is a little smaller than some of the others we tested, all universal adapters are much bulkier than plug adapters. As someone who has spent most of the past several years traveling, I feel plug adapters are far easier and less annoying to deal with. This is largely why we have two recommendations for that category.

The Ceptics Plug Adapter set combines everything we were looking for in plug adapters: small size, solid build quality, and—well, small size is really the thing here. Each adapter is no larger than it needs to be to fit over the American-style prongs of your charger. The plastic feels solid and not flimsy. Each adapter has the region or countries it should be used in written on the side. The five plugs in the set are the same four as you’ll find on the universal adapters recommended above, plus the thicker, round European-style prongs used in parts of France, parts of Asia, and elsewhere.

Though the set comes with a small case, you probably wouldn’t be traveling with the entire set very often. Instead, you’d pack just the specific adapter or adapters you’d be using on each trip. These are for the person who wants to travel as light and as simply as possible. I myself, and my friends who travel frequently, swear by these small, inexpensive adapters. Also, if you have a USB multiport charger you like or a charger that’s especially fast, you can use that charger with just a tiny, almost weightless plug at the end.

However, plug adapters aren’t for everyone, and that’s why they’re not our main pick. For one thing, if you don’t already own a multiport USB wall charger, you’ll still have to get one if you don’t want to carry a charger for each device. Also, depending on what you’re connecting with these plug adapters, your charger or device could wobble and maybe fall out. The connections inside are solid enough that this shouldn’t happen, but it’s possible. Our universal-adapter picks, as well as the other Ceptics set we discuss below, have a larger “face” for your charger to brace against—more like that of a traditional outlet—so there’s less chance of gravity having its way with your gear.

Being small and inexpensive, plug adapters are not built for high-power, high-wattage items, though hopefully we’ve persuaded you to leave those at home . If you’re charging a battery, you should be fine. If you’re running a motor, probably not. Laptops, yes; mini-fridges, no.

Last, these things being so small, you could easily lose them in your bag or leave them behind in an outlet somewhere, if you’re the type of person who loses things. (That’s why I usually keep mine connected to my charger.)

For a hardcore traveler like me, these are my pick. They’re cheap, light, and small, and they work.

Though made by the same company as the Ceptics International Worldwide Travel Plug Adapter 5 Piece Set—and bearing a confusingly similar name—the plug adapters in the Ceptics Adapter Plug Set for Worldwide International Travel Use are, as you can see, a completely different design. They’re much larger than the other Ceptics (let’s call the previous set Ceptics Black and this one Ceptics White for simplicity). Nonetheless, they’re each smaller than a universal adapter, and they have one key benefit over our top plug-adapter pick: You can purchase them in multipacks for individual regions, including regions beyond those covered by the Ceptics Black set.

The Ceptics White are small, but not as small as the Ceptics Black. That extra size does offer one benefit, however: These adapters have more of a face on the output side, so there’s more surface for your charger to lean against. This means your charger is less likely to fall out. Again, neither set of plugs we tested had loose connections, but this is always a risk, as chargers vary. One other difference: In place of the two-pronged US plug we saw (type A) in our other picks, this set includes the three-pronged grounded version .

The real benefit to the Ceptics Whites, however, is not their physical characteristics. This range is one of your only options if you want to buy a plug adapter for a specific region or country. Headed to India or South Africa ? A universal adapter probably won’t work, but you can get a three-pack of Ceptics that will. You can also buy the offset three-prong and in-line three-prong for Switzerland and Italy, respectively, as well as plugs for Israel and Brazil , both the thin and the thick European plugs, and of course, Australia and UK versions too. They cost less than $10 per set. Any of those links will bring you to a page that lets you choose among plugs for different regions—definitely verify at checkout that you’ve picked the correct ones!

These adapters are ideal for someone headed to a country not covered by a universal adapter, or who has multiple chargers they want to plug in while traveling. They’re not quite as compact as the Ceptics Black adapters, but for most people, this difference in size won’t be an issue. I’ve traveled with these Ceptics plugs for many years, and they show no signs of wear.

Every adapter you see in this guide merely sends the current from the wall directly to whatever you plug into it. These are not voltage converters. Which is to say, if you’re in the UK, whatever you plug into the front of the adapter is going to get the UK’s 220 volts/50 hertz electricity, not the 120 volt/60 hertz that you’d get in the US. Travel plug adapters don’t convert the voltage; they only convert the plug . (Our universal picks do convert the local current to USB voltage, but only for the USB ports.)

However, for the vast majority of people, this is all you need. It’s exceptionally rare that anyone would need a voltage converter anymore. This is because most so-called wall warts, like on your phone charger or your camera’s battery charger, will convert the wall voltage into what it needs automatically.

Take a look at your charger. Somewhere, it should say “100–220V 50/60Hz.” This means it can accept anything between 100 V and 220 V, which covers domestic electricity pretty much everywhere, and either 50 Hz or 60 Hz, which again covers everything. If your charger doesn’t say this, it might not work with a travel adapter. If it only says "120V–60Hz," it will almost certainly not work—or not work correctly—with a travel adapter.

But here’s the other reason we don’t recommend buying a voltage converter: Your device might not work even with one. Anything with a motor (like hair dryers), anything with a heating element (like a clothing iron or a curling iron), or anything with a plug that goes directly to the device (as in no wall wart), probably won’t work in another country regardless of what kind of converter or adapter you bring . The good news is, pretty much every hotel, hostel, and Airbnb will have a hair dryer you can borrow. This is one of those times where we can’t cover everything you might want to bring, but for the vast majority of you, you don’t need a voltage converter. Either it’s not necessary, or the device that needs one won’t work anyway. Worst case, if it’s something cheap and you really need it—a hot pot or an electric kettle, say—consider buying one at your destination.

One occasional exception is electric razors. These often fall into the “single cable, no wall wart, has a motor” category. Which is to say, they probably won’t work without a voltage converter. (Again, check the fine print near the plug or on the device itself.) Many hotels have a shaver plug in the bathroom , with a US-style outlet and US-style 110 volt-or-so voltage. However, not every hotel will have these, and they’re very rare in hostels and Airbnbs. If you need one, best to call ahead and see if your hotel has them. Or use disposables on your trip.

It’s worth noting again for clarity, USB is USB, so if you’re just plugging in a USB cable , unless something is horribly wrong, one USB port’s voltage is the same as any other USB port’s voltage. How fast that port will charge your gear will vary (that’s related to amperage), but unless the charger is faulty, a USB port shouldn’t damage your gear.

We considered many more adapters than those listed here. However, the majority of travel adapters available boil down to just a dozen or so designs sold by myriad companies. We’ve listed two representatives of each of the most common designs, but in most cases, many more exist. Chances are, if it looks similar and has similar specs, it’s probably the same inside.

Universal travel adapters

Askali, Unidapt , others: Only 3.4 amps maximum output, which means it’ll take longer to charge all of your devices.

Bluegogo  (currently unavailable): Only two USB and slower-charging than our picks.

Bonaker: Formerly our runner-up pick, this travel adapter had the usual mix of four plug types to cover you in most countries, but its four USB-A ports were slower than our top pick’s, and it had no USB-C port at all. It’s also since disappeared from Amazon.

Bonazza , Urbo , others: Feels flimsy, even compared with others here. Two-piece design is more cumbersome than helpful. Only 3.4 amps maximum output.

Ceptics Travel Power Strip : The Travel Power Strip combines the interchangeable-plug aspect of the Ceptics Plug Adapter Set with a two-outlet power strip and short extension cord. It also has USB-A and USB-C outputs. If you have multiple non-USB items you want to charge at once—a laptop and a camera charger, for instance—this is a good option. But we think most travelers will prefer the more portable brick design of our picks over this power strip.

Conair Travel Smart : It has only one USB port, with a maximum of 1 amp, but with three outlets, it’s one of the few travel adapters that lets you plug in multiple non-USB devices.

Monoprice Compact Cube Universal Travel Adapter : I own one of these, and it’s fine, but if you’re going the universal route, our picks have USB charging for just a few dollars more. If you don’t need USB charging, our plug-adapter picks are probably better choices. Insten is a similar product but with, apparently, surge suppression built in. But as there’s no way to change the fuse, this is likely one-and-done if you plug in something too powerful.

Mu One (currently unavailable): The Mu offered a much higher power output than other travel adapters: 45 watts, enough to quickly charge even a big-battery device such as a MacBook Air. However, after trying and failing to launch a Mu Two in 2020, the company went out of business. The name and remaining assets were bought by a company called Discovery Club, which seems to be selling off the inventory.

Ougrand (green) : Same shape as the Unidapt, but with a USB-C in place of one of the regular USB connections; 3.4 amp max total.

Huanuo  (currently unavailable): A bit bulky, with three regular USB ports and one USB-C; 3.4 amps maximum.

WGGE , Jollyfit : Only 2.4 amps max, less than either of our picks.

Plug adapters

Bestek Grounded Universal Worldwide Plug : Likely made in the same factory as the Ceptics White plugs, the Bestek set looks the same and is roughly the same price. It offers a wide variety of plug types, but lacks the Type C Europlug that’s common in most adapter sets and usable across most of Europe. (The Europlug was invented to fit into a wide range of European outlet types.) If our Ceptics White pick is sold out, these will also work.

