Listen...all these travel companies...Priceline or American Airlines, or whatever...they figuratively and literally have a button in their computer they can push to refund your transaction whether the rules call for it or not. Agents at all these companies have tremendous discretion. I have probably used Priceline about 25 times in the last year. There was one time when I missed a hotel reservation. I thought the hotel, since I am a frequent guest, would take care of it and let me stay another night. I didn't even need a refund. However, the hotel gave me the BS Priceline run around about how rules are rules, etc. They must get some kick out of doing this once in a while. I then contacted a travel writer and contacted Priceline. I don't know if the writers intervention had anything to do with it, but shortly there after, I received an email that they would be refunding my money as an exception. I have also heard of cases where people were allowed to use Priceline rooms on different dates than were originally reserved. There was one time also on a Priceline air reservation that I was able to get 3 out of 4 segments upgraded, and one segment was a covetted "double upgrade," from coach to biz to first.

I'm not saying folks should go out of their way to try to change travel plans, but I want people to understand that no matter which one of these companies you are dealing with, they do have a button in their computer they can push to make it right for you. They want you to believe that it is exceedingly difficult for any kind of exception to be made, but really it is just a series of keystrokes that someone would be making in to their terminal. I hate when these companies try to tell you their is absolutely nothing they can do when in fact it is more like "we won't do anything."

That being said usually I book P/L with in about 2-3 days of my need when I am very sure of what I want. Any kind of P/L change you make, besides situations like a hurricane, you will either be very lucky to get an accommodating agent at the supplier you deal with or you will be put through a hassle where you have to call and write Priceline and "beg" for your refund or exchange .