can no longer choose seats on american airlines?

[Soarin4us]

Compare SW fares before you rule out Midway. PHL is an hour closer to us than BWI, but sometimes the fare difference makes the extra drive well worth it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Doesn't matter tho as Midway is too far for us. We live 45 miles nw of Chicago

I just looked at it in google maps. They are 27 miles apart?

Truly choosing your seat from all the seats on the plane (but exit rows of course), two free checked bags each... To me that’s a combo worth an extra half hour or so depending on traffic.

It’s *at least* worth looking into.


(Also, SW is one of only two airlines that let you rebook with no fee of the fare goes down after you book it)

 

[smidgy]

Compare SW fares before you rule out Midway. PHL is an hour closer to us than BWI, but sometimes the fare difference makes the extra drive well worth it.

I don't drive on expressways and interstates at all. y husband did most of the driving and no longer can since he is now nearly blind. (we always used to drive to florida. he drove the entire way and loved it. he loved driving..sigh.) so a taxi or uber from us to midway would be very expensive.
ps. the 2 airports maybe 27 miles away "from each other" but we are 45 miles northwest of the city. they say all roads lead to chicago, but from one outskirt to an outskirt in another direction... the saying is "you can't get there from here" .
thanks for the suggestions about southwest and Midway but those are not options for us. I have checked into it.
back to talking about AA and/or United.. I thought it would be pricier to book 2 dif. airlines, one for each leg of the trip, since you can't book round trip.

 

[kaytieeldr]

There is rarely, if ever, any kind of deal for booking round trip on a single airline.

 

[SirDuff]

There is rarely, if ever, any kind of deal for booking round trip on a single airline.

On domestic flights (I know that that is what we are talking about, but your comment can be taken out of context). There are definitely deals for booking round trip when traveling international (Canada-US being an exception).

 

[drwadadli]

Actually I was on the AA site. You ,. Can choose seats after all, but they cost more.I didn't realize thatsouthwest
let's you board first, as AA does. Doesn't matter tho as Midway is too far for us. We live 45 miles nw of Chicago

When we booked our flights for this past November trip and next weeks trip, we picked our seats and DIDN'T pay an extra. You have the choice to pay for exit row or premier seats but we didn't pick those and just picked two regular coach seats together.

 

[kaytieeldr]

On domestic flights (I know that that is what we are talking about, but your comment can be taken out of context). There are definitely deals for booking round trip when traveling international (Canada-US being an exception).

Disneyland...Walt Disney World...Las Vegas...New Yotk City...Montreal...why would anybody want to go anywhere else?

 

[SirDuff]

Disneyland...Walt Disney World...Las Vegas...New Yotk City...Montreal...why would anybody want to go anywhere else?

Because one lives in France while ones family lives in Canada/US? And one travels to Africa/Asia monthly?

 

[DebbieB]

When we booked our flights for this past November trip and next weeks trip, we picked our seats and DIDN'T pay an extra. You have the choice to pay for exit row or premier seats but we didn't pick those and just picked two regular coach seats together.

You must have booked a main cabin ticket. It's not a question of paying for seats, it's a question of which type of ticket you booked.

 

[drwadadli]

You must have booked a main cabin ticket. It's not a question of paying for seats, it's a question of which type of ticket you booked.

Yes, so true as I don't book "Basic". There is nothing in the original post that mentions whether that person was booking "Basic", "Main Cabin" or "First Class" and I wasn't disagreeing with your prior post about "Basic" tickets.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't drive on expressways and interstates at all. y husband did most of the driving and no longer can since he is now nearly blind. (we always used to drive to florida. he drove the entire way and loved it. he loved driving..sigh.) so a taxi or uber from us to midway would be very expensive.
ps. the 2 airports maybe 27 miles away "from each other" but we are 45 miles northwest of the city. they say all roads lead to chicago, but from one outskirt to an outskirt in another direction... the saying is "you can't get there from here" .
thanks for the suggestions about southwest and Midway but those are not options for us. I have checked into it.
back to talking about AA and/or United.. I thought it would be pricier to book 2 dif. airlines, one for each leg of the trip, since you can't book round trip.

Common misconception.
There is no price break for booking round trip, at least not to Orlando
I've actually had several trips where I saved money booking two different airlines as each airline was cheaper one way than the other was. Never assume anything. Always price out all options.

 

[AngiTN]

Yes, so true as I don't book "Basic". There is nothing in the original post that mentions whether that person was booking "Basic", "Main Cabin" or "First Class" and I wasn't disagreeing with your prior post about "Basic" tickets.

Actually, everything about the OP is about booking basic. Not being able to choose a seat at the time of booking IS what a Basic ticket comes with. This is where the OP was confused, or at least the basis of their misunderstanding.

 

[drwadadli]

Actually, everything about the OP is about booking basic. Not being able to choose a seat at the time of booking IS what a Basic ticket comes with. This is where the OP was confused, or at least the basis of their misunderstanding.