Lewis N. Clark Adapter Plug Kit  (currently unavailable): This kit looks fine, but it is more expensive and has one less plug compared with our Ceptics pick.

Insignia Global Travel Adapter Kit  (currently unavailable): The Insignia has a clever interlocking and compact design, akin to that of the old Flight 001 universal adapter (Flight 001, the specialty travel-gear retailer, is now no longer operating in the US), and the individual plugs feel solid. However, it is expensive compared with our picks, and it doesn’t offer anything that you couldn’t do with our picks just by connecting them end to end (if you wanted to).

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Meet your guide

Geoffrey Morrison

Geoffrey Morrison is Wirecutter’s former AV editor, current editor-at-large, and a travel writer and photographer. He covers action cameras, gimbals, travel backpacks, and other gear. He has been to all 50 states and 60 countries, and he is the author of Budget Travel for Dummies and the sci-fi novel Undersea .

Further reading

The Best Travel Power Strips and Surge Protectors With USB Charging

by Sarah Witman

The best power strip for travel in North America is the easily packable Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector —our top pick for eight years running.

The Best Gear for Travel

by Wirecutter Staff

We put in another year and tens of thousands more miles of travel to test the best travel gear—and we stand by last year’s choices alongside a few new picks.

The Gadgets We Bring on Every Trip

by Haley Perry

You don't have to be a digital nomad to travel like one. Here are a few gadgets and accessories to make travel as painless as possible.

The Best USB-C Cables and Adapters

While Cable Matters’s USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable is our favorite USB-C option, we also have recommendations for almost every need you could imagine.

• Travel Insurance

The journalists on the editorial team at Forbes Advisor Australia base their research and opinions on objective, independent information-gathering.

When covering investment and personal finance stories, we aim to inform our readers rather than recommend specific financial product or asset classes. While we may highlight certain positives of a financial product or asset class, there is no guarantee that readers will benefit from the product or investment approach and may, in fact, make a loss if they acquire the product or adopt the approach.

To the extent any recommendations or statements of opinion or fact made in a story may constitute financial advice, they constitute general information and not personal financial advice in any form. As such, any recommendations or statements do not take into account the financial circumstances, investment objectives, tax implications, or any specific requirements of readers.

Readers of our stories should not act on any recommendation without first taking appropriate steps to verify the information in the stories consulting their independent financial adviser in order to ascertain whether the recommendation (if any) is appropriate, having regard to their investment objectives, financial situation and particular needs. Providing access to our stories should not be construed as investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any security or product, or to engage in or refrain from engaging in any transaction by Forbes Advisor Australia. In comparing various financial products and services, we are unable to compare every provider in the market so our rankings do not constitute a comprehensive review of a particular sector. While we do go to great lengths to ensure our ranking criteria matches the concerns of consumers, we cannot guarantee that every relevant feature of a financial product will be reviewed. We make every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information. However, Forbes Advisor Australia cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of this website. Forbes Advisor Australia accepts no responsibility to update any person regarding any inaccuracy, omission or change in information in our stories or any other information made available to a person, nor any obligation to furnish the person with any further information.

Tick Travel Insurance Top Cover Review: Pros and Cons

Published: Apr 24, 2024, 1:46am

When comparing Tick Travel Insurance’s pricing against cover levels in key areas, such as emergency medical expenses and trip cancellation, it can be considered a highly competitive player in the market. Travellers will likely appreciate the unlimited medical cover and $20,000 of cancellation cover available. Plus, the 24-hour medical emergency assistance line may offer added peace of mind. However, whether Tick Travel Insurance Top Policy will be suitable for you, will likely come down to whether cover levels across other areas of need will be high enough.

• Competitive pricing
• High levels of medical and cancellation cover
• High customer service rating
• Credit card fraud not covered
• Higher levels of luggage cover elsewhere
• Missed connections not covered

Table of Contents

About tick travel insurance, what does tick travel insurance cover, does tick travel insurance cover me for covid, pricing comparison, customer service, the bottom line.

Featured Partners

Fast Cover Travel Insurance

On Fast Cover’s Secure Website

Medical cover

Unlimited, 24/7 Emergency Assistance

Cancellations

Unlimited, (Trip Disruption $50,000)

Key Features

25-Day Cooling Off Period, Australian Based Call Centre, 4.6 Star Product Review Rating

Cover-More Travel Insurance

On Cover-more’s secure website

Unlimited, with a $2000 limit to dental

Yes, amount chosen by customer

Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Medical Cover

Including medical treatment, doctors’ visits, prescribed medication, specialist treatment & medical transport costs

$2,500 with option to increase to unlimited

Tick Travel Insurance is owned by Europ Assistance which is a part of the global Generali Group, and underwritten by Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Limited.

Generali is a large global insurance and asset management provider, while Europ Assistance says it has a presence in over 200 countries, providing comfort and empathy to customers in emergency situations, and an immediate global response.

Tick Travel Insurance’s aim is to make travel insurance simple, covering travellers up to age 100. It offers three levels of domestic travel insurance: Basic, Standard and Top and four types of international travel insurance: Basic, Budget, Standard and Top.

This review will focus on the most comprehensive offering for international travel, being the Tick Travel Insurance Top plan.

Tick Travel Insurance provides domestic and international cover, offering policies for single trips and annual cover for multiple trips in a year. The provider covers adults up to the age of 100, while dependent children, up to 18-years-old at time of purchase, are insured for free on an adult’s policy.

As typical of travel insurance, its policies cover trip cancellation or curtailment and journey resumption, due to unforeseen circumstances such as injury or illness, as standard. Cover for travel delay is available on the top policies, with a pay out of $100 per completed hour up to $1,000. Valid reasons for claiming include bad weather, a vehicle breakdown or strike, and experiencing a delay of more than 12 hours.

Tick Travel Insurance’s Top plan also includes the following standard benefits that form a part of most comprehensive travel insurance policies:

Lost Luggage

This insurer covers the cost of repairing or replacing your lost, stolen or damaged personal belongings up to $7,500. Take note of the $3,000 sublimit— individual limit— on how much you can claim for devices such as laptops, tablets, phones, video cameras and cameras.

Tick Travel Insurance offers unlimited medical cover, which includes cover for ambulance and emergency surgery, repatriation if necessary, and the death of you, or another person insured on the policy.

While the insurer can cover pre-existing conditions (medical conditions you had before taking out the policy), whether you will be eligible for this cover will depend on the details you provide, outlining the condition and its severity, in the medical screening section of the application.

Is Dental Cover Included?

This insurer also extends its cover to dental treatment, paying out up to $500. This is half of what many providers offer, and bear in mind that you can only claim for dental cover for situations where you need immediate pain relief.

Yes, protection against risks in relation to Covid-19 are covered by Tick Travel Insurance’s Top policy. The insurer accepts related cancellation and disruption claims, as well as medical claims for trips outside of Australia.

What About Pregnancy?

You can claim for an extensive range of pregnancy or childbirth complications up to 31 weeks into your pregnancy with this insurer. These include toxaemia, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.

What About Sports And Activities?

From abseiling, to jet skiing and motorcycling, insurance for 90 sports and activities is included automatically with Tick Travel Insurance.

Remember to look out for conditions for claiming. For instance, you will only be covered for three bungee jumps and can only kayak in grades 1 and 2 rapids or lower. Also, some activities may require safety gear that you will need to wear to make a valid claim.

Cover for personal liability and accidental injury only apply to certain activities, as specified in the PDS.

Compared to the competition, Tick Travel Insurance offers relatively decent to high levels of cover across the board for a super competitive price.

When comparing the price of its most comprehensive policy against those of Travel Insurance Direct and Allianz—two providers we rated highly for their comprehensive offering—it comes out on top.

The data below is based on a 28-year-old who needs insurance for Indonesia for seven days.

The above table shows how important it is to shop around for travel insurance, and weigh up your needs with your budget when comparing policies. Tick’s Travel Insurance’s Top policy is only $77, offers considerably more cancellation cover than its competitors for this price, and levies less in excess—the set portion of each claim you must pay.

However, it may not be suitable for those who need higher levels of cover in other areas such as lost luggage and rental car excess. You can find out exactly what a policy includes and excludes in its PDS, which is usually published on the insurer’s website.

You can also find out more about the comprehensive travel insurance providers Forbes Advisor Australia has independently rated the best.

Customers award Tick Travel Insurance a high score of 4 out of 5 stars across 2832 reviews on ProductReview, Australia’s leading consumer opinion site.

Satisfied customers were pleased with how simple they found the process of taking out insurance, and the price of their policy.

However, disgruntled customer complaints were varied. Some speak of technical difficulties with the provider taking payment and not offering a refund instead, trouble accessing their policy documents and rejected claims.

To speak to someone on Tick Travel Insurance’s customer service team, you can fill in the online query form or email: [email protected] .

For 24-hour emergency assistance, you can call: +612 9333 3963, and for emergencies and claims, email: [email protected] .

You can also send written correspondence to:

Customer Services Tick Insurance Australia Suite 1.04, Level 1, 19 Harris Street Pyrmont, 2009 Sydney NSW

Additionally, you can send a complaint via post, or email: [email protected] .

