Help! I've never flown before!

[princesslily]

I'm not sure what to do! We're flying Spirit airlines out of Detroit at 7:45am. I've book a room with parking included. How does this work? What time do we have to be at the airport? Do we all have to be there that early? We don't have assigned seats or tickets, just a confirmation number from cheaptickets.com. I have to confirm 24hrs. before flight and I'm not sure who to call. I don't want this to be a fiasco because then I'll have to listen to a grumpy husband. Please help me!

 

[PCFriar80]

Okay, I'll give it a shot. It sounds like you are staying close to the airport the night before your flight. Having said that, you'll have little or no traffic issues to contend with. For a 7:45 AM flight and a first timer I would plan on being at the airport minimally 90 minutes before your flight ....6:15 AM or even 6:00 AM. Yes, this may be overkill but you'll have to check in (get or confirm seat assignments and check luggage). Then you'll need to go through the security checkpoint to get to the gate. This is the wild card here....sometimes it can
be fast the other trimes slow, depending on the day, time of day, etc. This is where "fiascos" can begin. With an early arrival to the airport, the worst case scenario is you're sitting at the gate area waiting to board (usually 30 minutes before departure). 7:15 AM in your case. Grab a coffee and the paper and you'll be all set!

Also, don't forget your ID (drivers license). Good luck!

 

[3mickeys&me]

I've never used cheap tickets.com before so can't comment on who to call. Can you confirm on line??

You should really be at the airport 2hours and 45 minutes in advance. You never know how long its going to take to checkin, check your luggage and go through security. Better to be early than to be running through the airport chasing your plane.

did cheap tickets give you a spirit conformation # for your flight? If so you should be able to go on their website or spirits and confirm that way.

Good luck and enjoy your trip

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Okay, one thing at a time --

We're flying Spirit airlines out of Detroit at 7:45am.

Do you mean 7:45 AM tomorrow?

I've book a room with parking included. How does this work?

This sounds like you're staying at a hotel near the airport the night before the flight and that package includes parking for your car while you're gone. It may be near the hotel, but I imagine some of those packages vary. The hotel clerks can answer those specific questions better than I can.

What time do we have to be at the airport? Do we all have to be there that early? We don't have assigned seats or tickets, just a confirmation number from cheaptickets.com.

A lot of airlines will assign seats the day of the flight, so that's no big worry. For a 7:45 AM flight I would suggest getting there 2 hours early, especially since you have to get your seat assignments. Yes, everyone has to be there to get their seat assignments. If someone decides to sleep in a bit and arrive at the last minute, anyone that goes early will NOT be able to get Sleepyhead's ticket and seat assignment for them. Sleepyhead should be able to get their ticket independent of everyone else, but they run the risk of (a) sitting apart from the rest of your party or (b) being one of the last and put on standby because the flight is overbooked.

I have to confirm 24hrs. before flight and I'm not sure who to call. I don't want this to be a fiasco because then I'll have to listen to a grumpy husband. Please help me!

Did anything you received from cheaptickets.com include any phone number? If not, I would be checking their website or trying to contact the airline. Confirming 24 hours before the flight is probably for seat assignment, although I've never flown Spirit so I'm not sure of their procedures.

 

[Chicago526]

If you want more info about what to expect going through security, check the TSA's website at www.tsa.gov. Lots of helpful info, especialy if you have a unique situation like a disability or medical condition.

 

[CleveRocks]

Let me suggest getting seats assigned before your actual flight date. Go to Spirit's website (www.spiritair.com). You'll have to enter your "record locator" number, which in my experience with Spirit is usually 6 capital letters. Once you enter that, you should be able to reserve seats online.

Some other time, you should try flying Spirit to Atlantic City. I used to live near Lake Erie, so I know from experience how much better the Atlantic Ocean is. Same with our casinos compared with Casino Windsor.

Flying is a breeze. ENJOY WDW!

-- Eric