Booking Airfare Online - Need Your Help

[CRUZFINDER]

I've booked all of my past cruises myself either online or through TA and have never had a problem.

 

I've never done airfare though and am looking for some guidance. I have no problem bboking my own airfare online. It seems the airlines own site has the best prices as opposed to the "big name" tarvel sites without added fees.

 

I do have several questions and would appreciate any input/suggestions.

 

1) Why the great price range on the same flight. Example: major airline Baltimore (BWI) to Jacksonville (JAX). Seats range from $78 to $369. I realize this ranges from discount coach to business, but assuming I pick the $78 seat what are the disadvantages? Are you guaranteed a seat once your ticket is purchased or are you the first to be bumped off the flight when they realize it's overbooked? It's not a great deal when you're left behind. Are there advantages to that $369 seat on the very same flight...and I don't mean meals, legroom, real hot flight attendant, etc.??? I don't see any reason to buy anything but the $78 ticket when you're on a tight budget and they still let you sit on the INSIDE of the aircraft!!!

 

2) After you buy your ticket suppose the price for that flight goes down. Do you have any chance of re-booking at the lower rate without paying a ton of fees?

 

3) With online purchases do you get mailed the physical ticket or do you print up something from the web site? Or is that an option? Any advantages/disadvantages to either?

 

4) What is a good general rule for booking flight day and time? I've read it's best to arrive the day before your cruise to eliminate any possibility of missing the boat. And since most ships arrive back in port at the end of the cruise by 8am, what's agood general rule for booking your return flight? Noon or later? What's cutting it too close with current security measures?

[greatam]

1. Different priced tickets-airlines use VERY complicated "yield managment" software programs to assure optimum revenue on a flight. The different prices you see refer to booking codes, fare classes or fare buckets-all about the same meaning.

 

Example: There may only be 6 $78.00 tickets. When those are gone, you go upwards in price to the next "fare bucket". Last minutes seats, when the plane is about sold out, command VERY high prices, compared to what was offered when there were a lot of seats. Simple economics of supply and demand, with a little bit of airline complication thrown in.

 

You get the same seat INSIDE the plane for $78.00 as you do for $300.00, so long as those are all coach fares.

 

And NO, you will NOT be bumped off the flight, JUST because you have the cheaper ticket. In fact, it is usually people on business flights that VOLUNTEER to be bumped. $$$$ vouchers or free tickets, plus maybe hotels, meals, and first class on the next flight out are some of the benefits to VOLUNTEER bumpees.

 

2. Not usually, especially on the discount tickets.

 

3. Online purchases generally get email tickets. Paper tickets usually cost about $25.00 extra. You have a chance to loose paper tickets (or spill coffee on them, or rip them, etc). You can usually access your email from anywhere in the world AND if you have not deleted the confirmation (email), you can print out another copy and are good to go.

 

I fly a lot and the only time I get paper tickets is to Asia, South America or Africa. And I only get them on NON-American carriers.

 

4. Fly the day before and don't book a flight before noon (depending on the port) on day of debarkation.

 

Enjoy!!!!

[jcanino]

1) Why the great price range on the same flight. Example: major airline Baltimore (BWI) to Jacksonville (JAX). Seats range from $78 to $369. I realize this ranges from discount coach to business, but assuming I pick the $78 seat what are the disadvantages? Are you guaranteed a seat once your ticket is purchased or are you the first to be bumped off the flight when they realize it's overbooked? It's not a great deal when you're left behind. Are there advantages to that $369 seat on the very same flight...and I don't mean meals, legroom, real hot flight attendant, etc.??? I don't see any reason to buy anything but the $78 ticket when you're on a tight budget and they still let you sit on the INSIDE of the aircraft!!!

 

2) After you buy your ticket suppose the price for that flight goes down. Do you have any chance of re-booking at the lower rate without paying a ton of fees?

 

3) With online purchases do you get mailed the physical ticket or do you print up something from the web site? Or is that an option? Any advantages/disadvantages to either?

 

4) What is a good general rule for booking flight day and time? I've read it's best to arrive the day before your cruise to eliminate any possibility of missing the boat. And since most ships arrive back in port at the end of the cruise by 8am, what's agood general rule for booking your return flight? Noon or later? What's cutting it too close with current security measures?

 

1) Airlines work on a load management system. They know that they have to sell X number of seats at price A and X number at price B and so on. Once you reach a certain class of service (and hence higher price), then your ticket goes from non-refundable to refundable. The lower prices usually sell out first unless someone really needs a refundable ticket. You may pay $78 for your ticket and the person sitting next to you could have paid the $369. Unless you are booking Business Class or First Class, the physical seats are all the same.

 

2) This all depends on the airline, the amount the price dropped and the type of ticket you purchased. Most of them will give you a credit towards a future flight booking, but it may be subject to a change fee. For example, if the airline has a $100 change fee and the price of your airline ticket drops $90, that $90 is used up by the change fee.

 

3) You will be able to print your receipt while online. Most tickets issued today are what is known as E-Tickets with the E standing for Electronic. Most airlines will give you the option off a "real" paper tickets but will charge you an additional $20 or so to do that.

 

4) Mostly, you are advised to book a flight no earlier than 1:00 PM at the end of a cruise.

[CRUZFINDER]

Thanks for your replies!

 

Your info has been very enlightening and educating.

 

Keep the info coming!