EZAir not so easy!

[cr8tiv1]

5 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

Does anyone have experience with early ticketing on EZAir? How far in advance will they do it?

 

You can ask for early ticketing anytime after final payment.  But why would you do that?  Once ticketed, it becomes a restricted fare with no option to change (*there have been rare occasions).  The benefit of EZ Air is the flexibility up until 45 days.  If I request to get ticketed, it's when I am pretty sure I am at rock bottom prices.  

[Worldtraveler 4727]

11 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

You can ask for early ticketing anytime after final payment.  But why would you do that?  Once ticketed, it becomes a restricted fare with no option to change (*there have been rare occasions).  The benefit of EZ Air is the flexibility up until 45 days.  If I request to get ticketed, it's when I am pretty sure I am at rock bottom prices.  

 

Because I have been reading all the threads on here that describe the horror stories of Princess EZAir canceling flights that people booked with them that are still showing available on line.

[suzyed]

On 6/26/2023 at 2:18 AM, cr8tiv1 said:

When it works, it’s great!  Did two with no issues.  But they were direct flights.  It seems to be more of an issue with connecting flights.  

When it works it is great!  Have booked several times and all have been connecting flights.  So far so good....knock on wood.   Yes, there have been minor changes that the airline has made...but so far we still have our seats on both flights.
We started using EZair after we were on a Tahiti cruise that got back to LAX a day late and had to change a flight that we used frequent flyer miles for.  Of course fares had increased from the time when we first purchased them so we had to buy an additional $2000 in miles to purchase our new flights.  Those on the ship who had used Princess EZair in the first place were just re-ticketed on new flights.  That convinced us to try EZair.

[Yowman]

I requested early ticketing about a week and a half ago even though I had up until today to change EZair flights.  Checking daily over the last few months I saw prices go only up and up, so I got early ticketing to ensure that I was for sure on my selected flights.

 

My return flight home in on Air Canada (who may be striking just before then) but with a Lufthansa issued ticket.  So between LH and EZair I'm hopeful of no big issue getting home should AC actually strike.

[Mary loves to travel]

Funny thing.   for an upcoming trip, but we're still well before final payment, our flights have already been ticketed (and for maybe 2 months now?).

Ticket #s show on the Personalizer EZAir tab and on the airline site.

 

So far, we've used EZAir a couple of times, and it's been just fine.    A key is to track the flights on the airline website, not just on the Princess site (or any travel agent/consolidator site).

I also use the Flightview app and check flights once a week or so; it almost always alerts me of flight changes well before the airline does.

 

Mary

[Yowman]

Just now, Mary loves to travel said:

Funny thing.   for an upcoming trip, but we're still well before final payment, our flights have already been ticketed (and for maybe 2 months now?).

Ticket #s show on the Personalizer EZAir tab and on the airline site.

 

So far, we've used EZAir a couple of times, and it's been just fine.    A key is to track the flights on the airline website, not just on the Princess site (or any travel agent/consolidator site).

I also use the Flightview app and check flights once a week or so; it almost always alerts me of flight changes well before the airline does.

 

Mary

 

Before I changed my previous EZair itinerary to my current one I too saw ticket numbers for all flights in my personalizer (and in Amadeus).  After the change only my outbound flights had ticket numbers in both my personalizer and in Amadeus until I requested slightly early ticketing.  EZair works in mysterious ways.

[dickinson]

After reading horror stories on here where Princess never purchased their tickets I asked for early ticketing 46 days before cruise.  It was going to be non refundable the next day so why not?  A few hours later I saw on the website the ticket#.  We leave in 2.5 weeks and everything still shows.  I just hope that our origin flight takes off (5:30 pm) on time with no weather or any other delays so we don't miss our connecting flight.

[Mary loves to travel]

5 minutes ago, Yowman said:

 

Before I changed my previous EZair itinerary to my current one I too saw ticket numbers for all flights in my personalizer (and in Amadeus).  After the change only my outbound flights had ticket numbers in both my personalizer and in Amadeus until I requested slightly early ticketing.  EZair works in mysterious ways.

when you requested early ticketing, you had to pay for the flights right then, correct?

(and yes, mysterious ways 😄 )

[Yowman]

6 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

when you requested early ticketing, you had to pay for the flights right then, correct?

(and yes, mysterious ways 😄 )

 

Yes and no.  I was already past final payment for the cruise so I had already paid for the flights.

[Yowman]

7 minutes ago, dickinson said:

After reading horror stories on here where Princess never purchased their tickets I asked for early ticketing 46 days before cruise.  It was going to be non refundable the next day so why not?  A few hours later I saw on the website the ticket#.  We leave in 2.5 weeks and everything still shows.  I just hope that our origin flight takes off (5:30 pm) on time with no weather or any other delays so we don't miss our connecting flight.

