Scott and SadieIf you asked travelers what they’d like airlines to offer, people would say: Free baggage . . . free wifi . . . compensation for delayed flights . . . and, well, these days, a SAFE LANDING. But most people wouldn’t have asked for this:
JetBlue has announced a new partnership with a start-up called “WeatherPromise” for a new program that will reimburse travelers if it rains on your vacation. This IS legit . . . although it isn’t for EVERY flight.
Here’s how it works:
1. You book a vacation through them. The guarantee is available on “eligible flight and hotel packages” booked through JetBlue Vacations. There’s protection offered for all trip components, including car rentals and activities.
2. You know if your trip is covered because: You PAY for it. Yes, nothing is free, and this looks like it’s a kind of travel insurance. There’s not one set price that you’d pay . . . it varies by the trip.
“Travel and Leisure” tried it out. The weather guarantee for an 11-day trip to Punta Cana, in the Dominican Republic, cost about $111.
It would provide a reimbursement of up to $2,500 . . . equivalent to the total cost of the trip . . . if it rained for at least three days.
3. A little rain doesn’t count. It has to be “excessive rain.” Which is a little vague. WeatherPromise uses A.I., satellite imagery, weather stations, and radars to provide a custom-made “excessive rain” thresholds for trips.
In the Punta Cana example, it’d have to rain at least THREE of the 11 days . . . and they considered it a “day of rain” if it rained more than 0.04 inches for more than two hours between 8 A.M. and 8 P.M.
4. The reimbursement is processed automatically. There’s no paperwork to file, and you still get to take the trip.
You shouldn’t expect to get your vacation paid for because the weather isn’t perfect. It’s basically a way to make you feel more comfortable booking a trip to Florida during hurricane season . . . stuff like that.
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