Tick Travel Insurance may be considered most suitable for those looking for reasonable to high levels of cover in key areas, for a competitive price. This includes unlimited medical cover and $20,000 for trip cancellation. In other areas cover levels are decent, but may not be suitable for all. Those taking away belongings worth over $7,500 or needing more than $4,000 in rental car excess may want to look elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where can i find the tick travel insurance pds.

A policy’s product disclosure statement (PDS) details what it covers, any exclusions and limitations or sublimits. It’s crucial that travellers read through this document before deciding whether to purchase the policy.

Typically, an insurer will provide a link to a policy’s PDS on its website. The PDS for Tick Travel Insurance’s policies, including its comprehensive cover, are also online .

What is Tick Travel Insurance’s phone number?

Existing customers and those with service queries can fill in Tick Travel Insurance’s online query form should they need assistance, or contact at [email protected].

For 24-hour emergency assistance customers can call: +612 9333 3963.

How good is Tick travel insurance?

We have awarded Tick Travel Insurance 3.7 out of 5 stars based on factors such as the unlimited amount of medical cover, and high level of cancellation cover, it provides. It also scores highly on customer review site productreview.com.au.

However, customers should note it does not cover you, if you fall victim to credit card fraud while away. Neither are you able to choose the amount of cancellation cover you need as with some other insurers. This may not be of concern, considering $20,000 for cancellation is automatically provided, which is a considerable amount, and Tick Travel Insurance policies are competitively priced.

I have been writing for newspapers, magazines and online publications for over 10 years. My passion is providing, in a way that is easily accessible and digestible to all, the knowledge needed for readers to not only manage their finances, but financially flourish.

• Best Comprehensive Travel Insurance
• Best Seniors Travel Insurance
• Best Cruise Travel Insurance
• Best Domestic Travel Insurance
• Travel Insurance Cost
• Pregnancy Travel Insurance Guide
• Travel Insurance For Bali
• Travel Insurance For Fiji
• Travel Insurance For The USA
• Travel Insurance For Thailand
• Travel Insurance For New Zealand
• Travel Insurance For Japan
• Travel Insurance For Europe

More from  

Travel insurance for vietnam: everything you need to know, was discovery travel insurance review: features, pros and cons, fast cover comprehensive travel insurance review: pros and cons, our pick of the best domestic travel insurance for australians, travel insurance for indonesia: everything you need to know, travel insurance for singapore: the complete guide.

• Get One: Tornado Alert Apps
• The Best Tech Gifts Under $100

The Best Wireless Travel Routers of 2024

Pocket routers for Wi-Fi networking on the road

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

• The Ultimate Router Buying Guide

Frequent travelers battling poor cell service, dubious security, and excessive hotel and airport Wi-Fi fees can benefit from a good travel router when working away from home.

The best wireless travel routers avoid these hassles by letting you set up a private bubble of Wi-Fi anywhere you happen to land, whether in a conference center, hotel room, or airport lounge. 

Most people should buy the TP-Link TL-WR902AC  - it's small enough to chuck in a backpack and can even double as a Wi-Fi range extender. If you also want a cellular connection as backup, the Netgear Nighthawk M1 is for you, as it doubles as a mobile hotspot for your hotel room or car.

What to Look For in a Travel Router

Best overall, tp-link tl-wr902ac travel router.

 Amazon

Compact size is ideal for frequent travelers

Doubles as a Wi-Fi extender

Included cables are short

TP-Link's TL-WR902AC is one of the fastest travel routers we've seen, which is especially impressive at this size and price. Measuring 2.64 x 2.91 x 0.9 inches and weighing in at only 8 ounces, it's small enough to carry in a pocket, briefcase, or backpack, so you'll be ready to set up your own Wi-Fi bubble anywhere.

For such a small device, the TL-WR902AC offers impressive dual-band Wi-Fi performance. It's also really versatile since it can be not only be used as a router or access point to create a wireless network but also as a range extender, private Wi-Fi hotspot, or even as a bridge to connect a wired device to a Wi-Fi network by using its built-in Ethernet port in the opposite direction. 

A built-in USB port lets you share files and media from a removable USB storage device, and it can also provide up to 2A of passthrough power to charge your smartphone or tablet. The only real downside is that the port layout can be awkward since the USB and micro USB power ports are on the opposite side of the Ethernet port. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best Splurge

Netgear nighthawk m1.

Great choice for heavy internet users

Supports up to 20 Wi-Fi devices at once

Long battery life

Doubles as a mobile hotspot

Very expensive

Can occasionally overheat

While it's not the most affordable option on our list, it's well worth the splurge if you need to get several devices onto the internet anywhere at blazing-fast speeds.

With support for up to 20 simultaneous devices, Netgear's Nighthawk MR1100 can quickly handle your whole family or project team, and unlike most travel routers on this list, the one works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot too. This means you'll be able to connect to its Wi-Fi network and get online even when there's no other Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection. It's also the first mobile hotspot to support Gigabit LTE , with 4X4 MIMO and four-band Carrier Aggregation. Hence, it can provide internet speeds rivaling your home broadband connection.

It's not just about LTE, though—the MR1100 also works as a traditional portable router. Just plug a standard internet connection into the Ethernet port to share access to your Wi-Fi devices. A large 2.4-inch color LCD screen also ensures that you can keep track of the router's status and how much data you're using. The rechargeable battery can keep you going for up to 24 hours before you need to charge it, and in a pinch, you can also use some of that capacity to charge your smartphone or other mobile devices. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11ac / 4G LTE | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: AC750 | Bands: Dual-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1 

TP-Link TL-WR802N N300 Wireless Portable Nano Travel Router

Fast single-band Wi-Fi performance

No USB port

Not the fastest internet speeds when connected to multiple devices

TP-Link’s TL-WR802N is an older single-band router that offers a surprisingly great range in its small package. While the single-band N300 rating won’t break any speed records, it still provides enough performance for lag-free 4K Netflix streaming and uninterrupted video conferences on Zoom. 

Like most travel routers, the TL-WR802N is designed for use by one or two users when you’re on the go, and the 300Mbps 802.11n speeds will likely be faster than the internet connection at most hotels and conference centers you find yourself in. This little pocket-sized router offers exceptional coverage, so you won’t need to worry about staying connected while roaming the boardroom. 

The N300 draws its power via a micro USB port that can connect directly to a wall charger or laptop, so you won’t have to worry about how to power it. It can also function as a repeater, Wi-Fi client, or extender for a public WISP hotspot. The only downside is that, unlike its dual-band sibling, the TL-WR902AC, it lacks a USB port, so you won’t be able to use it for sharing files. 

Wireless Spec: 802.11n | Security: WPA2 | Standard/Speed: N300 | Bands: Single-band | MU-MIMO: No | Beamforming: No | Wired Ports: 1

Best for Road Warriors

Gl.inet mudi gl-e750.

Works as a 4G LTE mobile hotspot

Open source

Excellent VPN support

No external antenna

The GL.iNet GL-E750 router is an excellent choice for road warriors who must stay connected securely and reliably anywhere they land.

With WireGuard encryption, support for multiple Open Source VPN protocols, and even Tor anonymous network routing, this router ensures that you can always have a secure and private connection to the internet if you're a relatively advanced user. Whether that's over your hotel's shared network or your carrier's LTE network, all your traffic will be encrypted, and you can even have an always-on tunnel back into your home or office network. 

It's not just for mobile LTE access, however; it's also a capable Wi-Fi access point, with dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support with 733Mbps throughput across both bands, along with a built-in battery that offers up to eight hours of use and a USB port and microSD card slots that can be used for sharing files with your connected devices. Since it's designed to be used from anywhere, it also features a built-in rechargeable battery that promises up to eight hours of use on a single charge. 

Lifewire / Andy Zahn

Most of the routers on the market are big and bulky devices. If you're parking them in a corner at home, this is a manageable problem, but they're not suited for taking the road with you.

This has given rise to a whole new category of travel routers: devices that are specifically designed to be highly portable—often small enough to be carried in a pocket—and run from internal batteries or a simple USB-powered connection that lets you plug them into a laptop or portable battery pack to create your own personal Wi-Fi network. 

Most importantly, since public Wi-Fi hotspots are usually insecure, a good travel router can also offer additional peace of mind by providing a private, encrypted Wi-Fi network for your traffic, securing the connections not only between your devices and the router but also making sure the traffic leaving the router is also encrypted. 

This means that you can take them just about anywhere you happen to land, whether it's between your home and the office, to a coffee shop where you might want to have more secure Wi-Fi, or on the road with you to use in hotels, conference centers, and airport lounges.

Bandwidth and Performance

When shopping for a router for your home, you're looking for enough range to blanket your home with the strong Wi-Fi signal you need to support streaming and gaming from multiple devices. 

Travel routers are different. You may find that even an entry level router—one that offers 802.11n support at 150Mbps speeds—is more than enough.

Wireless Frequencies: Single-Band vs Dual-Band

Like other wireless routers, travel routers come in single or multi-band versions, which refers to their frequencies. A single-band router works only on the 2.4GHz frequency, while a dual-band router offers both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies on two separate bands. 

