Should I use Celebrity choice air or just book with the airline?

[OnTheJourney]

Hi,

 

The big issue would appear to be their guarantee to get you to the ship in the event of flight delays, etc. I have no way to vouch for the efficacy of this. I did use them for my last long haul flight, but had no problems with any of the flight schedules.

 

What really has me bothered is that the flights I want simply don't show up on their website. I realize they filter out schedules that they deem not suitable for a cruise schedule, but in my case I have a departure date that is 2 days prior to sailing and so the flights I've chosen should not be filtered out. Must you go with only the flights that show up on their website? Or can they book what you want? The prices seem basically the same as what I'm finding on the airline website. My specifics are: flying from PA to Buenos Aires in February (so winter weather could be an issue), planning on flying out Friday evening 2/3, arriving 2/4, sailing with Celebrity to Antarctica 2/5. I am leaning towards roundtrip, non-stop with Delta out of JFK to EZE. I know these flights came up one of the first times I searched through choice air, but that was about it. Now they don't come up at all. I guess I will contact them and discuss all this, but thought I could get some advice here as well. Do they really come through in a pinch, where things need to be rescheduled quickly?

 

Thanks,

Keith

Edited July 31, 2016 by three4rd

[Lastdance]

I would call Choice Air with your conners and see what they might be able to do for you, while you keep looking at other airline sites. Prices change all the time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Edited July 31, 2016 by Lastdance

[cruisestitch]

I recommend finding the flights you want on the airline website and then call Choice Air with the specifics. You usually find that their price will be somewhat lower.

 

As to the guarantee, keep in mind that they don guarantee you'll get to the ship before it sails, nor that the ship will wait for you.

[roxievegas]

I used choice air for one way ticketing only. They had the best prices. Round trip, not so much. If you are planning to get to destination 2 days a head of time, you shouldn't worry about missing your ship as much as flying out the same day the ship leaves.

[smtcan]

I used choice air for one way ticketing only. They had the best prices. Round trip, not so much. If you are planning to get to destination 2 days a head of time, you shouldn't worry about missing your ship as much as flying out the same day the ship leaves.

 

I have used ChoiceAir for one way flights and found them to be good value. I always check all alternatives before making a decision. We flew back from UK two weeks after our Transatlantic cruise and that was no problem with ChoiceAir and the cost was $200 lower than I could find any where else.

 

I was a little amused when the agent tried to convince me to take a slightly higher priced flight to FLL before the cruise, by saying that they would make sure I met the ship at the first port if our flight was delayed. Our first port was in Europe after seven sea days! We flew in a day early on a flight we booked ourselves. When the hotel was added it was about $50 more than ChoiceAir, but worth it for peace of mind.

 

Sheila

[2theship]

It's best to be informed about what's available and what airlines serve your home airport/cruise port combination best. Choice Air is best when it comes to international flights.

 

I will add that earlier this year, we were flying to Venice and home from Rome. Just for fun, I looked at the cost of business class tickets and my jaw dropped - Choice Air was thousands cheaper than the airlines! We booked immediately. The downside - I've told my husband that I will never fly coach to Europe again!

[Robbo61]

I think the real benefit of Choice Air is when things go very wrong. For example we are booked on an itinerary that was to end in Istanbul, now changed to Athens. Those booked through Choice Air have been able to change their flights to be out of the new port and, it would appear from these boards, that this has been done relatively easily and at no extra cost. For those that haven't used Choice Air, me included, we will receive some compensation towards the airline change fee, BUT we have to cover the difference between the airfares. For us that was over US$500 pp as Athens departures was much more expensive.

 

Obviously this is an exceptional circumstance and with you arriving a couple of days before your cruise then you have time for a backup plan if something goes wrong. Choice Air give you the benefit of any hiccups not costing you extra (it would appear) and giving some peace of mind.

[OnTheJourney]

Thanks for all the replies! Since this is a roundtrip international itinerary, I think it probably best to go with choiceair especially since the trip is during the winter months. Since my flights are no longer showing up on their website I really can't determine how much difference there could be in pricing. I'd absolutely love if they'd have a terrific price on business class.

 

I'm not sure either when it might be best to book these flights. I'm still nearly 6 months out so perhaps should still wait. It's disconcerting not being able to keep track of what seats are available since I have no way of knowing how full the plane is. Perhaps they can tell me when I talk to them.

[whitbob]

You said you were looking at a Delta flight out of JFK. You can look at the seats on Delta's website and know what seats are available.

