How early do you book airfare?

[LHC]

When taking a cruise over a Holiday (Christmas/NYE in our case), how early do you book the airfare? Do they fall throughout the year, or simply just book up sending you scrambling closer to the date?
This year I need specific times, as I am venturing forth with my handicap son, so unlike in years past, when just with my daughter, we left early, did not matter if we got bumped, etc...it matters with DS.
We can fly from Knoxville via Atlanta or Knoxville via Charlotte, ( to FLL)which I am leaning towards Charlotte, as it cannot be as crowded or as confusing as Atlanta, what do you think?
Linda

[lougee1043]

under your circumstances i would book as soon as you have your cruise tix booked ---also if you are flying in a day early which i reccommend i would book my hotel at the same time

[RevNeal]

I would tend to agree with lougee1043 ... don't wait too long. And especially not given the time of year you're wanting to be in NYC pre-cruise, and your other specific needs, I would highly encourage you to book your air and hotel as soon as you can. Don't wait.

[ekerr19]

The holidays book quickly. You may see prices drop, but for the most part they are likely to increase.

I'd book now - I see you are going to FLL, we try to go direct if at all possible, but keep in mind, if there are delays in Charlotte, there may not be as many flights on to FLL as there might flying through Atlanta.

Personally, I don't mind Atlanta - but make arrangements with the airline for assistance with your son and you should have no problem.

[jhannah]

I agree that you should book now. Since we book most of our cruises a year or more in advance, I get online 330 days prior to when I want to fly and book. (That's the earliest that airlines allow booking.) I have never found a significant decrease in price, although it does happen sometimes. I'd rather get confirmed ASAP and not have to worry about it.

[LHC]

Dock at 7 am. The airport is right with the port in FLL would it be possible to be aboard the 8:45 am plane out?
Linda

[CruiseBumm]

The consenses seams to be book as soon as uyou ca.n. You can always watch for specials or moniter schedule changes. ;)

[ekerr19]

Dock at 7 am. The airport is right with the port in FLL would it be possible to be aboard the 8:45 am plane out?
Linda

Linda -

It is highly unlikely. Even with priority disembarkation, the earliest we've ever been called to disembark is about 8:00am. It takes a while to clear the ship and get all the luggage removed.

The earliest flight we've ever booked from FLL was at 10:30am, and that was pushing it.

[bankerbabe]

You can try farecast.com. But, I don't know anything about travelling with a handicapped companion and I've not used it yet myself. I just read about it somewhere. (It is a fun site to play with too :))

[jhannah]

The earliest flight we've ever booked from FLL was at 10:30am, and that was pushing it.
Very true. I'd not even want to try that early a flight. I dislike having to wait at an airport very long, but I would even more dislike having to end my cruise in full stress mode trying to get to the gate in time. I think you'll feel better with a noon-ish flight if you can get one.

[whogo]

I find an acceptable price for cruise and airfare, buy the airfare first because pricing is more volatile, and buy the cruise very soon thereafter.

[Juanita462]

Just booked our flights for Oct cruise. There were a number of seats already booked which surprised me - but the reservations clerk said these are seats held by the airline for whatever reason. I would book now as HAL books blocks of seats for people arranging air through them.
It is great to get the flight you want and the seats you need. I also booked for wheelchair assistance for DH at the airports.

We would like to have taken a 10 a.m. flight but it is too risky and if you miss it you are the airlines mercy for when you can get another flight and whatever seating they assign. I read last week of two occasions when the ship was late getting in and when we cruised Alaska our ship was six hours late so there were a lot of missed flights.

[jhannah]

I find an acceptable price for cruise and airfare, buy the airfare first because pricing is more volatile, and buy the cruise very soon thereafter.
Just curious ... but isn't that risky? What if something happens and you can't get on the cruise to match your booked air travel? Cruises can sell out quickly or be chartered out from under you. Then you would have a ticket change fee to pay.

[kestrel]

We took a holiday cruise to the Caribbean last December. We worried that we couldn't get the flights to suit our busy schedule, so we booked very early. It ended up that the airline canceled our original flights (both ways) several months later, and we were switched to other flights. Same thing happened to our relatives, who were flying different airlines.

Just want to give you a warning that things like this can happen.

[OceanFantasys]

I find an acceptable price for cruise and airfare, buy the airfare first because pricing is more volatile, and buy the cruise very soon thereafter.

I tend to disagree.. Most airlines are non refundable after you have booked. If you wait to book your cruise last then there is a chance you might not get the category or room number you like. I would hate to be stuck with a room that didn't make me happy . I always book the cruise first.


jhannah I totally agree with you. I tried to post this hours ago but of course I got the WSOD so am trying again.

Rhonda

[ekerr19]

We leave for San Diego in a little more than two weeks and still haven't booked air yet.... United (who we prefer out of Denver most of the time) is wide open on our preferred flights - we both have enough miles to upgrade to FC, so that's probably what we'll do.

Having a large airport helps - I never book super early unless we are travelling around Christmas or Thanksgiving.

Jim - That early flight from FLL was a bit stressful for us, we did make it - but DH doesn't like to be that rushed... we try to book both San Diego and FLL at about noonish.

