When a last-minute medical emergency compelled a US traveller to cancel their dream trip to Medellín, Colombia, the response from travel providers was swift—but disappointing: ‘No refunds. No exceptions.’ But what happened next became a lesson in persistence — and the astonishing power of artificial intelligence (AI).

“I booked a hotel and flight through Expedia,” the traveller shared in a now-viral Reddit post. “The hotel had a no-cancellation policy. The airline had a no-cancellation policy as well. I asked — and they both absolutely said no.”

Faced with losing around $2,500 ( ₹210,000), they turned to an unlikely source: ChatGPT. And that’s when everything changed.

First: Total Denial. Then: A Medical Strategy, with AI’s Help

The user hadn’t purchased trip insurance, and both the hotel and airline cited firm non-refundable policies. It was only after both companies flatly denied any form of reimbursement that the traveller decided to raise a legitimate medical condition — Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — backed by a doctor’s note.

“I asked ChatGPT to act as my lawyer and advocate for me,” they explained. “I used the medical excuse, which would be GAD. I did get a doctor’s note about it.”

The AI chatbot then helped craft a personalised, well-researched appeal based on Expedia’s and the hotel’s terms, invoking the medical circumstances. It worked.

“ChatGPT researched Expedia’s policies, the hotel’s policies, and the airline’s policies. It then wrote a letter for me advocating. The hotel granted me my refund due to a medical condition,” the post added.

The Airline Said No Again — Until AI Called Out Discrimination

The airline, however, held firm. According to their policy, only terminal illness or death warranted an exception to their no-refund rule. GAD didn’t qualify.

“I shared the response with ChatGPT and it wrote me another letter to give to the international airline,” the traveller said.

“It described reasons why and how my medical condition can really affect the flight and that they were being biased based on a mental illness.”

Within an hour, the airline reversed its position and agreed to a full refund.

Reddit Reacts: ‘This Is the Future’

The original post struck a chord on Reddit, with commenters praising both the traveller’s determination and the effective use of AI.

A user wrote: “It’s wild that an AI bot helped you win a fight a lawyer probably would’ve charged £400+ for. Respect.”

Another added: “So many people would’ve given up. This just proves: don’t accept ‘no’ when there’s a valid reason. Mental health matters.”

A third user commented: “ChatGPT might have just paid for itself a hundred times over in one shot.”

A Reminder: Don’t Take ‘No’ at Face Value

The traveller made it clear that ChatGPT didn’t fabricate excuses — it simply helped articulate a real medical issue in a compelling and structured way, backed by research.

“Had I not used ChatGPT, I would have had to hire a paralegal,” they wrote. “And that would’ve cost me more money.”

“So if you find yourself under these conditions… don’t take no for an answer.”