If you have plans to stay at a KOA, heads up! Once known for its flexible cancellation policy, the big campground giant quietly changed all that last fall. Need to cancel your reservation? KOA’s cancellation policy could cost you dearly.
KOA’s cancellation policy kills 24-hour window
Starting October 1, 2024, KOA eliminated its flexible 24-hour cancellation window. Here’s the “new and improved” policy:
• RV and tent sites: 7 days’ notice required
• Lodging: 14 days’ notice required
• All cancellations: $20 administrative fee
• Late cancellations: Forfeit entire deposit
For RVers who value flexibility, this is a significant shift away from what made KOA attractive for spontaneous or uncertain travel plans. Here’s a chart to show the differences.
How much could this really cost you?
How much financial pain could this translate to? Well, let’s say your RV breaks down on the way to the KOA. In “the old days,” as long as your reservation was more than 24 hours away, then you’d get a refund, less a $10 admin fee. If you canceled less than 24 hours from arrival time, bye-bye deposit. Now, you’d best break down more than a week before or you’ll lose the whole deposit.
How much does KOA charge for a deposit? KOA’s standard deposit policy requires you to plunk down money equivalent to one night’s stay when you book. That can vary depending on the specific campground and the timing of your reservation. Book on a holiday weekend, or during other “special events,” your deposit could amount to the cost of your entire stay. The 7-day cancellation policy could bite your wallet hard.
KOA’s cancellation policy “ruffles my old feathers”
Not all RVers are happy with the KOA cancellation policy. One wrote on social media, “We’ve stayed at a few KOAs over the years and to read their new ‘policy’ [it] ruffles my old feathers a tad. Hopefully, they will take into consideration those who are on the way and have a breakdown on the road and call to say they can’t be there that day, or suffer a last minute illness or some other experience beyond and out of their control, etc. Hopefully that will be taken into consideration?
“But if this is a ‘blanket’ policy with no exceptions to the rule, then we will do our best not to stay at KOAs unless it’s just a drive in off the road for a one-nighter hoping they have availability.”
At least one person tried to see KOA’s side of the issue, responding, “While exceptions due to unforeseen circumstances sure sound nice, they really don’t work from the ownership side.
“You wouldn’t believe how many times a close relative ‘dies’ the day a guest is scheduled to arrive. And once the word gets out those exceptions are made, rigs suddenly falling apart and relatives becoming hospitalized with deadly diseases somehow spread through the reservations like a wildfire.”
It’s true, there are some who will surely try to game the system. But replacing a 24-hour cancellation window with a week’s advance notice is sure to chap some RVer’s hides.
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RVT1212
KOA is overpriced anyways. Many viable options are cheaper and offers great amenities.
A lot of campgrounds now have the 7 day policy. When I make reservations, I just pay for the first night and pay the balance when I get there.
If for any reason I can’t make the trip in that period, I only lose the one night deposit.
I really think the reasoning is the fact some make multiple reservations in the same area and then cancel them when they find a nicer or more convenient spot.
I now have another reason to never stay at a KOA again.
I have only stayed at a KOA if that was the only option. Once in a while that KOA option was good. During my more than 50 years of weekend, long weekend and vacation travel I have never paid in advance for more than one night and by good fortune have never had to cancel. Both quality and price of KOAs can have great variables. Generally, I avoid them as too expensive.
Gary, have you ever traveled through Maine and New England? Most campgrounds, at least in Maine, ask for half down for as many nights of your stay. There is a campground in Arundel, Maine, near Kennebunkport, that kept a $900 deposit on a couple when they had to cancel their reservation because of a cancer diagnosis for the Mrs. They wouldn’t even offer a credit to be used later if things worked out for them.
We have always enjoyed KOA’s. Locations are convenient and the amenities are good. But a seven day window is not acceptable when your camping/travel plans are not planned for every destination. I am a VIP member. I am sure that will change since other campgrounds will be the priority
Thank you for the information and its inherent warning, Russ and Tina! We are members of KOA, but probably not VIPs. Have a great day and safe travels!
24 hrs was nice since we make reservation up to 6 months in advance, but we are staying at a KOA for 13 nights & everyday this KOA is supposed to be full – but walking around every morning & lots of empty sites – I think a lot of people are making reservations & canceling, not for break downs or med emergencies. I won’t mind the 7 day, because if our plans change it’s usually more than 7 days from reservation dates.
As an RV Park owner, it’s amazing the stories we hear. We do sympathize with you, but this is a business. Most parks are very upfront with their cancellation policy. You need to accept that before you book. We understand that things happen that are out of your control and most parks have the ability to make exceptions. Like another comment above, it’s interesting to see how many family members get sick or die when the weather is looking bad. As owners, we get jaded, and then we’re the bad guy for sticking to our policy. It looks like KOA is falling in line with most other parks. If a park can’t rebook a site from a last minute cancellation, the park loses more than the guest.
Given the product is an experience…. Perhaps when the weather is terrible it makes perfect sense to cancel- the product is unavailable.
As a business make your policies as you choose but be honest when you choose a policy that is one sided and makes the experience more difficult and more stressful for your customers. It is a shifting of responsibility from business to customer. Definitely makes more $ in short term and I guess if you are as big as KOA you can leverage your massive capital footprint in that there really isn’t a lot of other options available to customers so they will have to suck it up.
In over 5 years fulltime, we’ve stayed in only one KOA. Like many, we avoid them just on principle. Unfortunately, their greed can still find enough gullible campers to stay in business.
This happened last October.
Hi, Gary. Yep, that’s what it says at the beginning of the second paragraph.👍 Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I couldn’t care less. I’ve been to KOAs TWICE. The first time and the last time. Kidding. But no, really and both times were terrible. Crowded disrepair dirty. Never, ever will I even consider a KOA.
Just add another reason why I do not patronize KOA’s. I stay away from them. From higher prices, usually smaller sites, to their efforts nationally to ban Walmart and other commercial property overnights, I won’t use them.
KOA = Keep On Adding – a reason that we stopped staying there 6 years ago.
I understand their reasoning. Most every place has some kind of cancellation policy and the ones that don’t end up with numerous no shows and others find them booked solid online when there are many spots open. I have stayed at KOA’s for over 45 years and will continue to do so when it fits my schedule or itinerary.
Goodbye KOA
I just cancelled a reservation for KOA Red Bluff Ca for August 9th and was charged $20 for cancelling. Oh well… life and times.
I’m disappointed in KOA policy change. They had a great policy and we have stayed with them regularly for years because of their policy. I think this will hurt them. Also seems they all want to be a resort with really high prices and that leaves us out. Won’t even look at anything that says resort.