[lougee1043]

I get online 330 days prior to when I want to fly and book. (That's the earliest that airlines allow booking.)

fyi -- with southwest you only have a 3 month window to book in advance

[lougee1043]

this is a no brainer---- either on line or with a ta make sure that the cruise date - cabin etc is available-- then go and book your air fllights for that cruise --- after that go back and finalize booking the cruise and getting your travel insurance-- the whole thing should take an hour or so

[whogo]

Just curious ... but isn't that risky? What if something happens and you can't get on the cruise to match your booked air travel? Cruises can sell out quickly or be chartered out from under you. Then you would have a ticket change fee to pay.loungee1043 answered for me. "this is a no brainer---- either on line or with a ta make sure that the cruise date - cabin etc is available-- then go and book your air fllights for that cruise --- after that go back and finalize booking the cruise and getting your travel insurance-- the whole thing should take an hour or so"

I can not argue with those who book a fully refundable cruise before buying airfare.

The airfare for our last cruise was more expensive than the cruise. It would have been worse if we had waited. FLL was a madhouse on 12/22/06.

[LHC]

Whogo, Nice to hear from you this is LHC/Linda from Knoxville, TN. We did have a great time in December didn't we?!!!!!
I have already booked the cruise, as we needed a HC accessible room and that is the most important point of traveling with DS!

I have looked at several schedules from Knoxville to Fort Lauderdale. I think our best bet is to travel early on the Sunday morning of our cruise there is a flight out of Knoxville at 6 am getting into FLL with an our layover in Atlanta getting to FLL by 11:30 am...or one going from Knoxville via Charlotte to FLL at about the same times. As most know our weather in Knoxville is never an issue (okay except one blizzard in 93).
I have been given advice to avoid Atlanta due to the craziness and size of the airport and use an alternate route...then someone said that if you get bumped there are more flights out of Atlanta than out of Charlotte...what do you guys think?
Linda

[lougee1043]

whatever you decide and whatever the weather is supposed to be you should fly in a day early

in january we flew from portland oregon to san diego with one stop in oakland no plane change-- there was a bomb scare in oakland and we ended up leaving one hour later then planned --- in san diego there was trouble with the luggage conveyor and we finally got our luggage at 4pm -that would have given us 30 min to get to the terminal to board before they closed the gangway at 4:30 for the 5pm sail -- since the terminal is so close to the airport we would have just made it --- if the terminal was further away we could have missed the sail ---- no problems though because we did fly in a day early -- you can never know what will happen

[jtl513]

Dock at 7 am. The airport is right with the port in FLL would it be possible to be aboard the 8:45 am plane out?
Linda
Only if you're very, very, very, and very lucky!! :D Remember you've got to clear customs. Personally I'd book nothing earlier than 11:00a

[jhannah]

fyi -- with southwest you only have a 3 month window to book in advance This has always been my experience ... until yesterday. I was looking at schedules ABQ and all months through August showed up in the drop-down selections. Have they changed?

AirTran is another one with much shorter than 330 days, too. I don't remember how far out they allow booking, but it's just a matter of months, too.

[jhannah]

fyi -- with southwest you only have a 3 month window to book in advance That's always been the case ... until now. Yesterday and today when I was searching for fares all months through August show up in the drop-down selection box. Is this a recent change for SWA?

AirTran is another airline that doesn't book 330 days out. I forget what it is, but it's just a matter of months and not almost a year.

[whogo]

Whogo, Nice to hear from you this is LHC/Linda from Knoxville, TN. We did have a great time in December didn't we?!!!!!
Linda Definitely an excellent holiday cruise. We have not begun to think about next Christmas, but a cruise is unlikely.

Have you considered flying down a day early? A motel room with an airport/cruise shuttle is relatively cheap insurance that you would not miss the cruise.

[doctork]

I'm relatively new to cruising (fourth cruise coming up this summer), but travel by air frequently.

I'd highly recommend arriving one day in advance of your cruise. As has been pointed out, things happen (bomb scares, delays due to mechanical problems, missed connections, headwinds requiring refueling stops even on a "non-stop"). And bad weather elsewhere can upset your travel schedule from Knoxville, or wherever. It's sunny and clear where you are, but your plane scheduled to fly you from Knoxville to Fort Lauderdale is delayed by bad weather at DEN or ORD.

Atlanta is not that bad to negotiate, especially if the airline is alerted to your special needs (wheelchair trasnsfer, oxygen, cart to carry you from gate to gate) in advance. And since it is a larger hub with many more flights than Charlotte, you are more likely to be accommodated on another flight should anything go wrong with your schedule. With so many flights full these days, that is a big advantage.

As to booking the flight at the right price, I generally know a "good price" from an expensive one on a given route(check kayak, farecast, or others), or if not I ask the TA. Then book when you see a good price. Some airlines will give you a refund if you find a better price later on, but you have to ask for it.

[LHC]

Okay since we leave on a Sunday going down on Saturday is not a big deal. Will do it.
Linda

[kryos]

I never book my airfare until about 60 or so days out ... and certainly not until I've made final payment on a cruise. You never know ... plans could change, you might have to cancel or reschedule the cruise. Up until final payment date, I don't like to chance have non-refundable airfare booked. So, I wait until the final payment has been made ... and I know that I am pretty committed to the cruise (I will only be cancelling in an emergency that the insurance would kick in for) and then I book my airfare.

Seems safer that way.

Blue skies ...

--rita