Security and Privacy

As a bare minimum, every modern wireless travel router should include support for the Wireless Protected Access 2 (WPA2) encryption standard. This is even more important in a travel router you'll use in more public spaces.

While this probably isn't such a big deal if all you want to do is stream movies from Netflix, if confidentiality is essential, we strongly recommend using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when connecting through a travel router. While you can do this directly from your devices, you'll probably find it even simpler to pick up a travel router with built-in VPN support so that your connection is automatically encrypted as soon as you plug it in.

Connectivity

Almost all travel routers offer the same connectivity as your home router—turning a wired connection into a Wi-Fi network. However, as more hotels offer guest Wi-Fi networks instead of Ethernet jacks, you'll probably find getting a travel router that can also connect to a public Wi-Fi network is more beneficial.

There's also a category of travel routers that can act as mobile hotspots to offer internet access for your mobile devices over an LTE cellular network.

Even though most hotels already offer free Wi-Fi, it’s often struggling under the load of many people using it, so having a travel router can provide better performance, especially if you can plug it into a wired connection in your room. Plus, most public Wi-Fi hotspots are completely insecure, allowing your traffic to be easily intercepted by anybody else on the same Wi-Fi network. Using a router plugged into ethernet will also often save you money as you won't have to pay for the usable 'premium' internet package.

The best travel routers offer industry-standard WPA2 encryption—the same type of security used by your home router—which means that all of your wireless traffic is safe from prying eyes. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are open networks that use no encryption at all but keep in mind that if you’re using a travel router as a wireless extender for a public Wi-Fi hotspot, your traffic will still be unencrypted between your travel router and the hotspot. For the best security, use a wired connection or a VPN wherever possible.

Even if you use your travel router in your hotel room, internet traffic still travels over the hotel’s network. While most sensitive sites and services like email and online banking use SSL encryption, this won’t prevent the hotel or other public hotspot provider from seeing where you’re going; they just won’t be able to know what you’re doing. If you want to ensure your connection is as private and secure as possible, we recommend using a travel router with built-in VPN support.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• The Best Wi-Fi Range Extenders of 2024
• The Best Mesh Wi-Fi Network Systems of 2024
• The Best Netgear Routers of 2024
• TP-Link TL-WR902AC AC750 Travel Router Review
• The Best Long-Range Routers of 2024
• The Best Cable Modem/Router Combos of 2024
• The Best Parental Control Routers of 2024
• 5 Things to Consider Before Buying a Wireless Router
• The Best USB Wi-Fi Adapters of 2024
• Phones You Can Use With VoIP
• The Best Asus Routers of 2024
• How to Get Wireless Internet Access in a Hotel
• Can Two Routers Be Used on the Same Home Network?
• The 4 Best Ways to Get Free Internet in 2024
• The Best Cable Modems of 2024
• Guide to Laptop Networking Features

• Research New RV Models
• Compare RVs
• Read & Write RV Reviews
• Find RVs for Sale
• Find RV by Manufacturer
• Find RV by Brand
• Find a Dealer
• Estimate Your Payments
• Learn about Payments and Financing
• RV Tow Rating Guide
• RVing 101 for Getting Started
• Latest RV Trends & News
• Help for First Time Buyers
• The RVing Life

KZ Connect Travel Trailer

Get connected to the outside world with the KZ Connect travel trailer! These trailers are sleek and modern, and they come with an affordable price tag. With a king-size bed, residential kitchen, and an entertainment center, what more do you need to know?

Some of the key features found on the Connect are the optional Off-Grid Package, the RV Airflow system, solid construction, and the residential kitchen amenities. Each model is built for all seasons since there is added insulation, and the UVA and UVB resistant gelcoat Lamilux exterior fiberglass is ultra durable so you can enjoy your RV for years to come. Inside, you'll find upgraded linoleum throughout, an 82" ceiling height, flush-floor slide outs, and many more at-home comforts!

It's time to go, camp, and live with the KZ Connect travel trailer!

Travel Trailer

• Length: 28 ft 11 in
• Weight: 5860 lbs

31 Available Now!

• Length: 29 ft 5 in
• Weight: 5940 lbs

13 Available Now!

• Length: 30 ft 4 in
• Weight: 6460 lbs

18 Available Now!

• Length: 30 ft 8 in
• Weight: 6310 lbs

6 Available Now!

• Length: 31 ft 11 in
• Weight: 6890 lbs

12 Available Now!

• Length: 31 ft 1 in
• Weight: 6900 lbs

• Length: 32 ft 3 in
• Weight: 7270 lbs

23 Available Now!

• Length: 33 ft 11 in
• Weight: 6820 lbs

9 Available Now!

• Length: 32 ft 5 in
• Weight: 7170 lbs

• Length: 35 ft 3 in
• Weight: 7820 lbs

22 Available Now!

• Length: 35 ft 1 in
• Weight: 7680 lbs

14 Available Now!

• Length: 35 ft 8 in

1 Available Now!

• Length: 36 ft 1 in
• Weight: 7510 lbs

• Weight: 8470 lbs

• Length: 37 ft 1 in
• Weight: 7940 lbs

7 Available Now!

Enter your Zip Code to find RVs nearest you

Connect Features:

Standard Features (2024)

• 3/8" Fully Walk-On Roof Decking
• 1-Piece, Seamless, Walk-on, Tufflex Roofing Material w/Lifetime Warranty
• UVA & UVB Resistant Gelcoat Lamilux® Exterior Fiberglass
• Protective Front Diamond Plate
• KZ Easy-Catch Baggage Door Systems
• LED Exterior Lighting
• Outside Entertainment Prep (EXT 110V & cable outlets)
• (4) Stabilizer Jacks
• (2) 20# LP Bottles w/Bottle Cover
• Satellite & Cable Hookups
• 30 AMP Service
• 13,500 BTU A/C
• 2" Accessory Hitch
• Painted Fiberglass Front Cap w/Front Windshield
• Roof Vent in Bath
• Shower Surround
• Skylight over Tub
• Gas Struts on Bed Base
• High Thread Count Quilted Reversible King Bedspread
• 82" Interior Ceiling Height
• Hand-Crafted Mortise & Tenon Cabinet Doors
• LED Interior Lighting
• Linoleum Throughout
• Roller Shades
• Roller Ball Bearing Drawer Glides
• Water Heater Bypass
• 3-Burner Range w/Oven
• High-Rise Faucet

KZ Advantage Package (Mandatory)

• Enclosed Dump Valves & Water Lines
• 42,000 BTU Tankless Hot Water Heater
• Roof Ladder
• Solar Roof Prep
• Exterior Docking Station: Fresh Tank Fill, Pressure Fill, Outside Shower & Cable Hookups
• White Exterior Fiberglass
• Full Paint Fiberglass Front Cap w/Front Windshield
• Flip-up Entry Step (main entry)
• Full Glass Friction Hinge Entry Door w/Shade Prep & Screenshot Features
• Power Front Jack
• Key-Alike Program for Baggage & Entry Doors
• Magnetic Catches for Baggage Doors
• Large Folding Grab Handle
• Exterior Speakers
• Backup Camera Prep
• Equa-Flex Suspension
• Nitrogen-Filled Goodyear Tires
• Battery Disconnect Switch
• Climate Package (heated, insulated & enclosed underbelly)
• Leash Latch w/Bonus Beverage Opener
• Painted Hardwood Cabinet Doors
• Beauflor Flooring in Slideouts
• Residential Cabinet Door Hardware
• Lithium Ready Converter
• RV Airflow A/C System w/Air Filter - More Info
• Tri-Fold Sofa
• 70 1/2" Slide Ceiling Height
• (2) 12V USB Ports in Bedroom
• Multi-Media Entertainment System w/DVD
• Seamless Countertops w/Deep Undermount Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink
• Stainless Steel Lav Sink
• Bedroom Pillow Package
• Plywood Bed Base w/Gas Struts
• 12V Dual USB in Bunk Area
• (2) LED Motion Sensor Lights
• 70" x 80" Serta Comfort Foam King Mattress
• 36" Storage Bins at Dinette
• Kitchen Skylight
• Bright White LED Light Strip above Slideout (main LR only)
• Flush-Floor Slideouts
• Wider Pocket/Passage Interior Doors

KZ Convenience Package (Mandatory)

• One Control Monitor Panel
• KZ Engage: Powered by OneControl (monitors: battery levels, controls: slide rooms, leveling system, awning(s), inside/outside lighting, TPMS prep)
• Aluminum Wheels
• Power Awning w/LED Light Strip
• Omnidirectional HDTV Antenna w/Wi-Fi Prep
• LED Lights in Exterior Speakers
• Electric Fireplace
• Upgraded Linoleum
• 12V Refrigerator w/Dual Temperature Control
• Matte Black Residential Kitchen Faucet w/Spring Sprayer
• Accent Trim on Corners/Entry Doors
• Porcelain Foot-Flush Toilet
• Front & Rear Electric Stabilizer Jacks
• Wireless Backup Camera System – Observation
• 50 AMP Service for 2nd A/C (mandatory C262RLK, C282FKK, C302FBK, C302RBK, C312RE, C313MK)
• 15,000 A/C IPO 13,500 BTU
• Low Pro 15,000 A/C IPO 13,500 (C261RL & smaller)
• 2nd A/C – 13.5K
• Off-Grid Package: 2 110W Roof-Mounted Solar Panels, 30 AMP MPPT Solar Charge Controller w/MPPT Remote Panel & 1,200W Inverter (powers all GFI’s & 110V outlet next to bed & outside refrigerators)
• MaxxAir Vent Fan (bathroom only)
• Bedroom LED TV w/Inside/Outside TV Bracket
• Theater Seating w/Heat & Massage Features IPO Jackknife (N/A C302RIK, C313RL, C313MK)
• F/S Dinette Table & 4 Chairs IPO Dinette (N/A C231RK)
• 8 CU FT Gas/Electric Refrigerator

See us for a complete list of features and available options!

