purching airline tickets question?

[chellt]

I have never purchased airline tickets before, so I want to make sure i understand everything before I push that "purchase" button!

Buying one way tickets on two different airlines would definately be the most budget friendly route...But the concern with this is if something were to cause a delay with our departure (weather or mechanical), the airline could do little or nothing to extend our stay since we would be booked on another airline.... This is highly unlikey, but enough to scare me....

But what if I book our departure now on AA...and wait and book our return later on AA (when it hopefully goes down)... a gamble, I know!

My question is, if I did this and something happened to our outbound flight, would AA treat it as a round trip booking or would we just be out of luck?

Does this question even make sense????

 

[DebbieB]

I have never purchased airline tickets before, so I want to make sure i understand everything before I push that "purchase" button!

Buying one way tickets on two different airlines would definately be the most budget friendly route...But the concern with this is if something were to cause a delay with our departure (weather or mechanical), the airline could do little or nothing to extend our stay since we would be booked on another airline.... This is highly unlikey, but enough to scare me....

But what if I book our departure now on AA...and wait and book our return later on AA (when it hopefully goes down)... a gamble, I know!

My question is, if I did this and something happened to our outbound flight, would AA treat it as a round trip booking or would we just be out of luck?

Does this question even make sense????

Another risk would be if for some reason you have to change your trip, you would be hit with $150 per ticket change fee twice.

 

[Lewisc]

It's not a R/T. You might be out of luck.

 

[Hannathy]

If I understand you correctly it doesn't matter if it is round trip or one way the airlines don't really care if your trip is cut short because of a delay. They will not change your departure to make up for it, so it doesn't matter if you are flying on the same airline you flew out on or a different one.

I think and correct me if I am wrong but you think if you are scheduled to fly out on Tuesday and there is "weather" as the airlines like to say and you don't get to leave until Wednesday that if it is the same airline they will let your change your coming home flight from Sunday to Monday because you lost a day going?

They won't! so it really doesn't matter who you fly, being round trip really doesn't do anything for you but get you more frequent flier miles on one airline.

I would buy whichever way is cheaper/and or has the better times that I prefer. buying 2 one ways or 1 round trip really doesn't matter.

If this isn't what you mean try to ask your question in a different way and see if someone else can help.

 

[crashbb]

If I understand you correctly it doesn't matter if it is round trip or one way the airlines don't really care if your trip is cut short because of a delay. They will not change your departure to make up for it, so it doesn't matter if you are flying on the same airline you flew out on or a different one.

I think and correct me if I am wrong but you think if you are scheduled to fly out on Tuesday and there is "weather" as the airlines like to say and you don't get to leave until Wednesday that if it is the same airline they will let your change your coming home flight from Sunday to Monday because you lost a day going?

They won't! so it really doesn't matter who you fly, being round trip really doesn't do anything for you but get you more frequent flier miles on one airline.

I would buy whichever way is cheaper/and or has the better times that I prefer. buying 2 one ways or 1 round trip really doesn't matter.

If this isn't what you mean try to ask your question in a different way and see if someone else can help.

Air Canada does. I've done it. They may be an anomaly, but they definitely do it.

In the case of severe weather conditions that are expected to bring about a flight delay or cancellation....

Proactively change your Air Canada or Jazz operated flight* to another Air Canada or Jazz flight, at no cost, to travel within 3 days before or after your original travel date - you can then change your return to match the same length of stay if necessary.

So, in this case, flying with Air Canada in both directions would be beneficial.

West Jet (another Canadian airline) appears to have the same policy, but I can only see it in writing with respect to hurricanes.

I know these are Canadian airlines, but the OP's thoughts don't seem weird to me (actually, I just assumed that US carriers were the same as the Canadian ones in this regard).

 

[Lewisc]

Your outgoing flight is canceled due to weather. You decide to cancel your trip. You should be able to get a refund. Purchase O/W tickets. The carrier may not care that you never made it to Orlando. You'll get a refund on your outgoing flight but probably not on your return flight.

You want to make a change. Passengers who purchase a R/T ticket generally only have to pay one change fee to change both the outgoing and return flight.

Your outgoing flight is canceled. You don't want a refund. You have a shot of getting the change fee waived if you want to extend your vacation. You have a much smaller shot if you purchase a O/W ticket.

 

[palomastewart]

Buying tickets and avoid the last minute too early or because they are not for sale at this time. If you purchase airline tickets four months before the flight, at a reduced price and still have places available. The idea that the flights are reserved for the weekend are more expensive, it is true, so try to avoid buying tickets for the weekend.