To Do Before Boarding

[Flatbush Flyer]

Sage advice.

 

Good news: there is an unaffiliated companion site called 'Book with Matrix' where you cut-and-paste the Matrix itinerary you want and it finds online travel sites that will give it you at that price or less.

 

 

No No No.

IMO, the potential obvious issues of not booking directly with an airline are far more troublesome than booking directly. Same goes for hotels.

Use third party sites only for price checks and evidence for direct booking "price matches."

[dfb]

We are taking an evening flight and arriving at the Miami airport the morning of our departure on Insignia at 6:00am. We are planning to just wait in the airport until our ship boarding time, which is 1:00pm. :rolleyes: I just realized that we will be waiting down by the baggage claim area (not the main airport) because we will need to pick up our suitcases upon arrival. Any suggestions for us beyond just waiting in the baggage claim area for 6-7 hours?

thanks!!

 

If you are taking O's included air without any deviation, aren't they responsible for delivering you to the ship? If O is transferring you to the ship, then maybe ask when that happens. Maybe they have something planned for you already.

[sitraveler]

If you are taking O's included air without any deviation, aren't they responsible for delivering you to the ship? If O is transferring you to the ship, then maybe ask when that happens. Maybe they have something planned for you already.

 

Included air does not include transfers

[Shawnino]

Whatever you choose to do, don't wait in the luggage claim area of Miami airport. It is one of the most depressing rooms/spaces I have ever been in. It was our first impression of Miami and it was not a favourable one.

Thankfully that changed after we had checked in in the Intercontinental hotel downtown.

So yes, go have breakfast in one of the hotels near Bayside Market, drop your luggage, do a little shopping and then take a cab to the cruise terminal.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

This.

The Miami airport is nasty.

[Hawaiidan]

No No No.

IMO, the potential obvious issues of not booking directly with an airline are far more troublesome than booking directly. Same goes for hotels.

Use third party sites only for price checks and evidence for direct booking "price matches."

 

NO no NO....fLATBUSH IS 200% CORRECT Never ever book a hotel or a Flight through a 3rd party... By booking direct you will in every case I have experienced in 30 years, pay the least at the hotel. and get points in most cases booking via a 3ed party will get you a HIGHER rate when you add the little attached fees.

 

If booking through a 3rd party many loyalty programs will not credit you with points. Same with Airlines.

 

Now as to the comment of waiting in a hotel lobby even though not a guest is a tried and true tactic. All better hotels offer free shuttles to their hotel even though you are not a reserved guest. Many times when your faced with a 3 to 5 hour time to kill between flights.... Forget about milling around the airport ( unless you have access to an airline club with open bar, meals, showers) and grab a shuttle to a 5* hotel and enjoy their plush lobby, restaurant, lounge. No one will complain . The height of what to do was some time back in Singapore I was with a friend and we had 7 hours to kill between flights...

 

My friend calls up a realestate agent and says he has just been informed that he is going to be transferred to Singapore next month as a VP for some high end company and needs to look for a nice house to lease or buy.

 

The agent offered to pick us up and show us around Singapore and show him 3 or 4 very nice homes.... ant took us to lunch !!! I kept quiet as we got this fantastic tour and lunch from the agent who was convinced we were going to buy some million dollar home.... Thats a bit too much, but it illustrates how creative you can be if you just utilize stuff that is already there...

 

Staying at the airport is a last resort when you can stay at real resorts for free

[erdoran]

NO no NO....fLATBUSH IS 200% CORRECT Never ever book a hotel or a Flight through a 3rd party... By booking direct you will in every case I have experienced in 30 years, pay the least at the hotel. and get points in most cases booking via a 3ed party will get you a HIGHER rate when you add the little attached fees.

 

If booking through a 3rd party many loyalty programs will not credit you with points. Same with Airlines.

Now as to the comment of waiting in a hotel lobby even though not a guest is a tried and true tactic. All better hotels offer free shuttles to their hotel even though you are not a reserved guest. Many times when your faced with a 3 to 5 hour time to kill between flights.... Forget about milling around the airport ( unless you have access to an airline club with open bar, meals, showers) and grab a shuttle to a 5* hotel and enjoy their plush lobby, restaurant, lounge. No one will complain . The height of what to do was some time back in Singapore I was with a friend and we had 7 hours to kill between flights...

 

My friend calls up a realestate agent and says he has just been informed that he is going to be transferred to Singapore next month as a VP for some high end company and needs to look for a nice house to lease or buy.

 

The agent offered to pick us up and show us around Singapore and show him 3 or 4 very nice homes.... ant took us to lunch !!! I kept quiet as we got this fantastic tour and lunch from the agent who was convinced we were going to buy some million dollar home.... Thats a bit too much, but it illustrates how creative you can be if you just utilize stuff that is already there...

 

Staying at the airport is a last resort when you can stay at real resorts for free

 

Does this mean my RT ticket on American Airlines bought through Expedia will get me zero miles? Never heard that one before, am quite concerned because I did a painful routing just for the miles (EQMs actually). My understanding is if it's on an AA flight with AA flight # and my freq flyer number is associated with the record, then I get the same miles as if I booked directly with AA.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Does this mean my RT ticket on American Airlines bought through Expedia will get me zero miles? Never heard that one before, am quite concerned because I did a painful routing just for the miles (EQMs actually). My understanding is if it's on an AA flight with AA flight # and my freq flyer number is associated with the record, then I get the same miles as if I booked directly with AA.

