Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make payment online?
You may complete an online payment by logging into My Account and selecting "Payments." Then, select "Click Here to Apply a New Payment" and follow the onscreen instructions.

What forms of payment does Gate 1 accept?
All payments due are in US Dollars. We accept payment in form of electronic check (e-check), personal check, wire transfer, major credit cards or debit cards. Payments made within 30 days of departure must be made by credit or debit card. Third-party credit cards are not accepted. Payments made by wire transfer must include an additional $25 wire transfer fee. There is a $35 fee for returned checks including payments made electronically.

To whom should I write the check?
Check payments should include your Reservation number in the memo section and be made payable to Gate 1 Travel Ltd. Please note for a quick and simple way to pay by check, you can log into your account and pay by electronic check (e-check).

Where do I mail a check?
Check payments should be mailed to:

Gate 1 Travel
455 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034

Can I send a bank check or money order?
Yes. Gate 1 accepts payment in US Dollar by check, bank check, or money order. Payments made within 30 days of departure must be in the form of a certified check, money order, credit or debit card. There is a $35 fee for returned checks.

Can I pay with a debit card?
Yes. Debit cards are accepted and act in the same way as credit cards. Please note that in some cases debit card limits may not be sufficient for larger payment amounts. In addition, the cash payment discount does not apply to payments made via a debit card.

When is my final payment due?
Your exact final payment date is indicated on your invoice which may be viewed by logging into My Account. In general, final payment is due 90 days prior to departure. For reservations with cruises to Antarctica, Greenland or the Galapagos Islands, final payment is due 120 days prior to departure. Full payment for airfares or packages with instant purchase requirement is due at the time of booking. Final payment for special events, some customized groups, or sea cruise sailings may be earlier and will be displayed on your invoice.

How much is my final payment?
The amount of your final payment will be noted on your invoice and can be accessed by logging into My Account.

Why can't final payment be completed over the phone?
For bookings made via our Reservations Center, the required deposit will be collected via credit card. The balance may only be paid via an online credit card transaction, electronic check (e-check) or by mailing a check.

How do I know if Gate 1 received my payment?
You will be notified by email that your payment was received and applied to your reservation. You may also access your reservation by logging into My Account.

Why do I see two different prices on my invoice?
There are two different amounts for balance due because Gate 1 offers a 5% discount if the final balance is paid by cash or check. Note the discount does not apply to payments made via a debit card.

When will I receive my e-Documents?
Once final payment has been received and processed, documents will be sent via email approximately 21 days prior to the beginning of your tour services.

Can I get paper documents?
Paper documents may be sent upon passenger request. There is a shipping and handling fee of $30 for each set of paper documents:
Paper documents will be delivered between 14-21 business days prior to the beginning of your tour services. In limited instances, a paper voucher/ticket is required by our vendor. In these instances, the costs for shipping and handling will be borne by Gate 1 Travel.

How do I access and print my documents?
Your documents may be accessed by following the instructions in the notification email. These include signing into your account with Gate 1 Travel using your email and password via https://www.gate1travel.com/reservations/

Do I receive anything else with my e-documents?
No. Gate 1's e-document package includes (where appropriate) all local contact details, daily itinerary, airline e-ticket information, service vouchers, and travel tips and represents everything you require to complete your trip.

How do I know where to find my airline ticket?
With few exceptions, airline tickets are issued electronically. The airline confirmation number and ticket numbers stated in your documents represent your airline "ticket(s)."

If I need one, who is responsible to obtain my visa?
You are responsible for obtaining the proper travel documents for the destinations on your itinerary, including to have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure and a visa if required. Please check the information at www.gate1travel.com/visas/ for the specific country/region you are visiting for more details.

IMPORTANT: Passengers who are not U.S. citizens must check with the respective consulate or a visa agency to determine what personal identification is required. Passengers who enter, leave and then re-enter the same country on their itinerary should check if they require a double-entry visa. Passport applications are available at most U.S. Post Offices, as well as at regional Passport Agencies.

What is meant by the term "visa"?
A visa is a special permission granted to an individual to enter a foreign nation. Many nations require individuals to be approved for travel within their borders. This is something that is required in addition to a valid passport. Visa requirements vary based upon the country/ countries to be visited and your nationality.

