HELP - 1st time booking flight on-line (usually go thru AAA)

pediatric-rnp

In loving memory of our dear Mom, MIL, and Nana. 0
Joined
Mar 16, 2004
Messages
537
In the past, we have always booked our trips thru AAA. This time I would like to do it differently, but am very nervous about making our flight arrangements on line by myself - worried it will screw up someway and leave us stranded, with DH giving me that "look"! :rotfl:

Is it easy and safe - do you get a voucher to print out to bring to airport with you? I'm used to having my tickets in hand....we don't fly often, so I'm not the most experienced air traveler. (I know these are probably crazy questions for anyone to read who has experience in this, but I know you guys are the ones to go to for reliable and supportive info!)

I would greatly appreciate any tips, suggestions, and help you can provide. When is the earliest you can book on-line? Any thoughts as to how long to watch the airfare for a July 2006 trip? I've been trying to look up the airfares for this summer - trying to get an idea of what they are, even tho I know they will prob go up with cost of fuel next yr.
 
First thing to do is RELAX! It is really easy to book your airfare online. Check out the web sites of the airlines that service your area. Some have dates further out than others, but I think it is too early for July 2006. Get online and see if any of the schedules go out that far.
When you see the flight times and prices you like go ahead and book. The system will take you through and ask all the questions. You will get a confirmation to print out and a confirmation number that identifies you. Most airlines will allow you to go online around 24 hours before your flight leaves to pick out seats and print boarding passes. I love doing this because you have the seats you want and your boarding passes so once you get past airport security there is nothing left to do but board the airplane. If you have luggage to check you can use the skycaps outside the airport so then you won't even have to stop at the airline counter.
Keep in mind that a lot of airlines (if not most) have specials that will only appear on their web sites. If you see a special go ahead and grab it if you feel the price is good. You cannot get these specials on the phone, only the internet. Get online and look over the airline sites. They are very user friendly. Make sure you read the airline policy on changing/cancelling tickets. They are all different.
 
I agree that booking on-line is alot easier than dealing with a TA. I have booked online for my last three trips (Song), and they have been nothing but helpful. Any questions, and they answer them quickly. I now have another trip booked with them, and have changed my seats, gotten travel vouchers, and can view my flight anytime! I love it!
 
Booking online is really easy. Just be sure to pay attention to the details of what you're booking. I've had times where I've messed up and the dates change on the screen. Double check and triple check all your information before you complete the transaction. But if something does mess up I think you can call the airline right away and they'll fix it for you. But I don't ever like to count on the airlines to fix problems. ;)
 

It's a bit scary trying something new like this. We've always booked thru AAA also but after last time when we bought the exact same flight I found on Expedia for the exact same price and had to pay $25 fee to the TA per ticket I vowed to do it myself next time. With the advice of this board I booked direct with the airline and saved $5 per ticket thus saving $30 each doing it myself. I've already booked my tickets online and we fly out on June 26 so we'll see how it goes. I was able to print out the itinerary but didn't see a confirmation #, I am able to log into the site and get all the info and found where I can check in online 24hours ahead of time. If your interested in hearing how my first time experience goes email me and I'll let you know after we get back.

If you know your dates for July start pricing them now for this year so you have an idea what a good price will be, use the dates closest to yours that are the actual day of the week you're flying.

Calie
 
pediatric-rnp said:
Is it easy and safe
Yes, very. I travel a lot and wouldn't book any other way.
do you get a voucher to print out to bring to airport with you? I'm used to having my tickets in hand....we don't fly often, so I'm not the most experienced air traveler.
I fly American almost exclusively and book at aa.com. They offer several options - I always have my itinerary/receipt emailed to me. I don't take anything to the airport but a good attitude. I get my boarding pass at the Admirals Club, or at the self-service kiosk if Admirals Club is inside security. The self service kiosk is nothing more than swiping my frequent flyer card or any credit card, and the boarding passes pop out. VERY easy.
(I know these are probably crazy questions for anyone to read who has experience in this, but I know you guys are the ones to go to for reliable and supportive info!)
And you think we DIDN'T go through this at some point??? :rotfl2:
I would greatly appreciate any tips, suggestions, and help you can provide. When is the earliest you can book on-line? Any thoughts as to how long to watch the airfare for a July 2006 trip? I've been trying to look up the airfares for this summer - trying to get an idea of what they are, even tho I know they will prob go up with cost of fuel next yr.
How far out you can book will vary on a lot of factors. Try and see. If it's way too early, they'll tell you that when you try to search for flight options.

