First-time flier questions

[ddstratton]

We are thinking of flying to Orlando for our next Disney trip. None of us have ever flown before, and I have a couple of questions.

First -- how early should I try to buy plane tickets? Should it be months in advance? Weeks?

Once I buy tickets, then what? Do you print out tickets? Pick them up at the airport? Something else?

Anyone wanna give a first-time flier some hints and tips?

 

[Ln42]

Hi,
We fly SWA and monitor the site for the cost of the flights. Once I know my dates and am comfortable with the price, I buy. If the price goes down, I can modify the flight and get the price difference in the form of a credit I can use within the next year. SW has no assigned seats so 24 hrs before your flight, you check in for boarding passes and it assigns you a number in line to board. Its first come, first served. The do offer a program for 10 bucks per person per flight called the Early Bird which will check you in automatically before others.

You print those boarding passes at home and take them to the airport where they scan them before you get on the plane.

On holiday breaks like February vacation, I buy the day the flights come out as they only seem to go up from there. On less travelled times, you will notice the prices go up and down significantly. Use the boards and people will mention when the rates drop.

Good luck!

 

[skiingfast]

We are thinking of flying to Orlando for our next Disney trip. None of us have ever flown before, and I have a couple of questions.

First -- how early should I try to buy plane tickets? Should it be months in advance? Weeks?

Once I buy tickets, then what? Do you print out tickets? Pick them up at the airport? Something else?

Anyone wanna give a first-time flier some hints and tips?

I would compare flights now and see if the cost is high or not. Waiting until under a month is most likely going to lead to a higher cost.

Also consider fees to check bags.

Yes you print out tickets.

Check on the TSA site what you can and can't take onto planes.

 

[DebbieB]

Most airlines no longer have "paper tickets". You make a reservation and get an e-mail confirmation.

 

[Aggiegrl]

Hi,
We fly SWA and monitor the site for the cost of the flights. Once I know my dates and am comfortable with the price, I buy. If the price goes down, I can modify the flight and get the price difference in the form of a credit I can use within the next year. SW has no assigned seats so 24 hrs before your flight, you check in for boarding passes and it assigns you a number in line to board. Its first come, first served. The do offer a program for 10 bucks per person per flight called the Early Bird which will check you in automatically before others.

You print those boarding passes at home and take them to the airport where they scan them before you get on the plane.

On holiday breaks like February vacation, I buy the day the flights come out as they only seem to go up from there. On less travelled times, you will notice the prices go up and down significantly. Use the boards and people will mention when the rates drop.

Good luck!

Just want to note that getting a credit from the price difference is not an industry-wide thing. You won't get that on most of the other airlines...in fact most will charge you a rather large "change fee."

We buy plane tickets as soon as we are certain of our dates. Months in advance is advisable. Generally, prices will be lower the farther out you book your tickets. Sometimes an airline will run a fare special closer to the flight, but it usually is not lower than the price I paid for my ticket because I purchase so early. My tickets for our trip in a week and a half were purchased in February.

Once you buy the tickets online, you will be given a confirmation code/record locator/whatever your airline calls it which is generally a combinations of letters and numbers. You can then go online closer to your flight, check in, and print your boarding passes if you'd like. It is fairly important to check in online when you are flying an airline that does not assign seats. In this case, airlines such as Southwest assign boarding numbers/groups, and of course the earlier numbers get a better choice of seats.

If you chose you seats when you booked your tickets, you forget, or you just don't care what seat you get, you can always check in at the airport and get your ticket there. The airlines all have check in desks where you will also check any luggage you are not carrying on to the plane. There are generally "self serve" kiosks for tickets which will find your reservation using that confirmation code or by swiping a major credit card with your name on it. There are also "full service" desks with agents that can find your reservation for you an print your tickets.

 

[Dan Murphy]

AirTran is another good airline, giving credits if a lower price comes out.

 

[ddstratton]

Thank you, everyone! This is one thing I've never done before, and have no idea what I'm doing! I love these boards for hints and tips on new things.