Getting on an earlier flight? Delta.

[Mainebound]

Hi,

We have a later flight to MCO than I would like (get in at 9:15pm) and I just found out the management company for the villa we are renting will not be open, thus necessitating two trips there (one to retrieve the code from a lock box the night we arrive, a second stop the next day when they are open to swipe our credit card for the villa security deposit. This after being promised prior to booking that we could go straight to the villa and use a code to get right in.)

In trying to get on an earlier flight without taking a second mortgage on the house, I just spoke to someone at Delta who told me we can call 3 hours before an earlier flight than the one we boked and see if there are seats. If so, we pay $25 per ticket and can take the earlier flight.

Has anyone done this? Does everything get screwed up when you make a last minute change like this? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks!

 

[seashoreCM]

This $25. Delta thing is an actual modification of your ressie.

Get a new printout of your complete itiinary after making the change, to make sure the return flights are still as scheduled.

Can you stay in the resort the night of arrival if you don't change your flights?

If you were unable to change your flights, you might phoning in with the credit card no. before going there for the second time.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[safetymom]

It sounds like you are trying to fly standby on Delta. You pay the $25 fee to standby for the earlier flight. I haven't done it on Delta but I have on USAirways. I got to the airport early after I found out there was seats available on the earlier flight. With USAirways you pay the fee even if you don't get on the earlier flight.

It worked well for me because that flight was more expensive to begin with and I didn't want to pay the extra money. But it got me to Orlando earlier and it was a non stop.

It's worth it to try. It shouldn't affect your ticket but you could always ask for a print out of our itinerary.

 

[Mainebound]

Hmmm, I am not sure if it would be "standby" so I had better call Delta. I don't want to pay $100 (4 tix) for nothing!

Yes, we can get into the villa the night of arrival, so it is not that dire of a situation. And maybe they would allow me to call in the cc # instead of making me come back the next day.

With the added inconvenience of driving to the MC, and my little ones being up way past their bed time, I thought getting in early afternoon might be worth the extra $$$$.

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

[DebbieB]

I would see how many seats are empty before you decide. I've did standby on USAir once and the flight had plenty of seats so they confirmed a seat for me at the counter. Then they had trouble with their credit card printer so they didn't even charge me the $25! If you do not get on the standby, you can use the $25 standby ticket another time, you don't just lose it.

 

[cigar95]

I did this two weeks ago. On Delta, it's called "same day confirm", and you do actually get confirmed, rather than on a standby list.

If you are still at home when you call, rather than at the airport, you can check available seats on their web site before you call, then ask for the seats you want when confirming the changed itinerary.

In my case, the fare for the flight I was switching to was $10 less than my original reservation, so my cost was only $15. Changing to a non-stop and arriving two hours earlier was definitely worth the cost of switching. (It was fun watching my original flight board at the same as my new one, which was only about half full.)

 

[Mainebound]

Thank you cigar95. With the proper name, I was able to find the official info on the Delta site. Not that anyone but me actually cares, but, just in case, here it is...

"Same Day Confirmed Program Terms & Conditions

For travel within the 50 United States. and Canada, passengers may be confirmed on another same-day flight provided coach seats are available on the requested flight.
Reservations within 3 hours of departure of the new flight are subject to a payment of a service charge of $25 (USD) on Delta, Delta Connection, and Song flights. On Delta Shuttle, the fee is the difference in fare between the new and old flight (if applicable). Note: The service charge does not apply for Platinum and Gold SkyMiles Medallion® members, except when traveling on Song and Delta Shuttle flights.

The Same Day Confirmed Program is applicable for travel within the 50 U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Same-day Confirmed Program is limited to specific routing and connection changes.


Changes Permitted
Changes from connecting to non-stop/direct flights
Change is only permitted based on the original ticketed paid cabin. For example, customers confirmed in V may only confirm for earlier or later flights in the coach cabin.

Changes Not Permitted
Changes to ticket origin or destination, including co-terminals (such as New York's La Guardia and JFK airports)
Change to connecting city
Change from non-stop/direct flights to connection


The Same-day Confirmed Program is not currently available for SkyTeam elite members or Northwest Airlines and Continental Airlines customers with equivalent Platinum and Gold Medallion status.
The Same-day Confirmed Program is not currently available for flights connecting to or from cities outside the applicable areas of travel.
Change must be made on the same day for which your flight was originally ticketed.
For Platinum and Gold Medallion® Members using the Same-day Standby Option, additional terms and conditions apply. "

 

[deltachi8]

So, even for stand by, there would be a $25 fee correct? I was thinking of arriving early for Mar 2 flight to see about a stand by for an earlier one, but wont bother if its $25.

 

[safetymom]

I would check with Delta but most airlines have some type of fee for standby. I would call before going to the airport to see how full the earlier flight is. If it is full no need to get to the airport early.

 

[deltachi8]

Thanks Safetymom! I only tried standby once, on US Air flying from Richmond to Buffalo (connect in Philly). They put me on an earlier flight to Philly no fees, and was hoping for the same when i got there to go to Buffalo. Of course there was an ice storm and all flights to Buffalo and surrounding airports were closed, so I ended up having to rent a car to get home!

 

[Mainebound]

Ok, I just called Delta.

This is NOT standby. This is different. You call them within 3 hours of your desired flight, and they CONFIRM you on that flight if there are seats and charge you $25 per ticket right then and there. If there are no seats, you are not charged and not confirmed.

 

[PCFriar80]

Technically speaking, Delta does not offer standby anymore and hasn't for a while. All changes are subject to the change fee regardless of the number of seats available or timeframes involved. There are exceptions; weather or mechanical influences.

 

[AllyBri]

Has anyone done this? Does everything get screwed up when you make a last minute change like this? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

I did this, just last week. Like you, I called before to get all the info. You call 3 hours before (I even tried calling 3 1/2 hours before, told me to call back at the 3 hours) they check and make sure the seats were available and charge your credit card the $25.00. Then she told me to hold on while she assigned our seats. Gave me a confirmation # and also emailed the new tickets to me.

 

[Mainebound]

Has anyone done this? Does everything get screwed up when you make a last minute change like this? Anything I should be aware of?

Thanks!

I did this, just last week. Like you, I called before to get all the info. You call 3 hours before (I even tried calling 3 1/2 hours before, told me to call back at the 3 hours) they check and make sure the seats were available and charge your credit card the $25.00. Then she told me to hold on while she assigned our seats. Gave me a confirmation # and also emailed the new tickets to me.
[/QUOTE]

Thanks you for addressing this question AllyBri. I am definitely going to try this, as it will give us an 11:00 am arrival rather than a 9:30 pm arrival, even though it means waking up at 3:20 a.m. to call Delta and leaving the house at 4:00am. Sheesh. What we do for Disney!!