[RickT]

1) Choice air can quote you on any available flight. I use google flights and Choice air has been able to quite in those even if they don't show up in the choice air search tool.

 

2) Regardless of Choice Air's guarantees, it's up to you to finfpd/select a suitable itinerary.

 

3) A lot of people critique Choice Air, but I have been very happy. Just remember, their guarantee is to get you to the ship. That doesn't mean that if all heck breaks loose on your travel day the ship will wait. It simply means they will try to get you to the ship on departure day, but if that fails they will get you caught up to the ship at one of the following ports.

 

4) My next cruise had an additional cash incentive when booking choice air. Look to see if it is still there and perhaps applies to your flight.

[Mountains.to.Sea]

I have booked air through Choice Air for a trip in Ovtober from the US to Rome and back. I found out a couple of months ago that prices for two one-way tickets can be significantly less than a round trip ticket for the same departure and destination cities. So, check both round trip and two one-way tickets for your next Celebrity cruise.

[OnTheJourney]

You said you were looking at a Delta flight out of JFK. You can look at the seats on Delta's website and know what seats are available.

 

Every time I've tried that it says on the Delta website that the seat maps are not available - that seats will be assigned at check-in.

[OnTheJourney]

I have booked air through Choice Air for a trip in Ovtober from the US to Rome and back. I found out a couple of months ago that prices for two one-way tickets can be significantly less than a round trip ticket for the same departure and destination cities. So, check both round trip and two one-way tickets for your next Celebrity cruise.

 

This is really interesting, being that I've looked at all different combinations of either roundtrip and 2 one-way fares. In all cases the one-way schedules were much more expensive (almost like the cost of business class).

[cruisingtheword]

We were very fortunate with our airline booking. Last February when I was looking for the best prices for our flights from Atlanta to Tokyo, returning Hong Kong to Atlanta, Turkish Air was by far the cheapest. Being that I had heard good things about Turkish Air and we would get a free tour of Istanbul during our 9 hour layover in both directions (all entrance fees and meals covered by the airline) we decided it was worth it to have the 33 hour flight to see a city that was still on our bucket list so we booked non-refundable tickets. Then the terror attacks started increasing in Turkey and these tickets no longer looked appealing at all to us. However, since we had non-refundable tickets and our trip insurance would only cover cancellation if a terror attack occurred within 7 days of our trip, we were stuck - could not forfeit $2200 and then have to purchase new tickets on top of that so we just prayed for the best. Well, our prayers were answered because Turkish Airlines actually cancelled one leg of our return trip to Atlanta and put us on the same flight the following day which then made our trip home total over 60 hours. I was able to use this as a reason to cancel the entire ticket for a full refund. I then went to Choice Air, found direct flights on American Airlines (total flight time half of what it would have been on our original Turkish Airline flights and these tickets save us almost $200. Life is good!!!:p

[cawags]

You said you were looking at a Delta flight out of JFK. You can look at the seats on Delta's website and know what seats are available.

 

We booked using Choice Air one way Delta business class. I booked as soon as it came in the window. I was able to change my seats on the delta website as soon as I had the reservation number. Got the best price using Choice Air. Also got the best price flying from Harrisburg to Atlanta to Buenos Aires. Cheaper than I could get the Atlanta/BA or JFK/BA direct Same flight is now double what I paid. Glad I didn't wait.

 

Carol.

[OnTheJourney]

You said you were looking at a Delta flight out of JFK. You can look at the seats on Delta's website and know what seats are available.

 

OK...I think I might know what's happening here with the seat map unavailability. The 2 nonstop Delta flights I'm interested in are codeshared with (and operated by) Argentine Airlines. Same departure and arrival times...same type of plane (Airbus A330). If I go into the Argentine Airlines website and check on the flights it wants all the passenger info, including passports, etc., Then once that is complete (I didn't enter all the necessary info since I was just experimenting with it) the next step is choosing seats. That's all ok, but I'm still not sure that will get me to where I want to go. AA mentions nothing about having Delta comfort plus seats...so don't I or choice air still have to book the flights through Delta? Too many questions and not enough answers. I'll have to call choice air to sort some of this out.

Edited August 1, 2016 by three4rd

[OnTheJourney]

We booked using Choice Air one way Delta business class. I booked as soon as it came in the window. I was able to change my seats on the delta website as soon as I had the reservation number. Got the best price using Choice Air. Also got the best price flying from Harrisburg to Atlanta to Buenos Aires. Cheaper than I could get the Atlanta/BA or JFK/BA direct Same flight is now double what I paid. Glad I didn't wait.

