Booking Air Through Disney?? Early Flight

[Billinaz]

That's kind of the deal flying east to west. There are rarely particularly great options, honestly, even from the bigger hubs like Chicago.

We never use DCL to book our air (and I cannot see any reason anyone would) and have no problems getting direct flights from MCO to PHX.

If you can get the flights at the same cost and control your flight times and seats why would you leave that up to DCL to get you terrible routing, inconvenient times, and not booking seats?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

(and I cannot see any reason anyone would)

On occasion, DCL air flights are more desirable. Especially for those cruises that require open-jaw flights. We've used them twice.

 

[Shanti]

Yes, they generally select your flight and there is incentive for them to get you on the cheapest flight, not the most convenient (and DCL does typically use Delta flights). But you can pay an air deviation fee and select a specific flight and pay the difference in airfare if there is any. (Why you would want to pay more I don't know.)

General Question but if you book your flight through DCL don't they select your flight?

If you can get the flights at the same cost and control your flight times and seats why would you leave that up to DCL to get you terrible routing, inconvenient times, and not booking seats?

The process for booking flights via DCL has changed. You now choose your own flight at the time you request flights (I chose mine over 6 months in advance), and you can even choose your seats. No extra fee for this. It's the new process for booking flights via DCL.

 

[Shanti]

I just booked DCL air for a January cruise. I already have my flight time, confirmation numbers, seating and can pull them up on the carriers website(Delta and American). Will DCL change them--- or will they stay the same since I already have all the confirmation numbers?

DCL will not change them. The carrier might for some reason, as could happen on any flight.

 

[DCSWO]

Play it safe, take the later flight with the layover. You'll reduce your stress during debarkation and be able to end your cruise relaxed instead of looking at your watch/phone every few minutes. Disney's recommended no-earlier-than times are based on their experience - and they have quite a bit of it.

 

[cmwade77]

Honestly, I would never book a flight on the same night cruise returns. On our cruise in January of last year, the people seated at the table next to us did that and their flight time was moved up by two hours from 11:30 to 9:30 in the morning, which meant it was physically impossible for then to catch their flight, especially since there were delays with disembarking due to some customs issues. We had our flight booked for the following day because we figured this could happen and the latest direct flight we could get back to the L.A. area was at 11:00 in the morning as well.

That being said, using Kayak, it looks like there have been some recent changes to add some better nonstop flight times if you are willing to fly Frontier - 2:20 P.M. and gets in about 4:45 P.M. to LAX for about $99 per person