 

 

Enjoy your cruise.  I have a 6 hr connection in Paris (CDG) so not worried about an hour or two delay on my first outbound flight.  And I will have access to the newish Air France business lounge in terminal 2F.  A very nice lounge from the look of YouTube videos and I'll be sure to partake of the adult beverages offered therein (I'll be on vacation, after all) 🙂 

[cr8tiv1]

This is a most important disclaimer:  

 

EZ Air is a third party travel agent.  Cancelled/delayed flights are NOT EZ Air's fault.  It is the fault of the carrier.  The one complaint about EZ Air is that they have only purchased x number of seats for x number of flights and have to work with that inventory. 

 

If the price goes up/you are locked in at your fare.

If the price goes down (and outside of 45 days) you can refare. 

If the flight is cancelled and the new flights are more expensive, EZ Air eats the increase. 

If you are stuck....EZ Air will get you there (not necessarily the most direct route).

You can cancel, even if paid, outside of 45 days.

 

The key is to be proactive and check, check, check.

[abbydancer2003]

We're using EZ air for the first time in about 4 weeks.  Thanks to this, and other threads I watch the reservation on the United app daily - and today I had them email me a copy of the receipt so I can see that it's been ticketed.  Hopefully nothing happens . 

Edited August 11, 2023 by abbydancer

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

Does anyone have experience with early ticketing on EZAir? How far in advance will they do it?

 

4 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

You can ask for early ticketing anytime after final payment.  But why would you do that?  Once ticketed, it becomes a restricted fare with no option to change (*there have been rare occasions).  The benefit of EZ Air is the flexibility up until 45 days.  If I request to get ticketed, it's when I am pretty sure I am at rock bottom prices.  

Actually, guest can ticket anytime after the flights are paid for - which could be prior to FP Date for the cruise.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

"Actually, guest can ticket anytime after the flights are paid for - which could be prior to FP Date for the cruise."

 

But with early ticketing, will Princess EZAir still help you find other flights--and for the same price--if the airline winds up canceling--or re-scheduling at times that are impossible for your situation?

[Steelers36]

1 minute ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

"Actually, guest can ticket anytime after the flights are paid for - which could be prior to FP Date for the cruise."

 

But with early ticketing, will Princess EZAir still help you find other flights--and for the same price--if the airline winds up canceling--or re-scheduling at times that are impossible for your situation?

Sure - why not?

[Worldtraveler 4727]

In the past, once the flight has been ticketed, I have been told that I had to then deal with Delta directly, or whatever airline was involved.

Then in trying to deal with Delta, I was told I booked "through a third party" and needed to go through them (Princess).

It was a mess, and now post-Covid with all the other messes going on with Princess, (ie SD booking, charging the wrong amount, not using SD credits), it's difficult to know how to proceed for the least amount of conflict and pain. 

 

[cr8tiv1]

11 minutes ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

"Actually, guest can ticket anytime after the flights are paid for - which could be prior to FP Date for the cruise."

 

But with early ticketing, will Princess EZAir still help you find other flights--and for the same price--if the airline winds up canceling--or re-scheduling at times that are impossible for your situation?

 

My most recent experience, August 4, 2025 on my way home.

 

Purchased EZ Air tickets:  Quebec to Toronto to LAX = $551.02 really early in planning.

Perfect itinerary:  Leave the ship late, bus transfer to YQB, 4 hour layover in Toronto, get into LAX at 6 PM.

 

Change 1:  YQB to Toronto changed to 2 hours later.  No problem.  Still plenty of connection time.  Outside of Final Payment

Change 2:  After final payment:  YQB flight on Rogue CANCELLED.  Still showed on personalizer.  I should have gone future into Manage Flight to see all the changes. Did not understand why my flight was not showing up on Air Canada website. (Lesson learned)

Change 3:  WithIN 45 days.  No flight from Quebec (multiple calls by myself and TA)

Change 4:  Finally got a flight out of Quebec to YUL to LAX with a one hour connection in Montreal.  EZ Air booked it for more (more than $600)/not charge difference, but also would not put me on an earlier, more expensive, flight with a better connection time.

Pop up warning that stated 90 minutes is connection time.  But since EZ Air booked it, I was not going to be concerned.  

 

I tried to do same day standby.  Very hard to do on the day a ship disembarks.  No room.  Air Canada was there every step of the way and ushered me through Montreal to make my connection.  Stress level off the charts.  But EZ Air did work for me.  

 

Second story.  Just cancelled EZ Air outside of 45 days (but after final payment).  Booked directly with airline for less than my flexible fare.  Expecting to get full refund.  Original fare dropped and I had rebooked after final payment.  Refund to credit card.