How do I know if I need a visa?
For a complete list of visa requirements for US citizens and contact information for non US citizens, please visit: http://www.gate1travel.com/visas/. Should you require a visa and prefer to use a visa service, contact details are provided at the same link.

How do I obtain a visa?
A visa may be obtained by contacting a visa service or by contacting the embassy or consulate of the nation you are visiting prior to departing your home country. Please find contact information here: http://www.gate1travel.com/visas/

How much does a visa cost?
There will be a cost associated with utilizing a visa service and also with approaching the embassy or consulate directly to obtain a visa. These costs often change with little notice. We recommend that you contact the appropriate embassy or consulate directly for the most up to date information. Please find contact information here: http://www.gate1travel.com/visas/

What are optional sightseeing tours?
Optional tours are offered to travelers interested in additional sightseeing, meals or activities to supplement the included components of our tours. You may choose to participate in some, all or none of the optional tours which are priced individually. Complete descriptions and prices are listed with each program on our website.

When can I add optional tours?
Optional tours are available for purchase any time up to one week before departure.

Can I purchase optional tours locally?
Yes, when traveling on an escorted tour, optional tours may be purchased locally from the Tour Manager. However, Gate 1 cannot guarantee the rate and availability of these services when purchased locally. Tours purchased locally are subject to current exchange rates and may cost up to 10% more.

Can I add optional tours for only select individuals on my reservation?
Yes. For assistance, please call Gate 1 Reservations.

Why should a guest purchase Travel Protection?

Since many months could pass between the time a guest books their trip and the time of travel, unexpected events could happen to the guest, a family member or traveling companion which could prevent them from going and cause financial loss. Travel Protection helps protect the guest's tour cost before their trip and during the tour.

Pre-departure benefits include trip cancellation coverage when the guest is unable to travel for reasons such as:

• Injury or illness to you, a family member or traveling companion even if you have a pre-existing medical condition (Important restrictions and purchase deadlines apply---see below)
• Your home or your destination suddenly made uninhabitable
• Jury duty or court order requiring you to appear as a witness

When traveling, Travel Protection coverage includes:

• Emergency medical expenses. Please note that many health care plans do not provide coverage outside the U.S. leaving the guest responsible for all costs if they don't have Travel Protection
• Reimbursement for out of pocket meals and accommodations when your flight is delayed, cancelled or you miss your connection
• Reimbursement for lost or damaged baggage

For Plan highlights and rates, click here (https://www.gate1travel.com/shared/docs/insurance/arch-highlights-rates-apr2021.pdf)

For complete description of coverage, click here (https://gate1.archinsurancesolutions.com/description-of-coverage)

When is Trip Protection active?

Travel Protection coverages (except Pre-Departure Trip Cancellation and Post Departure Trip Interruption) will take effect on the later of 1) the date the plan payment has been received by the Policyholder; 2) the date and time you start your Covered Trip; or 3) 12:01 A.M. Standard Time on the Scheduled Departure Date of your Covered Trip.

Can I add Trip Protection for select individuals on my invoice?

Yes. For assistance, please call Gate 1 Reservations.

I need to cancel my trip and have not purchased insurance, what do I do?

Penalties vary depending on your services and how close to departure you are at the time of cancellation. For more information on our flexible change policy, visit http://www.gate1travel.com/terms.aspx

What is Cancel For Any Reason Coverage?

Cancel for Any Reason is a non-insurance feature that allows you to cancel up to 72 hours before your scheduled departure for any reason not otherwise covered in the Travel Protection Plan. Independent or escorted tour reservations will be eligible for a future travel credit equal to the full cost of your trip, less the cost of initial deposit, airline-assessed fees, amendment fees, and insurance premium. Sea or river cruise reservations will be eligible for a future travel credit equal to 50% of the cost of your trip, less the cost of initial trip deposit, airline-assessed fees, amendment fees, and insurance premium. For full details including terms and conditions on how the travel credits can be used, click here https://www.gate1travel.com/insurance

How do I purchase Cancel For any Reason Coverage?

The Gate 1 Cancel for Any Reason Waiver Benefit is administered by Gate 1 Travel and must be purchased at the same time as the Travel Protection Plan as well as within 21 days of the original booking date. Cancel for Any Reason waiver cannot be purchased separately except for residents of New York, Missouri & Minnesota. CFAR may be selected during the initial booking process or by accessing the Options menu of existing reservations.