All standard features and specifications are subject to change.

All warranty info is typically reserved for new units and is subject to specific terms and conditions. See us for more details.

Due to the current environment, our features and options are subject to change due to material availability. 

Manu-Facts:

KZ was founded in the heart of Northern Indiana’s Amish country, and still calls this area our home. The first RV KZ offered back in 1972 was a truck camper, and was designed, fabricated and assembled by two employees. Then 12 employees. Then we added travel trailers. And 20 employees. Then fifth wheels. Over the years, as the product selection grew, so did the headcount. Today, the KZ campus covers 530,000 square feet of manufacturing space, includes over 600 employees and 12 product lines, and offers over 150 floorplans.

KZ is focused on becoming the most innovative RV company in North America, continuing to lead the industry with new and inventive products, and building a strong foundation for their constant growth. Great ideas can come from anywhere, and KZ encourages all employees to aggressively critique our products. Our product development committee is made up of representatives from every department who are charged with the task of sorting through the employee, retail customers, and dealer recommendations, and developing those ideas into innovative new products.

Growth is exciting, but only if it’s planned, and our growth won’t come at the expense of quality. KZ is a well-run company, a profitable company, and a well-liked company because its leadership team lets its employees know that it not only wants them to produce quality products, but expects them to take ownership of that quality. KZ is committed to building RVs with the same quality we want for our own families. This philosophy alone has influenced every step in the production process. It’s no wonder that KZ’s retail customer and dealer satisfaction index ratings are among the highest in the industry, and the reason we offer a two-year warranty on most brands.

People make a difference, and at KZ, our employees make all the difference in the world. As you’ll discover, no matter which of our dealers you choose to conduct business with, you’ll always be speaking with someone who takes you seriously and treats you with respect. Quality products and business integrity are a way of life with all our KZ dealers

• Credit Cards
• All Credit Cards
• Find the Credit Card for You
• Best Credit Cards
• Best Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best 0% APR Credit Cards
• Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards
• Best Cash Back Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses
• Best Credit Cards to Build Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
• Find the Best Personal Loan for You
• Best Personal Loans
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans
• Best Loans to Refinance Credit Card Debt
• Best Loans with Fast Funding
• Best Small Personal Loans
• Best Large Personal Loans
• Best Personal Loans to Apply Online
• Best Student Loan Refinance
• Best Car Loans
• All Banking
• Find the Savings Account for You
• Best High Yield Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Savings Accounts
• Best Big Bank Checking Accounts
• Best No Fee Checking Accounts
• No Overdraft Fee Checking Accounts
• Best Checking Account Bonuses
• Best Money Market Accounts
• Best Credit Unions
• All Mortgages
• Best Mortgages
• Best Mortgages for Small Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for No Down Payment
• Best Mortgages for Average Credit Score
• Best Mortgages No Origination Fee
• Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• Affording a Mortgage
• All Insurance
• Best Life Insurance
• Best Life Insurance for Seniors
• Best Homeowners Insurance
• Best Renters Insurance
• Best Car Insurance
• Best Pet Insurance
• Best Boat Insurance
• Best Motorcycle Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Event Ticket Insurance
• Small Business
• All Small Business
• Best Small Business Savings Accounts
• Best Small Business Checking Accounts
• Best Credit Cards for Small Business
• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Tax Software for Small Business
• Personal Finance
• All Personal Finance
• Best Budgeting Apps
• Best Expense Tracker Apps
• Best Money Transfer Apps
• Best Resale Apps and Sites
• Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Apps
• Best Debt Relief
• Credit Monitoring
• All Credit Monitoring
• Best Credit Monitoring Services
• Best Identity Theft Protection
• How to Boost Your Credit Score
• Best Credit Repair Companies
• Filing For Free
• Best Tax Software
• Best Tax Software for Small Businesses
• Tax Refunds
• Tax Brackets
• Taxes By State
• Tax Payment Plans
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• All Help for Low Credit Scores
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
• Best Personal Loans for Bad Credit
• Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit
• Personal Loans if You Don't Have Credit
• Best Credit Cards for Building Credit
• Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score Lower
• Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower
• Best Mortgages for Bad Credit
• Best Hardship Loans
• All Investing
• Best IRA Accounts
• Best Roth IRA Accounts
• Best Investing Apps
• Best Free Stock Trading Platforms
• Best Robo-Advisors
• Index Funds
• Mutual Funds
• Home & Kitchen
• Gift Guides
• Deals & Sales
• Sign up for the CNBC Select Newsletter
• Subscribe to CNBC PRO
• Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Terms Of Service
• CNBC Sitemap

Follow Select

Our top picks of timely offers from our partners

AIG Travel Guard insurance review: What you need to know

Whether you need an annual plan or a policy for a last-minute trip, travel guard can deliver..

Travel Guard is one of CNBC Select 's picks for best travel insurance , thanks to its wide range of customizable policies. But are any of them right for you? Below, we review the provider and its offers and how they compare to the competition to help you choose the right travel insurance for your next trip.

Travel Guard review

Other insurance offered, how it compares, bottom line, travel guard® travel insurance.

The best way to estimate your costs is to request a quote

Policy highlights

Travel Guard offers a variety of plans to suit travel ranging from road trips to long cruises. For air travelers, Travel Guard can help assist with tracking baggage or covering lost or delayed baggage.

24/7 assistance available

• A variety of plans are available to help cover different types of trips
• Not all products are available for purchase online

Travel Guard® is a global travel insurance provider specializing in plans for leisure and business travelers. Its online travel insurance packages include five options, from basic and last-minute trip coverage to more comprehensive plans. This allows travelers to pick a plan that best matches their situation.

For example, budget-minded travelers might go for the Essential Plan which offers basic protections, such as trip cancellation, interruption and delay insurance, coverage for lost, damaged and delayed baggage, and medical, evacuation and death coverage.

On the other hand, the Deluxe Plan — the most comprehensive option — adds such extras as missed connection coverage, security evacuation, travel inconvenience benefits and more. It also boosts high limits for essential coverages.

Last-minute travelers can opt for the Pack N' Go Plan which only includes certain post-departure coverages. Or, if you travel often, the Annual Plan can cover your trips throughout the year.

Finally, Travel Guard offers "offline" travel insurance packages, meaning you'll have to call if you're looking for a specialty plan.

Coverage types

Depending on the plan, here are the types of protection Travel Guard can include in your package:

• Trip cancellations
• Trip interruption
• Baggage coverage
• Baggage delay
• Travel medical expenses
• Travel inconvenience benefits (reimbursement for such situations as runway delays, cruise diversion and other unforeseen situations)
• Medical evacuation
• Trip Saver (reimbursement for meals, hotels and transportation if you need to begin your trip sooner due to weather or airline changes)
• Trip exchange (reimbursement in case you have to cancel your trip and book a new one due to covered unforeseen circumstances)
• Security evacuation (due to a riot or civil disorder)
• Flight guard (coverage for accidental death or dismemberment that occurs when traveling by plane)
• Pre-existing medical conditions exclusion waiver

You can also customize your plan with add-ons, such as car rental insurance and "cancel for any reason" coverage .

Travel Guard landed on our list of the best travel insurance companies thanks to its variety of coverage. With plenty of options to choose from, both online and offline, it's easy to build a policy that meets your needs.

Travel Guard also features 24-hour concierge services that you can use to book a new flight in case of an emergency or delay.

The provider's website also offers informational resources — here, you can check travel news, read safety tips and find general travel advice. Additionally, the website lets you modify your plan, file a claim and check its status, or apply for a voucher or refund.

As of writing, Travel Guard doesn't offer any discounts. That's common for travel insurance — you're more likely to find deals when shopping for other types of insurance, such as home and auto insurance .

Travel Guard is a portfolio of travel insurance and travel-related services offered by AIG Travel, a member of American International Group (AIG). AIG also offers life insurance and a variety of business insurance products.

Travel Guard makes it easy to get a travel insurance policy customized to your needs. But before you purchase coverage, it's always a good idea to shop around.

For example, if you're going on a cruise, you might want to look at Nationwide Travel Insurance . The provider advertises cruise-specific insurance with three plan options available. This type of coverage is designed with issues unique to cruises in mind — from ship-based breakdowns to missed pre-pard excursions.

If you're planning a more active trip filled with rock climbing or sky diving, Berkshire Hathaway offers the AdrenalineCare® plan which features coverage for unforeseen costs that result from participating in extreme sports on your trip, as well as reimbursement for sporting equipment delay. Pre-existing conditions are covered under this plan (if you meet qualifying conditions).