 

 

If "push comes to shove" on a disagreement about whether you'll get points, it will probably depend on the booking class as well as whether the ticket issued has American Airlines' ID # at the beginning of the ticket number. A United Airlines "issued ticket" number always begins with 016 (not sure what AA uses).

Whatever possessed you to buy an airline ticket from anyone other than the airline?

[Hawaiidan]

Does this mean my RT ticket on American Airlines bought through Expedia will get me zero miles? Never heard that one before, am quite concerned because I did a painful routing just for the miles (EQMs actually). My understanding is if it's on an AA flight with AA flight # and my freq flyer number is associated with the record, then I get the same miles as if I booked directly with AA.

 

I can say reasonably that NO you wont. Marriott's will not credit you with either points or nights if booked through a 3 rd party. I am not an AA /FF member consolidating on the UAL/ Star alliance. I am going to say based on Marriott ( the largest hotel group in the world) that I would think the same for airlines

 

. Marriotts Program rep told me flat out," no points for any 3rd party hotel stay and no points earned for your reservation and if I choose airline points rather than Hotel points that I would NOT get either"

 

Since I have never bought a ticket from a 3rd party I have never been subject to loss of points and not exposing myself to getting short changed. . I wish you luck and hope you dont have a painful lesson

 

on the subject of Hotels I have seen and talked to numerous folks who booked 3er party and were denied or " overlooked " for up-grades....

[Shawnino]

I book third party and get FF miles all the time.

[erdoran]

If "push comes to shove" on a disagreement about whether you'll get points, it will probably depend on the booking class as well as whether the ticket issued has American Airlines' ID # at the beginning of the ticket number. A United Airlines "issued ticket" number always begins with 016 (not sure what AA uses).

Whatever possessed you to buy an airline ticket from anyone other than the airline?

Because I couldn't get that combination of flights through AA.com, believe it or not! It's all AA, it shows up in my account, fare class I. In the past I've booked AA tickets through Chase using Ultimate Rewards and never had trouble getting miles.

 

I suspect I'm just fine with points, will see....

 

When I travel for business I buy tix through whatever agency we are using and I always get AA points, but rarely get hotel points.

 

I have a BA trip later in the year, and AA has confirmed I will get miles even though I bought from BA.

 

Third party hotels are different and very, very picky. I've also not got hotel points for third party bookings.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Because I couldn't get that combination of flights through AA.com, believe it or not! It's all AA, it shows up in my account, fare class I. In the past I've booked AA tickets through Chase using Ultimate Rewards and never had trouble getting miles.

 

I suspect I'm just fine with points, will see....

 

When I travel for business I buy tix through whatever agency we are using and I always get AA points, but rarely get hotel points.

 

I have a BA trip later in the year, and AA has confirmed I will get miles even though I bought from BA.

 

Third party hotels are different and very, very picky. I've also not got hotel points for third party bookings.

 

 

It is true that some airlines may "manage enrollment" (pardon the "higher education" reference regarding initially showing online only the classes they want to fill first). Also, there may be some restrictions on displaying multi-city itineraries that mix domestic and international destinations (once had a problem with Aer Lingus that required a phone call to book).

That is why I use ITA Matrix online to see all flights (even ones that are full). No ticket sales - just schedules. Once I have several possibilities, I check the airline's online listings. I usually then call the airline to verify that what is my Plan A is the "best" option (all things considered). On a rare occasion, the United FF phone rep may have a better idea.

Getting the airline rep to book a flight without charging a phone fee is a bit of a challenge. But, there are (common sense) ways to make that happen.

As aforementioned, it may be possible, under the right circumstances, to get FF miles via third party ticketing.

But, it's not just the base points we want. There's the EQM for higher FF tier qualification and how the ticket number and/or fare code restrictions may count toward "million miler" status or significantly impact copayment amounts for upgrade tix.

With the exception of not fully understanding the complexity of fare codes, I think I have a good understanding of airfare ins and outs. And, for me: that United ticket better start with "016."

[erdoran]

It is true that some airlines may "manage enrollment" (pardon the "higher education" reference regarding initially showing online only the classes they want to fill first). Also, there may be some restrictions on displaying multi-city itineraries that mix domestic and international destinations (once had a problem with Aer Lingus that required a phone call to book).

That is why I use ITA Matrix online to see all flights (even ones that are full). No ticket sales - just schedules. Once I have several possibilities, I check the airline's online listings. I usually then call the airline to verify that what is my Plan A is the "best" option (all things considered). On a rare occasion, the United FF phone rep may have a better idea.

Getting the airline rep to book a flight without charging a phone fee is a bit of a challenge. But, there are (common sense) ways to make that happen.

As aforementioned, it may be possible, under the right circumstances, to get FF miles via third party ticketing.

But, it's not just the base points we want. There's the EQM for higher FF tier qualification and how the ticket number and/or fare code restrictions may count toward "million miler" status or significantly impact copayment amounts for upgrade tix.

With the exception of not fully understanding the complexity of fare codes, I think I have a good understanding of airfare ins and outs. And, for me: that United ticket better start with "016."

A flyer after my own heart! I am a total status junkie - did the Platinum Challenge in 2017 and now I have to actually EARN platinum in 2018. I needed this trip to combine with the rest of my 2018 travel to make platinum.