Tips
If cost is an issue, it's a good idea to watch fares for a while to see what the norm is. Airfares for American carriers usually change early Tuesday morning (just after midnight) - that is when you are likely to find the lowest fares and most availability. I'm not saying set your alarm for 1 AM, but check on Tuesday morning sometime. DO NOT book air travel on the weekend. (Not talking about traveling, I'm talking about buying) You will find lower fares Tues, Wed, Thurs, but on Friday don't be surprised to see them spike up. Why? Guess when most people book?

How far in advance to book is a question. For business travel, I do not normally book more than a month out, but I am usually flying between major cities with lots of options. Flying from a smaller airport to a destination like Orlando may be different, so you may want to book well in advance. Watch the fares, and when they drop to a price you're happy with, buy. If they drop another $20, so be it. Buying airfare is like buying stock; you will never buy at exactly the bottom, so just get over it.

Check alternate departure and destination airports. Often fares are a LOT less flying to or from outlying airports - but not always. Tampa (TPA) is about 90 minutes away from WDW, a great airport, and a reasonable alternative to MCO if you are renting a car anyway. There may be similar options available near you, so look around.

I don't know if this is true on other sites (I'm sure it's true on some, and not on others), but on aa.com you can select flights and HOLD your reservation for 24 hours. That is a good intermediate step to go through if you are not really comfortable booking online, because you haven't bought anything yet. Gives you a chance to print your itinerary and go over it closely before you make a decision that will cost you $100 to change. You can also call the airline's reservations desk and walk through the process with them -- it won't be the first time someone has done that, and they are very helpful.

Also, on most airline company sites, you can look at available seating for your flights. You don't usually actually choose seats until you purchase, so sometimes it's good to see what is available on a flight up front. Some seats will be blocked out for frequent flyers, but you'll be able to book the others.

That should be enough to terrorize you for now. PM me if you have any additional questions.
 
I knew this was the place to come for advice and support!! :cool1:
I already feel more confident about the process after reading all of your posts- thank you all so much.

It's just actually doing it for the first time that I have to get over! I've been searching the different airlines for awhile, trying to get an idea of prices for this July, so I have idea of July prices in general (I know it won't be exact) for next yr. We will be flying out of Greene Airport in Providence, RI (well, actually Warwick, RI - but that's a whole different story!). Usually fly Delta or AA, but Southwest's prices have been much better from what I've seen. Oh well...tracking the airlines and comparing costs will keep me busy for awhile!

JimMIA - I may very well take you up on your offer to PM you in the future as I go thru this process.....I'm sure I may have other questions as time goes on. Thanks for your generosity!

calie_j - I would love to know how your experience goes once you are back - always nice to hear from someone else who is doing something for the first time. When will you be back, so I know when to make contact with you again?
 
/
We'll be back home July 4. We're flying on United cause they beat Delta & NW's price when I was ready to buy. Just give me a hollar and I'll tell ya how our experience went.

Calie
 
Thanks, Calie - have a wonderful trip and I'll make contact when you're home!
 
calie_j said:
We'll be back home July 4. We're flying on United cause they beat Delta & NW's price when I was ready to buy. Just give me a hollar and I'll tell ya how our experience went.

Calie

I'm jumping on this thread because I just made my first ever online reservations in February for our October trip. I will PM you too to find out how your trip went if that's ok. Thanks for offering!

I'm just nervous that I'll get to the airport and not have all the stuff I need, and they'll give us a big hassle. Or my luggage will be over limit or something.
 
Absolutely, anyone who wants to know a first timer's experience is welcome to contact me. This flight I booked online for June26-July3 is from St. Louis to Montana with a connection in Denver, no it's not a trip to Disney but it's good practice for our trip to the World in Nov.

Calie
 














Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!

Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE













DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest

Back
Top