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection has multiple plans to cover vacations from luxury travel to adventure travel. The brand's LuxuryCare offers the highest limits of travel insurance coverage offered by the company. Quotes and policies are available online.

As you can see, offerings vary by provider. It can be helpful to compare multiple companies and the plans they offer to find what works best for you. It's even better if you gather several quotes to ensure you're getting a good price for your policy.

Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox.  Sign up here .

Travel Guard offers plenty of ways to customize your policy, making it a solid choice for travel insurance. You can also access additional options by giving Travel Guard a call. However, make sure to check out other travel insurance companies too — comparison shopping is essential when picking any type of financial product.

Why trust CNBC Select?

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of insurance products . While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

Catch up on CNBC Select's in-depth coverage of  credit cards ,  banking  and  money , and follow us on  TikTok ,  Facebook ,  Instagram  and  Twitter  to stay up to date.

• How Quicken Simplifi can help you get a grip on your spending Elizabeth Gravier
• IRA vs CD — what's the difference and which one should you pick? Andreina Rodriguez
• 3 best Chase balance transfer credit cards of 2024 Jason Stauffer

Ad-free. Influence-free. Powered by consumers.

The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.

We don’t recognize that sign in. Your username maybe be your email address. Passwords are 6-20 characters with at least one number and letter.

We still don’t recognize that sign in. Retrieve your username. Reset your password.

Forgot your username or password ?

Don’t have an account?

• Account Settings
• My Benefits
• My Products
• Donate Donate

Save products you love, products you own and much more!

Other Membership Benefits:

Suggested Searches

• Become a Member

Car Ratings & Reviews

2024 Top Picks

Car Buying & Pricing

Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?

Car Maintenance & Repair

Car Reliability Guide

Key Topics & News

Listen to the Talking Cars Podcast

Home & Garden

Bed & Bath

Top Picks From CR

Best Mattresses

Lawn & Garden

TOP PICKS FROM CR

Best Lawn Mowers and Tractors

Home Improvement

Home Improvement Essential

Best Wood Stains

Home Safety & Security

HOME SAFETY

Best DIY Home Security Systems

REPAIR OR REPLACE?

What to Do With a Broken Appliance

Small Appliances

Best Small Kitchen Appliances

Laundry & Cleaning

Best Washing Machines

Heating, Cooling & Air

Most Reliable Central Air-Conditioning Systems

Electronics

Home Entertainment

FIND YOUR NEW TV

Home Office

Cheapest Printers for Ink Costs

Smartphones & Wearables

BEST SMARTPHONES

Find the Right Phone for You

Digital Security & Privacy

MEMBER BENEFIT

CR Security Planner

Take Action

Best Strollers

Most Popular

Features & Specs

Price & shop.

Unlock to see our ratings and compare products side by side

Ratings Scorecard

Test Results

Stroller Performance

Reflects the stroller's performance in our tests of safety, ease of use, and maneuverability.

Car Seat Performance

Reflects the car seat's performance in our tests of crash performance, ease of use, and fit-to-vehicle.

• Excels at removing embedded dirt from carpets
• You must bend to adjust the pile height

Unlock for unbiased ratings and reviews for products and services you use everyday

Detailed Test Results

Travel System ratings are generated by combining CR test results from our Stroller and Car Seat ratings categories. Detailed test results on each product can be found in the links below.

Detailed Stroller results

Detailed Infant Car Seat results

The Graco Verb Click Connect Travel System is part of the Strollers test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Travel Systems models like the Verb Click Connect Travel System are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Stroller Performance: Reflects the stroller's performance in our tests of safety, ease of use, and maneuverability.

Car Seat Performance: Reflects the car seat's performance in our tests of crash performance, ease of use, and fit-to-vehicle.

Stroller accommodates baby 0-6 mos. without car seat

The manufacturer's specification of whether the stroller seat can safely accommodate infants from birth to 6 months, who can't sit up on their own, without a car seat, and without any accessories that would have to be purchased separately.

Car seat weight range

The manufacturers' specifications for the car seat - they can accommodate a child weighing from X to Y lbs.

Car seat height range

The manufacturers' specifications for the car seat - they can accommodate a child from A to B inches in height.

Car seat carrier weight

The weight of the carrier portion of the car seat.

More From Consumer Reports

Oops you no longer have digital access to ratings and reviews..

Reactivate now to get the information you were looking for!

You will get digital access to reviews and ratings for over 8,500 products and services to help you make better choices for life’s big moments and the everyday ones in between.

If you feel you have received this message in error, please view our customer care FAQs or access your account information here.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Products

I Walked 26+ Miles at Disney in These Comfy $20 Sneakers With Zero Pain or Blisters

One shopper said they were like walking on air.

If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Ali Faccenda / Amazon

There’s one place I’ve traveled more than anywhere else on the planet — Walt Disney World. I’ve been there well over a hundred times, and I even worked at the Magic Kingdom park in 2016, so if there’s anything I know about traveling like a pro at Disney, it’s that you must have a reliable handbag and comfortable sneakers. 

My latest shoe obsession is the Avia Elevate Athletic Sneakers from Walmart, which cost only — drumroll, please — $20 (yes, you read that right). The sleek, all-white shoes were my go-to on my latest trip to Florida and required zero break-in period. 

Avia Elevate Athletic Sneakers

If there’s one thing you can count on at Disney, there will be a ton of walking. I walked over 26 miles in the Avia sneakers without a single ounce of pain or blister (averaging a little over 12,000 steps a day)  — I was shocked, especially at the affordable $20 price point. They feature a classic lace-up front, memory foam sole, and supportive arch that kept me comfortable during long days at the parks. I also didn’t notice any excessive foot sweat, and mind you, it was a blistering 90 degrees multiple days.

Ali Faccenda

In the past, I’ve often worn sneakers that didn’t have enough support, sacrificing comfort for style (I love a cute park outfit after all), and left me with shin splints and sore feet. Thankfully, this sleek pair of sneakers was stylish and comfortable, and the all-white colorway matched every outfit I packed. Aesthetically, they held up well and stayed looking like new even by the end of my travels. 

Other shoppers had similar sentiments about the reliable footwear , with one shopper saying they felt like walking on air. Another reviewer couldn’t get over the affordability, praising the sneakers for being comfortable and accommodating for anyone with a wide foot. 

Grab your own pair of Avia Elevate Athletic Sneakers for just $20 at Walmart, and keep scrolling for other affordable, shopper-loved styles. 

Avia 5000 Performance Sneakers

Avia air sneaker 2, avia comfort performance sneaker.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.

See More T+L Shopping Deals

Content on Jalopnik Advisor is commercial in nature and independent of Jalopnik Editorial and Advertising. Jalopnik Advisor content is free to consumers and always will be, however we and our partners may be compensated if you purchase a product or service through the links on this website.

KZ RV Review: 4.0 Out Of 5.0 Stars

Kz rv overview, kz rv lines, kz rv build quality, kz rv customer support, kz rv warranty, kz rv reviews and ratings, kz rv review: is kz a good rv manufacturer, faq: kz rv reviews, kz rv review.

KZ RVs may not be a household name outside of the recreational vehicle (RV) world like some of the industry’s best RV brands . But for plugged-in RVers, the company is a well-known entity. Over the last five decades, the company has developed a reputation for quality campers, as evidenced both by industry awards and glittering KZ RV reviews.

We wanted to put that reputation to the test. This KZ RV review takes an in-depth look at the company’s costs, quality, customer support, and owner reviews. You can use what you learn to help you decide if KZ is the right RV manufacturer for your new RV.

Between KZ’s well-earned reputation for quality, its large selection of models, and its better-than-average warranty program, the brand is a solid choice for a camper manufacturer at multiple price points. Although there are some of the same complaints you’ll find with any RV brand about quality and service, its strengths earned the company a strong 4.0 out of 5.0 stars in this KZ RV review.

KZ got its start in the RV world making truck campers, operating out of a gas station in Middlebury, Indiana, in 1972. Since then, the company has relocated to nearby Shipshewana where it now produces full lines of travel trailers, fifth wheels, and toy haulers.

While the company–like many–now falls under the Thor Industries umbrella, it has maintained a reputation for producing high-quality towable RVs. KZ makes travel trailers, fifth-wheels , and toy hauler RVs. It doesn’t make motorhomes like Class A , Class B , or Class C RVs. You can find those from brands like Jayco and Forest River .

While it tends to be a little more expensive than some of its competitors, RV buyers can find campers from KZ across the price spectrum. The brand has multiple options in the entry-level category under $30,000 , like the KZ Connect and KZ Sportsmen lines. But the brand also offers a few luxury campers that sell for more than $100,000 brand new.

As with almost every RV manufacturer, you have many options when it comes to features and amenities that you can have built into your KZ RV. These options can easily push an entry-level model into mid-range territory or even higher.

KZ produces 14 lines of RVs, each with its own range of models and floor plans. While some of these lines only feature models in one category, several have models in multiple categories. Different lines offer different sizes and amenities and, as a result, come with different price points.

KZ RVs have a long-held reputation for build quality. When company founder Daryl Zook sold the company to Thor Industries in 2014, many KZ fans were understandably concerned that the company wouldn’t be able to maintain its quality standards. However, so far, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

As a testament to that quality, KZ has won the Dealer’s Satisfaction Index (DSI) Quality Circle award an impressive 18 out of the 25 times it has been issued. Five of those awards were won from 2014 until now.