I agree that is where the OP confuse was but again the OP NEVER mentioned "Basic" ticket in the first post (see below the first quote) until later on (see the second quote). Yes, not being able to choose a seat at the time of booking IS what a Basic ticket comes with but I wasn't going to ASSUME that is what the OP meant because we know what happens when you ASSUME.

doing some early browsing on expedia/priceline etc for our late july/early august trip. when you select a flight it then tells you you can't choose seats ahead of time anymore. you can choose preference 48 hours ahead, but the airline chooses your seats. this is new since sept.
I wonder if they have exceptions for disabilities. I didn't see anywhere online for that choice. I need to sit next to my husband as he needs help with mobility and he is almost blind.

thanks for all your replies everyone! I never fly southwest because you can't choose seats ahead of time (and they don't fly out of ohare anyway) but have always been of the opinion that it is unfair to expect others who paid for early bird checkin to move so you can sit with your family. AA didn't used to have the basic option. I guess they added this option and raised the price of normal economy. (just like they raised the price of seats further in the front. coach used to be all the same price)
last trip I tried to call AA directly and got a 3rd party ticket seller who quoted me a ridiculous price, maybe I didn't have the correct number? guess I'll have to pony up and pay the new middle price for a coach seat (not preferred, not basic).
I was also disappointed, both last trip and looking like this upcoming trip that there are no midafternoon flights returning from MCO to ORD. only morning or 5 pm. sigh. we always used to flyhome about 2 or 3 so we wouldn't be "homeless" (without a room) for a couple hours. I see untied has some about the time I like but I don't think you can book AA one way and United the other as a round trip unless you use a 3rd party broker. is that true?

 

[DebbieB]

I agree that is where the OP confuse was but again the OP NEVER mentioned "Basic" ticket in the first post (see below the first quote) until later on (see the second quote). Yes, not being able to choose a seat at the time of booking IS what a Basic ticket comes with but I wasn't going to ASSUME that is what the OP meant because we know what happens when you ASSUME.

The wording they posted matches the wording for Basic Economy. When you click on that fare, there’s a pop up with the restrictions so you can’t say you didn’t know.

 

[kaytieeldr]

but I wasn't going to ASSUME

Understood. Many of us recognized, from the OP's original comments, that she was referring to bare-bones, or Basic, Economy. No assumptions

 

[SirDuff]

Understood. Many of us recognized, from the OP's original comments, that she was referring to bare-bones, or Basic, Economy. No assumptions

But not the OP

 

[writerguyfl]

guess I'll have to pony up and pay the new middle price for a coach seat (not preferred, not basic).

Please pick up the phone and call the Special Service department at American Airlines: 800-433-7300.

It may be possible to purchase a Basic Economy fare and still get seating due to your husband's disability. I write that because airlines can not discriminate against passengers with disabilities due to the Air Carrier Access Act. (That's the airline version of the Americans with Disabilities Act.) I believe that allowing seating assignments on Basic Economy fares might be considered a reasonable accommodation.

Please call the experts at the airline. They will tell you everything you need to know about which fares are appropriate for you and your husband.

 

[smidgy]

OP here. sorry if my posts were confusing. there used to be first class and coach. then coach started getting split into regular (main) and preferred. (exit row always costing more. due to disability we can't sit there anyway) last time I booked a flight those were the options and we always chose the most reasonable. So naturally this time I looked at the category with the least price. (which turns out to be basic) . a new category was added, dividing coach into basic, main and preferred. so yes,you get what you pay for. it's just that NOT being able to choose seats wan't even an option before. (and naturally the cost for the "middle" option went up. )
thanks for all the help! I'll just have to pay the middle price for the main cabin. but I'll be sure to call the disabilities number first and see if they're anyhelp.
and thanks those who let me know about round trip vs. booking on 2 dif. airlines. silly me.. I DID have the misconception that you were getting a better deal by booking round trip. how could I research disney trips to the nth degree and not price this out? this is so good to know. maybe we'll go ahead and book united for the way back to leave in the early afternonn. even if we can't have carryon it won't matter on the way home. we have to go to baggage claim anyway. won't need swim suits or change of clothes lol.. I'll keep his meds and my reading material and some snacks in the boarding bag.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I write that because airlines can not discriminate against passengers with disabilities due to the Air Carrier Access Act. (That's the airline version of the Americans with Disabilities Act.) I believe that allowing seating assignments on Basic Economy fares might be considered a reasonable accommodation.

Nope. Not discrimination.

it's just that NOT being able to choose seats wan't even an option before. (and naturally the cost for the "middle" option went up

things change.

 

[SL6827]

Common misconception.
There is no price break for booking round trip, at least not to Orlando
I've actually had several trips where I saved money booking two different airlines as each airline was cheaper one way than the other was. Never assume anything. Always price out all options.

I will keep this in mind. When we return from the Caymans here in a couple weeks, we will have enough Sky Miles for a one way ticket to Orlando on Delta. So I will most certainly remember this tip.