 

Carol.

 

 

Carol,

 

The 5:55 p.m. departure by any chance? How long ago did you book this? And did you book it as a Delta flight or as Aerolineas Argentinas? I don't doubt you got it much cheaper than what I'm seeing...which is over $1500 pp in economy.

Edited August 1, 2016 by three4rd

[cawags]

Carol,

 

The 5:55 p.m. departure by any chance? How long ago did you book this? And did you book it as a Delta flight or as Aerolineas Argentinas? I don't doubt you got it much cheaper than what I'm seeing...which is over $1500 pp in economy.

 

Yes we are the 5:55 to ATL. It is all Delta flights. We booked back in May when the flights were first released. We paid $1750 PP for business class through Choice Air. MDT/ATL/EZE. My travel agent was really impressed with the price I found. I feel like I am being paid to fly from Harrisburg. LOL. We only booked our flights to the cruise. We end in Miami so I booked that later directly with Delta.

 

I wasn't sure I wanted to use Aerolineas. I had read some not so good things about them. Have since talked to people who used them and they were Ok with them. So who knows.

 

I am a big price watcher. Flights. Cruises. Hotels. Our May Bermuda cruise,I was able to get a suite for what I had originally paid for Aqua. (After final payment).

 

In general I have found booking international flights seem to be the cheapest when they are first released. We paid a small fortune for our flights to Amsterdam last year, 6 weeks out.

 

Carol

 

BTW. Just checked Choice Air for the price and it's now 3500 PP for the same connections. I think I got a real deal. 🎉🎉

[teecee60]

Hi,

 

The big issue would appear to be their guarantee to get you to the ship in the event of flight delays, etc. I have no way to vouch for the efficacy of this. I did use them for my last long haul flight, but had no problems with any of the flight schedules.

 

What really has me bothered is that the flights I want simply don't show up on their website. I realize they filter out schedules that they deem not suitable for a cruise schedule, but in my case I have a departure date that is 2 days prior to sailing and so the flights I've chosen should not be filtered out. Must you go with only the flights that show up on their website? Or can they book what you want? The prices seem basically the same as what I'm finding on the airline website. My specifics are: flying from PA to Buenos Aires in February (so winter weather could be an issue), planning on flying out Friday evening 2/3, arriving 2/4, sailing with Celebrity to Antarctica 2/5. I am leaning towards roundtrip, non-stop with Delta out of JFK to EZE. I know these flights came up one of the first times I searched through choice air, but that was about it. Now they don't come up at all. I guess I will contact them and discuss all this, but thought I could get some advice here as well. Do they really come through in a pinch, where things need to be rescheduled quickly?

 

Thanks,

Keith

 

I just checked your proposed flight, JFK to EZE...it's $601pp on Lanchile. (with a connection in Lima)

 

Don't have your return date, but the return flight on Feb 20, 21 or 22 is $692pp.

 

The round trip search came up with an even better $1102pp. THAT is a pretty nice price!

 

Always check/price the outbound leg separately from the return leg. Separate legs are sometimes cheaper than a round trip quote???

 

Always check fares for 2-3 days before and after your ideal travel date, sometimes it can save enough to pay your hotel to stay those days! :D

 

I've used Choice Air, (now AIR2SEA) a dozen times and saved THOUSANDS over airline advertised prices with NEVER even a minor hiccup. ;)

Edited August 1, 2016 by teecee60

[OnTheJourney]

Yes we are the 5:55 to ATL. It is all Delta flights. We booked back in May when the flights were first released. We paid $1750 PP for business class through Choice Air. MDT/ATL/EZE. My travel agent was really impressed with the price I found. I feel like I am being paid to fly from Harrisburg. LOL. We only booked our flights to the cruise. We end in Miami so I booked that later directly with Delta.

 

I wasn't sure I wanted to use Aerolineas. I had read some not so good things about them. Have since talked to people who used them and they were Ok with them. So who knows.

 

I am a big price watcher. Flights. Cruises. Hotels. Our May Bermuda cruise,I was able to get a suite for what I had originally paid for Aqua. (After final payment).

 

In general I have found booking international flights seem to be the cheapest when they are first released. We paid a small fortune for our flights to Amsterdam last year, 6 weeks out.