The DSI Quality Circle award is issued every year by the RV Dealers Association to the top 10 manufacturers in the RV industry, rated on dealer satisfaction. Reliability and quality are some of the primary considerations in this survey. Clearly, RV dealers think very highly of the brand’s quality and have for some time.

In addition to its reputation for build quality, KZ has also built a reputation for providing helpful after sales service. Its customer service phone number is easy to find on the website, although the company does not make it clear when representatives are available. 

But much of this reputation likely has to do with the abundance of resources the company makes available to its customers. On its website, KZ offers links to helpful resources like:

• Owner’s manuals
• Towing guide
• Self-service support
• Vacation planner

Like most RV companies, KZ also has an owners forum where people can share information and ask questions. However, this forum is not as active as those of some other brands, so it may not be as helpful as some. Still, it’s a good place to connect with other KZ owners who might have insight into your particular model.

KZ touts its warranty heavily on its website. Branded as “KZ True 2,” the company’s warranty is a two-year “hitch-to-bumper” warranty. This is an extra year of protection compared to many other big names in the RV industry.

It’s important to note the KZ True 2 warranty doesn’t come with every model. Most models come with a one-year warranty. However, you’ll get the company’s two-year warranty on these products:

• Durango half-ton fifth wheels
• Durango fifth wheels
• Durango Gold fifth wheels
• Connect SE travel trailers
• Connect travel trailers
• Sportsmen fifth wheels
• Sportsmen destination trailers
• Sportster toy haulers
• Venom V-Series toy haulers
• Venom toy haulers

As with all warranties, it’s important to read the fine print carefully. Companies often include terms and exclusions to warranties that make them cover less than most people would assume. Despite the company’s strong reputation, you should always make sure you know exactly what is and isn’t covered by your warranty.

Based on the company’s reputation for quality and service, it should come as no surprise that it holds an A+ rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This top rating from the organization indicates that it handles complaints from customers well.

Reviews from customers do vary a bit online. KZ has an overall 3.6 out of 5.0-star rating on RVInsider , which is above average for the site. Customers gave KZ three or more stars for the Livability, Overall Quality, Floorplan, and Driveability/Towing categories. Curiously, however, they only gave it 2.7 stars in the Warranty category.

Positive KZ RV Reviews

Customers mention just about everything when they leave favorable KZ RV reviews. But the overall build quality and amenities are frequent topics of these reviews.

“Has lots of great options. I love the pullout tubs that go under the u-shaped dinette for easy pull out storage. It had a huge pantry. It has USB charging ports at every bed.” – Jonathan, 2021 KZ Connect

“Very good quality and the fit and finish–the best we have had and this is our fourth RV. It is built with full-time RVers in mind. The rear kitchen and lots of counter space is the best we have seen in any brand.” – Bert, 2017 KZ Durango Gold

Negative KZ RV Reviews

KZ has its share of negative reviews online as well. Most of the people who leave these unfavorable reviews describe quality issues and problems with their dealership.

“It has been at the dealership twice for more than four weeks each time being repaired. The main AC went out, the awning had to be replaced, the pipes are leading in the bathroom, [and] the molding has come loose on the ceiling.” – Troy, 2016 KZ Spree

“Within one month the silicon around the kitchen sink failed and the countertop [delaminated]. The bulb seal along the slide out is dry rotting and cracking. The slide out also leaks into the main cabin if you get caught driving in the rain.” –Tim, 2019 KZ Connect

Despite some reports of quality issues, it’s clear that KZ continues to earn its reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality RVs. You only need to look as far as the fact that it consistently earns a spot among the top RV manufacturers in the DSI Quality Circle awards to confirm.

KZ offers towables at multiple price points, making it an accessible brand for a wide range of people. The company’s two-year “hitch-to-bumper” warranty is also a strong selling point–although it is a little disappointing that this warranty doesn’t come with all models.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about KZ RVs and not much to dislike about the company. For people looking for a dependable RV in the towable category, KZ would be an excellent place to start.

Who manufactures KZ RVs?

KZ RV is one of the many RV brands owned and operated by Thor Industries . Thor also owns a number of other popular RV brands including Airstream, Dutchmen, Jayco , Heartland RV, Keystone RV, and Thor Motor Coach.

Where are KZ travel trailers made?

KZ manufactures its travel trailers in Shipshewana , Indiana . It has manufactured its RVs since the company was founded in 1972.

What is the KZ climate package?

KZ RV offers a climate package option that adds insulation to your camper . This option can improve heating and cooling efficiency by up to 40 percent, according to the manufacturer.

When did KZ sell to Thor?

After just over four decades in business, KZ sold its outstanding shares to Thor Industries in 2014.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

More on RVs:

The Best RV Brands

Dutchmen RV Review: Is Dutchmen A Good RV Brand?

Crossroads RV Review

Grand Design RV Review

Forest River RV Review

RV Buying Guide

Used RV Buying Guide

5 Best Class A Motorhomes (Guide)

5 Best Small RV Campers And Motorhomes (Guide)

5 Best Fifth-Wheel RV Campers

5 Best Class B RV Motorhomes

5 Best Class C RV Motorhomes

An official website of the United States government Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
• Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
• Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
• Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

'Conan O'Brien Must Go' is side-splitting evidence of life beyond late night TV

Eric Deggans

Conan O'Brien dresses as a Viking in Norway. Conaco/Max hide caption

Conan O'Brien dresses as a Viking in Norway.

To be honest, when I first heard Conan O'Brien was ending his TV talk show in 2021, I assumed news that he might turn to variety shows and online programs to continue his career was some combination of face-saving and wishful thinking.

But after watching the four episodes of his new Max series Conan O'Brien Must Go , it's now obvious — even to a thickheaded critic like me — that leaving late night TV really was liberating for O'Brien. He's leveraged his unique sensibility into several different podcasts, a deal with Sirius XM , specials featuring other stand-up comics and now this travel series for Max — which resembles jokey specials he did for cable channel TBS back in the day.

And as the late night TV genre crumbles under sagging viewership and the decline of traditional media, O'Brien's renaissance also provides an example for the future — where fertile comedy minds and talented performers can spread their work over a much larger canvas.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Is conan o'brien the best 'hot ones' guest ever discuss., learning a lesson from 'hot ones'.

O'Brien already made a splash recently with his brilliantly maniacal appearance on the interview-while-eating-hot-wings show Hot Ones , slobbering over hot sauces while claiming, as he was checked over by a fake doctor, that "I'm fine! I'm perfectly f*****g fine!"

This is the place where O'Brien shines — he's called it "this strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid" — and it's on full, freakish, super silly display in every episode of Conan O'Brien Must Go .

The conceit of the show is pretty simple. O'Brien heads overseas to visit average folks in Norway, Argentina, Thailand and Ireland who had once Zoomed in to speak with him on the podcast Conan O'Brien Needs a Fan . Sometimes the visits seem like a surprise — he catches one aspiring Norwegian rapper in shorts and Crocs after popping up on his doorstep — and others seem a bit more planned, including his visit to a radio show with about four listeners in Buenos Aires.

Each episode begins with a solemn monologue which sounds like it is delivered by the film world's most eccentric voice, German filmmaker and actor Werner Herzog (he's not credited in the show and when asked, a publicist at Max shared a quote from O'Brien: "I can neither confirm nor deny the voice in question.")

The torturous accent by "Herzog" makes every line sound absurdly hilarious, describing O'Brien as "the defiler ... with dull, tiny eyes ... the eyes of a crudely painted doll ... he scavenges in distant lands, uninvited, fueled by a bottomless hunger for recognition and the occasional selfie."

Now that's smart. And oh so stupid.

A funhouse mirror version of a travel show

O'Brien performs onstage with a fan in Norway Conaco/Max hide caption

O'Brien performs onstage with a fan in Norway

Fans of O'Brien's Conan Without Borders specials on TBS already know what his style is when he tackles a travel show — throwing himself into outrageous reactions and situations while working his quirky brand of improvised conversations with hapless bystanders.

In the Max series Conan O'Brien Must Go , that includes O'Brien offering screechy vocals onstage during a performance of a Norwegian emo/rap band. Or asking provocative questions of a couple therapist/sex expert. Or getting beat up in a "fight" with a 10-year-old boy in a bar.

It's all an excuse for O'Brien to unleash his energetic wit, taste for silly absurdity and skill at drawing laughs from sympathetic — if often befuddled — strangers. Whether you enjoy this special will depend on how you feel about O'Brien's style, which can feel a bit like the world's best class clown doing everything possible to make you crack a smile.

(Rent a family in Norway so they can say goodbye when he gets on a SeaCraft? Check. Get local artists to paint a mural of O'Brien, a soccer star and The Pope on the side of a building in Argentina? Double check.)

'Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend' Is A Joke Name For A Podcast — Sort Of

But what amazes in a larger sense is how O'Brien has turned his sensibility into a comedy brand to fuel work on many different platforms. And, at age 60, with more than 30 years as a comedy star, he's been released from the shackles of any genre to shine wherever he chooses — whether it's an episode of Hot Ones or a streaming service which sometimes looks like a collision between True Detective and 90 Day Fiancé .