 

When it works, it works fine.  If you are willing to do the extra mile, it is worth booking and checking.

[Steelers36]

2 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

In the past, once the flight has been ticketed, I have been told that I had to then deal with Delta directly, or whatever airline was involved.

Then in trying to deal with Delta, I was told I booked "through a third party" and needed to go through them (Princess).

It was a mess, and now post-Covid with all the other messes going on with Princess, (ie SD booking, charging the wrong amount, not using SD credits), it's difficult to know how to proceed for the least amount of conflict and pain. 

 

The finger-pointing could occur no matter when guest was ticketed.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

33 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

The finger-pointing could occur no matter when guest was ticketed.

 

Perhaps.

But that doesn't address my basic concern: to ticket early or not to ticket early. Looking for the path of least resistance. 

 

[cr8tiv1]

1 minute ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

 

Perhaps.

But that doesn't address my basic concern: to ticket early or not to ticket early. Looking for the path of least resistance. 

 

 

You can request early ticketing at any time.  I believe you can even do it before final payment.  Once you get an eticket number, you are locked in to a "restricted" fare.  No more changes.  If you are comfortable with the ticket. price, you can ask them to ticket the fare.

 

But that would negate the flexibility of EZ Air.  You might as well just book directly with the airlines.  At least you will get ecredit if you change your plans on most airlines.

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

You can request early ticketing at any time.  I believe you can even do it before final payment.  Once you get an eticket number, you are locked in to a "restricted" fare.  No more changes.  If you are comfortable with the ticket. price, you can ask them to ticket the fare.

 

But that would negate the flexibility of EZ Air.  You might as well just book directly with the airlines.  At least you will get ecredit if you change your plans on most airlines.

Mmmm ... not quite.  What happens is guest is subject to the airline ticket rules for the ticket type purchased (whether economy, premium economy, business).  Guest may be able to make a change directly with the airline if the ticket category allows it.  I do disagree with a blanket idea of negating EZ-Air flexibility.  First of all, guests can save a lot on international fares.  And once you see from observing fares that you managed to lock in a low one and now prices are well up, there is really no harm in ticketing the file.  Perhaps guest wants to do seat selection if their airline doesn't allow prior to ticketing.  Also, they are ticketed for sure and don't have to worry about PCL or EZ-Air not completing the ticketing process.

[cr8tiv1]

@Steelers36  All good points.  It's very complicated.  I was trying to simplify a maze of twists and turns.  Probably not a good thing to do.

 

I have been pleased with EZ Air.  There are a few instances when it was cheaper to buy the airfare on my own, but meant shelling out the cash immediately upon booking.  On my last cruise, Jet Blue had a Black Friday Sale in November 2022...I bought a ticket right then and there for a cruise in July 2023.  EZ Air never could match that price.

 

Bought a ticket to Japan via EZ Air.  Phenomenal pricing.  But it was code shared.  Nobody would touch my questions.  Had to get it ticketed before I could select seats.  The more fingers in the pot, the more difficult to work with all of them.  

 

I consider myself very savvy when it comes to air travel.  I do feel for those who are less experienced.  One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was the ability to change your dates/fare without penalty and/or get e-travel credits when booking directly.  You still have to pay the difference.  I racked up so many travel vouchers for cancelled/changed flights, it gave me a few years of "free" travel on Hawaiian Airlines.

 

Regardless, EZ Air is still a bargain, most of the time.  You really have to be diligent and watch your reservations.  

Edited August 12, 2023 by cr8tiv1

[Steelers36]

26 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

One of the best things to come out of the pandemic was the ability to change your dates/fare without penalty and/or get e-travel credits when booking directly.  You still have to pay the difference.  I racked up so many travel vouchers for cancelled/changed flights, it gave me a few years of "free" travel on Hawaiian Airlines.

True that.  We were really flying much then.  At least you got something for the headaches when being cancelled and such.  BTW, the small number times been on them, I liked Hawaiian.  Longest was HNL-SYD.  Otherwise, inter-island some years ago.  

[Ombud]

EZAIR just rebooked my 9:05am flight to 7:15am! The earliest I can get into SFO is 6am. So frustrating! Plus the 9:05 Delta flight is still available. Hot email off to CVP. 

 

[DUCHESSRN]

We are still waiting for our refund from April , Delta cancelled the flight into LAX due to bad weather . Over 100 passengers did not make it to Discovery Princess due to weather in Los Angeles . 

I called EZ Air at 4am ,lady was very polite but no help .Luckily we snagged flights on SW to Long Beach . Princess is meant to be refunding us for the SW flights ...got the run around on the phone again this week. Two letters with automated replies from customer Service .

Our Princess PVP is also trying .