 

Carol

 

BTW. Just checked Choice Air for the price and it's now 3500 PP for the same connections. I think I got a real deal. 🎉🎉

 

Yeah..you did really well with locking in the price at $1750 pp. That is pretty amazing for business class. I always heard 4-6 months out is a good time to purchase international airfare, but a travel agent I had for many years said that it's basically a crapshoot as to when is the best time to buy. I don't want to wait too much longer since I'm not able to see what seats are available, so that just makes me a bit nervous, especially now that I have the flights pretty well picked.

 

What is the cruise you're doing that involves going to BA? I don't believe you are doing the same one I'm on. I'm sure you mentioned it along the way but I don't recall.

[cawags]

Yeah..you did really well with locking in the price at $1750 pp. That is pretty amazing for business class. I always heard 4-6 months out is a good time to purchase international airfare, but a travel agent I had for many years said that it's basically a crapshoot as to when is the best time to buy. I don't want to wait too much longer since I'm not able to see what seats are available, so that just makes me a bit nervous, especially now that I have the flights pretty well picked.

 

What is the cruise you're doing that involves going to BA? I don't believe you are doing the same one I'm on. I'm sure you mentioned it along the way but I don't recall.

 

We are doing a B2B. Buenos Aires, around the horn. Up the other coast and through the Panama Canal to Miami. 3/5 to 4/2. I am really looking forward to this. The Canal was always on my list. I figured with the cost of airfare we were doing it all. LOL. David is concerned about his liver 😉. We were also booked for the 2/19 Rio Carnival leg but after much discussion we cancelled that leg. Rio and the crowds were a major concern for us. Kept hearing that Carnival is like Mardi Gras on steroids. Don't think so!

 

Antarctica sounds amazing.

 

Carol.

[OnTheJourney]

We are doing a B2B. Buenos Aires, around the horn. Up the other coast and through the Panama Canal to Miami. 3/5 to 4/2. I am really looking forward to this. The Canal was always on my list. I figured with the cost of airfare we were doing it all. LOL. David is concerned about his liver 😉. We were also booked for the 2/19 Rio Carnival leg but after much discussion we cancelled that leg. Rio and the crowds were a major concern for us. Kept hearing that Carnival is like Mardi Gras on steroids. Don't think so!

 

Antarctica sounds amazing.

 

Carol.

 

Your B2B sounds great....4 weeks. That is a bit long for me though. Australia and New Zealand are very high on my list but the tour I like is close to 4 weeks and I just hate to be away that long due to needing someone to water my large collection of houseplants and also the animals are in the kennel whenever we're away. I actually looked at a Mardi Gras cruise but decided against it due to the craziness that you refer to. I'd like to do the Canal also sometime, though that is certainly not at the top of my list. Antarctica has always been way up there, but I do have many reservations about it and still debate on canceling it at times. For one thing, we'll be crossing what is often the roughest body of water on the planet - the potential is there for gale force winds and very high seas. People have actually gotten thrown out of bed if things get really bad, dining room shuts down, etc. Factor that in with my propensity for motion sickness yet and it could make for a miserable and yet very expensive trip - at least part of it anyway. So we'll see. I think I will commit to it and see how things go. This trip is NOT high on DW's list at all...she's willing to do it but would much prefer to go just about anywhere else. So I kind of feel guilty about that also. Like I said...lots of ambivalent feelings. Once I book airfare though, then it's a much bigger commitment. Have to decide soon.

[cawags]

Your B2B sounds great....4 weeks. That is a bit long for me though. Australia and New Zealand are very high on my list but the tour I like is close to 4 weeks and I just hate to be away that long due to needing someone to water my large collection of houseplants and also the animals are in the kennel whenever we're away. I actually looked at a Mardi Gras cruise but decided against it due to the craziness that you refer to. I'd like to do the Canal also sometime, though that is certainly not at the top of my list. Antarctica has always been way up there, but I do have many reservations about it and still debate on canceling it at times. For one thing, we'll be crossing what is often the roughest body of water on the planet - the potential is there for gale force winds and very high seas. People have actually gotten thrown out of bed if things get really bad, dining room shuts down, etc. Factor that in with my propensity for motion sickness yet and it could make for a miserable and yet very expensive trip - at least part of it anyway. So we'll see. I think I will commit to it and see how things go. This trip is NOT high on DW's list at all...she's willing to do it but would much prefer to go just about anywhere else. So I kind of feel guilty about that also. Like I said...lots of ambivalent feelings. Once I book airfare though, then it's a much bigger commitment. Have to decide soon.