Leaving late night TV as late night left him

I'm old enough that I started covering TV not long after O'Brien made his first move from the shadows of life as a comedy writer – he worked on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons — to succeed David Letterman in 1993 as host of NBC's show Late Night (now hosted by Seth Meyers). Back then, NBC gave O'Brien years to figure out the show, honing his smartly serious comedy in a way that would inspire then-teenage fans like Seth Rogen and Bill Hader .

O'Brien left NBC after a disastrous deal where the network tried to make him host of its venerated late night program The Tonight Show and also keep its former host Jay Leno at the network. He moved to a late night show on TBS in 2010, but even then, there was a sense that his creativity was a bit hemmed in by the format.

After 28 Quirky Years, Conan O'Brien Is Leaving Late Night

By the time he left his TBS show Conan for good, it seemed O'Brien was already caught in a trend which would hobble other late night shows — as young viewers consumed his content online and ratings on cable dropped.

Now, with a podcast and digital media company worth many millions and growing status as a TV comedy legend still willing to do almost anything for a laugh, O'Brien is proving there is a successful life beyond late night.

Particularly, if you have the talent to play the fool while leaving little doubt you're also the smartest person in the room.

Is Southwest about to end its free-for-all seating?

The company says it is ‘very seriously studying’ alternatives to its signature open-seating system.

Southwest Airlines fans know the drill: Check in to your flight exactly 24 hours in advance and secure your spot in line to board the plane. What seat you’ll end up in? That’s a mystery until the last minute.

A puzzle to some and an invigorating challenge to others, Southwest’s unique boarding process and one-class cabin are now under the microscope as the airline looks for ways to prop up its financial performance. In a call with investors Thursday, Southwest CEO Bob Jordan said executives are “very seriously studying” seating and the way passengers board the planes.

“It’s been several years since we last studied this in-depth, and customer preference and expectations change over time,” Jordan said. “We are also studying the operations and financial benefits of any potential change.”

Unlike most airlines, Southwest doesn’t have a premium section on its planes that commands higher fares. Where other carriers might charge extra for a cushy seat in the first few rows or an extra-legroom option near the front, Southwest customers can grab whatever seat is open. A spot near the front won’t come with any additional frills, however.

In a news release announcing quarterly earnings, a conference call discussing those results and an interview with CNBC , representatives said they were taking a deep look at customer preferences around seating and boarding. The current open-seating system was put in place when airliners were generally less full, the company said, noting that preferences change as planes fill up.

“There’s no decision, there’s nothing to report other than we are seriously looking at this,” Jordan said in response to a question about seating. “But early indications both for our customers and for Southwest look pretty darn interesting.”

While Southwest has contemplated the possibility of assigned seating for nearly two decades at least , the review has accelerated over the past six months, the CEO said. Jordan said the company will say more during an event for investors in September. The company has also recently said that it is preparing to add red-eye flights in the next couple of years.

Today, Southwest passengers can pay more to end up in a better seat, even without picking that seat in advance. Upgrades that provide priority boarding and early check-in give customers the first pick of spots. The airline makes “hundreds of millions of dollars” from those upgraded boarding options, executives said last year.

“They’re in kind of a pickle regarding revenue generation, so they’re looking at everything,” said Robert W. Mann, a consultant and former airline executive. “I think what they have seen is that when they’ve tweaked their existing cattle call … they find it to be very lucrative.”

He said that if the airline could deliver a more “pleasant” boarding process, or seat selection for a fee, it would probably be attractive to travelers.

“There’s nothing about their boarding process that they couldn’t improve,” Mann said.

Travel analyst Henry Harteveldt, president of Atmosphere Research Group , said he did research more than a decade ago that found a large number of people avoided Southwest because it did not offer extra-legroom seats, assigned seats or a premium business-class cabin. He said that the airline could make “an enormous amount of money” by adding assigned seating — and that travelers would probably welcome knowing what seat they would end up in.

“I think it could be an incredibly positive thing for the airline, but I recognize that Southwest has a more-than-50-year history of being egalitarian, of having open seating and being different from other airlines,” he said.

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ Is a Keeper: TV Review

Legendary talk show host and hot wing evangelist returns to television with hilarious new Max travel show

By Stephen Rodrick

Stephen Rodrick

• ‘The Dynasty’: How the Apple TV+ Documentary Chronicled the New England Patriots’ Legacy After Their Championship Run 2 months ago
• SXSW Doc ‘Clemente’ Showcases the Enduring Influence of a Pioneering MLB Star 2 months ago
• Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos on ‘Poor Things,’ Crazy Rehearsals and Never Making a Taylor Swift Joke Again 2 months ago

The key to understanding Conan O’Brien’s comedy is knowing that it comes from a point of kindness. Yes, I know in this age of comics punching down , this kind of compliment may leave you with a neon “Must Avoid!” sign flashing in your bleary eyes — but stay with me.

Popular on Variety

Conan’s three-decade run as a talk show host ended in 2021 under less-than-optimal circumstances , as he wound down his TBS show during the pandemic year. He talked to longtime sidekick Andy Richter , who sat among dozens of cardboard cutout fans. O’Brien quipped that they were last in line for the vaccine because the CDC had looked at the shows and “they said ours is the least essential of pretty much all the non-essential shows.”

There was some truth in that, but Conan had already started his move to other outlets , starting with his “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” podcast in 2018.

The podcast is funny and sweet, especially the pre-interview segments with longtime associate Sona Movsesian and producer Matt Gourley. Conan mocks Sona’s legendarily bad work habits. and Gourley’s flea market predilections, but any kind of comedic acid is reserved for the self-lacerating O’Brien. (On a recent episode, Conan runs down his own looks, and it is cruel and hilarious, but part of me is thinking, “Dude, cut yourself a break.”). The only time things get contentious is when Conan visited by longtime friend Kevin Nealon — perhaps the podcast’s best episodes.

The podcast had an offshoot called “Conan O’Brien Needs a Fan,” on which O’Brien would talk to a fan, often in a faraway land. That led to O’Brien traveling to Norway, Thailand, Ireland and Argentina to meet them. Why? Well, a dour and ominous narrator, aka Werner Herzog, offered this rationale at the beginning of each episode: “Once a proud talk show host, he’s been driven by a changing ecosystem to a drier and harsher climate: the weekly podcast. Here , without the nourishment of his studio audience, this clown with dull , tiny eyes, the eye of a crudely painted doll , is forced to feed on that meagerest of morsels: the random call-in fan. Unhinged by the feral scent of their mild enthusiasm. He scavenges in distant lands uninvited, fueled by a bottomless hunger for recognition , and the occasional selfie.”

It’s a self-deprecating bit, but it’s also the truth. Conan has been doing travel shows for years, most notably one to Movsesian’s native Armenia , as well as a chaotic trip to Finland where O’Brien is treated as a god because of his physical resemblance to the Finnish president who happens to be a woman. He clearly loves the journey. And he loves the comedy set piece–see his classic “Old Timey Baseball” opus — which has always been an essential part of his appeal.

The encounters work because O’Brien doesn’t treat his new friends as fools — rather , he revels in the fact that he is the fool. (See his instant-classic appearance on “Hot Ones,” the show where interviews are conducted while the celebrity consumes increasingly acidic chicken wings. Conan rhapsodizes on comedy being all around us as green-yellow mucus drips down his nose.) Of course, there are exceptions made for old friends. Conan goes out for asada in Buenos Aires with the effete and erudite Jordan Schlansky, a longtime producer and frenemy. Schlansky and Conan are the Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon of American cable , and on his TBS show and podcast the two have tangled over Japanese customs, Conan hosting Schlansky’s bachelor party in his own office, and Schlansky hiding an expensive Espresso machine in an inaccessible part of their offices. (As with the Courtney Thorne-Smith segment, Conan’s visceral malice toward Schlansky works because it is so out-of-character).

During the Argentina episode, they get into a fierce argument about the proper pronunciation of the word “tango,” Conan then licks Schlansky’s favorite cut of meat — wait, that came out wrong. After, they go on an ill-fated trip to the Pampas, where both fail spectacularly at gaucho life.

Not everything works. O’Brien does a self-referential bit about the expensive drone he is using on the first show , and for the next four episodes I am distracted every time I see a beautiful shot thinking about the drone’s specifications and capabilities. Some of the stuff goes on a bit long, but so does my writing.

These are minor quibbles. If you’re a Conan fan, you’ll treasure the trips, just like his completists treasure encounters with a masturbating bear. The series ends with Conan tracing his family’s roots in Ireland. He comes across his ancestor’s land, makes a few jokes, but then looks at the land, clearly moved. Conan O’Brien has played the fool long enough; we grant him this moment of humanity with all our hearts.

All four episodes of “Conan O’Brien Must Go” are now available on Max.

More From Our Brands

Miranda lambert surprises stagecoach 2024 with reba mcentire, debuts new song ‘wranglers’, inside a $3.3 million one-bedroom condo in l.a.’s famed sierra towers, messi’s road show shatters another attendance record, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, fire country: did luke’s bombshell blow up [spoiler]’s future michael trucco teases what’s ahead, verify it's you, please log in.