Why is it important that I give my name as it appears on my passport when booking air?
Pursuant to TSA Secure Flight requirements, passengers are responsible to provide Gate 1 Travel with their full name as it appears on their passport (or other government-issued I.D. when traveling domestically), date of birth, gender, address, phone number, email and redress or known traveler number (if available) for all passengers. Failure to provide the required TSA information for your air reservation can result in delays at the airport during the check-in process and/or flights canceled prior to departure by the airline. As a result, any name change including minor spelling corrections may require airline reservations to be canceled and rebooked. Name changes should be advised in writing at gate1travel.com/contactus.

Can I reserve a seat assignment?
Airlines offer reserved complimentary seat selection on most flights prior to departure, either at time of booking, once tickets are issued, online on the day of departure, or at airport check-in. When selecting airfare at time of booking, you will be able to determine when seats will become available to reserve, based on your flight selection. As a courtesy service, airline seat assignments are requested on your behalf and, when available, are displayed in order of Passenger #1, #2 and so on. Assignments reflect the best available seats at the time of booking. Some airlines and/or fare types do not allow for pre-seating and require this be done once tickets are issued, online on the day of departure or at airport check-in only; in this case, the display shows "N/A". Some airlines offer preferred seating for an additional fee; these seats may only be purchased directly from the airline and only after tickets have been issued. You will need your family name and the 6-digit airline "Record Locator" which is displayed with the flight details on your reservation.

Once confirmed, are airlines seats always guaranteed?
In most cases, seat assignments are firm. However, seats are subject to change by your airline including, for example, when there is a schedule change or equipment change after your initial booking; this may cause seat assignments to be changed or even cancelled. In the event that you change seat assignments directly with your airline, changes will not be reflected on your invoice or documents. At the time that Gate 1 travel documents are issued, the currently assigned seats will be listed based on the assignments stored in your airline reservation at that time. Should you have questions regarding your assignments, please write to us at gate1travel.com/contactus.

Should I check-in at the gate?
Yes, we recommend that you check-in online with the airline (normally available up to 23 hours prior to your flight departure) or at the check-in machine and/or desk upon arrival at the airport. Failure to check-in will result in you being considered a "no-show" and your remaining flights being cancelled.

Can I request a special meal on the flight?
Yes requests can be made for special meals. These requests will be sent on your behalf to the airline so long as Gate 1 receives request prior to documents being issued. The availability of special meals varies based upon carrier and routing and thus is at the discretion of the airline. Special meal requests may be submitted in writing at gate1travel.com/contactus.

Can I use my frequent flier miles?
Accrued frequent flier miles cannot be used toward the purchase of Gate 1's airfare or used for class upgrades, however, airfare purchased through Gate 1 Travel may qualify to earn you additional miles. Gate 1 Travel will record frequent flier numbers when provided by the passenger prior to travel documents being issued. However, the addition of frequent flier numbers to airline records does not guarantee mileage eligibility which is at the sole discretion of each airline. If you wish to add frequent flyer number(s) to your existing airline reservation, you may submit these in writing at gate1travel.com/contactus.

Am I guaranteed to earn miles on airfares purchased through Gate 1?
Passengers are responsible to contact their airline directly regarding mileage eligibility and accrual. Airline frequent flier programs determine whether to award miles in part or total based on their own rules which are updated frequently. Some discounted or promotional airfares are not eligible for mileage accrual. Gate 1 Travel will record frequent flier numbers when provided by the passenger prior to travel documents being issued. However, the addition of frequent flier numbers to airline records does not guarantee mileage eligibility which is at the sole discretion of each airline. Some discounted or promotional airfares as well as some code-share flights are not eligible for mileage accrual. Some private airfares, such as a "Gate 1 Travel Airfare", are not eligible for mileage or may qualify for reduced mileage, even if the same airline class of service is eligible for full mileage when sold as an "Instant Purchase" published airfare. Not all published airfares are eligible for mileage. Please note that airline schedule changes may result in flights which were originally eligible for mileage accrual no longer being eligible. We highly recommend passengers to provide their frequent flier account information whenever checking in online and/or at the airport check-in desk. After travel has commenced, it is often not possible to apply for frequent mileage credit. Passengers are also responsible to determine whether previously earned mileage may be applied to flights to secure upgrades.