 

Australia is one I'm kicking around. If I'm flying that far it will be 4 weeks. We are very lucky. No plants but we do have 6 cats. I have a friend who stays at the house with them. Don't know what I'd do without her!

I don't have issues with motion sickness but I did find out this year I have to be careful of altitude. We did a road trip and our time in Lake Tahoe was rough. Machu Pichu is not on our list for that reason.

David acts like he isn't thrilled by these trips but he comes home and tells everyone else how great it was. LOL. I promised him last year when we did the British Isles cruise that we would fly business class and he would have the premium booze package. 😉🍸🍷. It worked. We met great people, had an excellent time and he's going again.

Part of the reason for this B2B is only one brutal flight. We actually considered driving home from Miami. Found flights he's happy with so we are flying home.

 

Hope you decide to commit and enjoy Antarctica.

 

Carol

[OnTheJourney]

Australia is one I'm kicking around. If I'm flying that far it will be 4 weeks. We are very lucky. No plants but we do have 6 cats. I have a friend who stays at the house with them. Don't know what I'd do without her!

I don't have issues with motion sickness but I did find out this year I have to be careful of altitude. We did a road trip and our time in Lake Tahoe was rough. Machu Pichu is not on our list for that reason.

David acts like he isn't thrilled by these trips but he comes home and tells everyone else how great it was. LOL. I promised him last year when we did the British Isles cruise that we would fly business class and he would have the premium booze package. 😉🍸🍷. It worked. We met great people, had an excellent time and he's going again.

Part of the reason for this B2B is only one brutal flight. We actually considered driving home from Miami. Found flights he's happy with so we are flying home.

 

Hope you decide to commit and enjoy Antarctica.

 

Carol

 

Hi Carol,

 

Funny about the premium booze package...LOL Hey...whatever gets David on board with the trip, right? Re: Australia...I'm definitely planning on that one. The trip I like is with Collette called (I think) "The Complete South Pacific". 27-28 days in all. That is really far to go so I can't see doing Australia one trip and then NZ another. I'm near certain we're going to do the Antarctica trip. I think I'll call choiceair tomorrow and see if they can help answer some questions I have. I'd like if they can tell me seat availability since I was planning on simply tracking the flight cost and seating for awhile, although I suppose unless they are really having trouble filling the plane that the price won't drop much if at all. I at least want Delta's version of 'premium economy'. We did that last summer on a flight over to Stockholm for a Baltic cruise with RCCL and it was amazing due to having access to the first class lounge in the airports. It is so unfair what the people sitting out at the gates do NOT get. In the lounge we had any kind of drink you could want, hot and cold food, nice comfortable chairs, and then best of all was the private and extremely quick security line. Not sure why I'm telling you all this since I suspect you've had all this already anyway with flying business. Still, with only premium economy I never expected that level of amenities. It sure does spoil you REAL quick.

[cawags]

Hi Carol,

 

Funny about the premium booze package...LOL Hey...whatever gets David on board with the trip, right? Re: Australia...I'm definitely planning on that one. The trip I like is with Collette called (I think) "The Complete South Pacific". 27-28 days in all. That is really far to go so I can't see doing Australia one trip and then NZ another. I'm near certain we're going to do the Antarctica trip. I think I'll call choiceair tomorrow and see if they can help answer some questions I have. I'd like if they can tell me seat availability since I was planning on simply tracking the flight cost and seating for awhile, although I suppose unless they are really having trouble filling the plane that the price won't drop much if at all. I at least want Delta's version of 'premium economy'. We did that last summer on a flight over to Stockholm for a Baltic cruise with RCCL and it was amazing due to having access to the first class lounge in the airports. It is so unfair what the people sitting out at the gates do NOT get. In the lounge we had any kind of drink you could want, hot and cold food, nice comfortable chairs, and then best of all was the private and extremely quick security line. Not sure why I'm telling you all this since I suspect you've had all this already anyway with flying business. Still, with only premium economy I never expected that level of amenities. It sure does spoil you REAL quick.

 

Last August we got to JFK way early. Deltas lounge is great! We had food drinks and comfortable seating. We have a 3 hour layover on the way home from Miami so we will get to try out the delta lounge. We only have 65 minutes on the way to BA so probably no lounge. Tight but hope it works. We've also been put in the short line on checking pretty often even when not flying business class. We have friends who work for the FAA and I said something to them. They said because of our age. Works for me. LOL.

I have a friend did Australia and New Zealand and somewhere else in January. Gone about a month and loved it not sure who their tour was with.

 

Carol.