How do I know what my airline baggage allowances are for checked and/or carry on bags?
The number of complimentary checked bags allowed for your flight itinerary are displayed on your booking and invoice. Where available, we highly recommend selecting airfares which include at least 1 piece of checked baggage. Checked baggage allowances displayed on reservation details and invoices reflect the applicable allowance at the time of booking but are subject to change by your airline(s). Many checked bags are typically limited to a total dimension of 62 inches by adding length + width + height (example: 26"+26"+10" = 62"), and a maximum weight of 50 lbs (23kg); however dimensions and weight allowances may differ by airline. In addition, regional flights in some destinations have lower weight allowances which will be advised in your travel documentation. For specific requirements of your airline and for a complete list of fees (where applicable), please visit gate1travel.com/baggagefees

How do I add my Known Traveler Number (KTN) to my airline reservation?
Please submit the KTN number(s) at gate1travel.com/contactus. Please be careful to list each passenger(s) name and respective KTN number(s) for accuracy. There should be 9 digits in each KTN.

When will my airline tickets be issued?
In most cases, you will find this information on the face of your reservation below the flight itinerary. In most cases, tickets are issued based on the type of airfare selected and as follows: For Instant Purchase Airfare and Gate 1 Airfare with Instant Purchase Requirement, airline tickets are purchased at the time of booking and tickets are issued almost immediately. For Gate 1 Airfare, airline tickets are reserved at the time of booking, but tickets are not issued until after a timely package Final Payment has been received, and then typically within 7 days of the receipt of Final Payment. There are some exceptions, where tickets may be issued closer to 30 days prior to the date of departure.

How do I know if my airline tickets been issued?
You may check this on your reservation. Below the flight itinerary, in most cases, it will indicate if tickets have been issued. If tickets have not been issued, an estimated date of ticket issuance will be indicated. If you are unable to find the ticket status on your reservation, you may submit your question in writing at gate1travel.com/contactus.

What is the difference between Gate 1 Airfare, Gate 1 Airfare with Instant Purchase Requirement and Instant Purchase airfare?
We offer 3 types of airfare in conjunction with our programs:
Gate 1 Travel Airfare (Pay with Final Payment) This is the most flexible option which is based on private contract agreements between Gate 1 Travel and selected airlines and only available to Gate 1 passengers. Flexible airfare which may be cancelled without fees prior to final payment. Tickets will be issued after final payment, usually no later than 30 - 60 days prior to departure. Once issued, tickets will be subject to airline imposed change/cancellation fees which vary between $300 per ticket and up to as much as 100% of the airfare.
Gate 1 Travel Airfare with Instant Purchase Requirement (Pay Now) This option is also based on private contract agreements between Gate 1 Travel and selected airlines and only available to Gate 1 passengers, however needs to be purchased at time of booking. Full airfare payment due at the time of booking. Tickets will be issued immediately upon booking and will be subject to airline imposed change/ cancellation fees, between $300 per ticket and up to as much as 100% of the airfare. Once issued, any change in itinerary or name(s) will require cancellation and rebooking of a new ticket. We highly recommend that you select and pay the Travel Protection Plan at the time of booking.
Instant Purchase Airfare (Pay Now) This option is based on published airfares with the airline and, while sometimes offering an attractive airfare, typically also has more restrictions. Full airfare payment due at the time of booking. Airfare payment will be charged directly by your airline. Tickets will be issued immediately upon booking and will be subject to airline imposed change/ cancellation fees, between $300 per ticket and up to as much as 100% of the airfare. Instant Purchase tickets are more likely to be non-changeable and non-refundable than Gate 1 Airfares. Once issued, any change in itinerary or name(s) will require cancellation and rebooking of a new ticket. We highly recommend that you select and pay the Travel Protection Plan at the time of booking.

What is required when I check-in?
ALL ticketed passengers must show positive identification at check-in. Children must have a parent present at check-in. Tickets must be in each passenger's name.

What is required with International travel?
An international trip may require valid travel documents such as passport, visa, re-entry permit, health certificate, inoculation record, a ticket for the return journey or continuance of your trip, or ANY combination thereof. Passengers are responsible for the proper documentation. Concerns about the required travel documents may be resolved by contacting the appropriate consulate or embassy.