Would you?

Would you buy your air one year in advance?

Booking is now open for dates before our cruise. Very good prices from BWI to AMS.

As long as there are no change fees or if it's a refundable fare, sure. But if it's non-refundable or non-changeable, I don't think so. A lot can happen in a year to change plans.

I've done it and it worked out great. Getting a lower price is the way to go. If you use outside trip insurance (not the cruise line's) you can insure the flights as well.

Would you buy your air one year in advance?

 

Booking is now open for dates before our cruise. Very good prices from BWI to AMS.

Yes I would and I have. I just did for my upcoming ruise and I got a great deal. I saw prices that I was very happy with and I told my husband "why not?" and I am so happy we did. I have seen airfare go nothing but up. My only hesitation was that I really wanted to wait and see what Southwest's rates were going to be, but I am really glad that I just went and booked it. It's still probably $250 cheaper than southwest would be.

Many people in my Roll Call waited and several are really struggling to find affordable airfare. I think as long as you find a price that you are happy with paying, and your travel plans are set, just book it. But I would suggest you travel with insurance just in case you would have to cancel.

Would you buy your air one year in advance?

 

 

 

Booking is now open for dates before our cruise. Very good prices from BWI to AMS.

Unless things have changed in the past few days, you can only book flights 330 days out. If you're using FF points or combo of $ and points, the earlier you do it, the better chances you have of getting your preferred flights.

Insure the ticket if it's not refundable or transferable.

Roz

No...I try to book about 45-60 days out....the one time I did book well in advance, the flight schedule changed 3 times...what a headache! The "replacement" flights they gave me wouldn't work with the timing I needed, so I had to cancel each assigned flight, and re-book. Too much hassle.

There are very few flights left from our airport to anywhere. Over 1/2 of our airport has been closed down for years. And now that American Airlines has taken over US Airways, more flights are being dropped.

So we book as soon as we can.

As long as there are no change fees or if it's a refundable fare, sure. But if it's non-refundable or non-changeable, I don't think so. A lot can happen in a year to change plans.

I agrree.

If you've booked the cruise, I'd go ahead and book the air if you can get a good deal, now. If you plan on getting travel insurance, add the cost of the air to the cost of the cruise and if something should happen whereby you can't go, you'd be covered. However, if you just decide not to go prior to final payment date and the cruise deposit is refundable, the air portion would not be, and it probably would not be covered by the insurance if you just decided that "we changed our mind, we don't want to go". But like I said, if you're confident that you will be going, barring anything unforeseen, I'd book it now.

If you've booked the cruise, I'd go ahead and book the air if you can get a good deal, now. If you plan on getting travel insurance, add the cost of the air to the cost of the cruise and if something should happen whereby you can't go, you'd be covered. However, if you just decide not to go prior to final payment date and the cruise deposit is refundable, the air portion would not be, and it probably would not be covered by the insurance if you just decided that "we changed our mind, we don't want to go". But like I said, if you're confident that you will be going, barring anything unforeseen, I'd book it now.

That's the way we do it. I do it early to insure a good flight time on the return flight. As time goes by the convenient flights get more expensive or sold out, and you have to get a later flight. Especially in Florida, as many ships disembark on the same days on weekends. So far we haven't canceled a cruise.

Would you buy your air one year in advance?

 

Booking is now open for dates before our cruise. Very good prices from BWI to AMS.

The only reason we would book this far out is if we were using miles and wanted first or business class. If I'm paying we wait until between 60 and 90 days out for the best pricing.

It depends if your airport (s) are served by competing airlines .

No competition , book asap .

Otherwise use something like Kayak for price change alerts for your

preferred flight times.

There is a slight risk. The major cruise lines have a nasty habit of sometimes changing a cruise or chartering a particular date after a cruise has been put in their schedules. When this happens they may not be willing to cover the costs of lost (or changes) air. Of course you can avoid this by using the cruise line's own site to book air (this is true for many lines).

As to booking flights far in advance, we do this for our annual trek to Puerto Vallarta (where we live in the winter). These flights are usually on Delta. For 9 years in a row Delta has changed our flight times (sometimes causing us to have to totally change everything). This is less of a problem with flights to and from Europe, but changes can and do happen.

Hank

Would you buy your air one year in advance?

 

Booking is now open for dates before our cruise. Very good prices from BWI to AMS.

Yes, but check for change in the schedule regularly, also for seat assignment. Many airlines make changes and move passengers, or use a differently sized plane (happened to us once).

Yes, but check for change in the schedule regularly, also for seat assignment. Many airlines make changes and move passengers, or use a differently sized plane (happened to us once).

Yes this is very important. Delta will allow you to sign up for emails regarding your flights. I'm assuming all airlines offer this, but it's especially smart to sign up for these when booking so far out.

We booked at the 320 day mark for Delta this year and have gotten 3 emails so far about changes. The first one was minor. The second was an aircraft change. The third was a change is take off time. So, getting these emails can be very helpful in your travel planning. Whenever I get these I always compare what my previous itinerary said to the new one. Delta does give you the options to call them to make changes if it no longer works for you.

I don't book cruises that far out, so no. Air travel is so unpleasant that I only want to think about it after deciding on the cruise, and maybe figure out a way to avoid the horror of it.

But...if I did book a cruise that far in advance, and I was definitely intent on that cruise, yes, I would book that necessary hateful air travel.

I don't book cruises that far out, so no. Air travel is so unpleasant that I only want to think about it after deciding on the cruise, and maybe figure out a way to avoid the horror of it.

 

But...if I did book a cruise that far in advance, and I was definitely intent on that cruise, yes, I would book that necessary hateful air travel.

UNPLEASANT, HORROR,HATEFUL ???

How long has this anger existed?

I have to - my trip next year happens the Saturday after Thanksgiving. So I have find low fares and 2 hotels (one for flying in the day before for the 1trip and 2nd for Saturday disembark to Sunday embark for the 2nd part of 2 week trip). The only good thing anout the flying is that its New York to Miami. Bad part? Screwed if something weather-related happens in either place.....

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My Alaska cruise will require flying into Seattle on Labor Day weekend, I will book early for better rates-so yes, if I have the money a year out I will. (but I wont, I will book in January for a September cruise.):cool:

YES!

I book a year out and get 1st class (domestic) tickets for what passengers are paying 6 months out for economy....

We just did, for a trans-Atlantic via Iceland and Greenland, departing Rotterdam July 2.

We had three logical air choices. I spent the past few days researching this subject and we decided to go with Condor. This is why:

For us, Icelandair departing from IAD was a deal-breaker. Too much hassle to get to that side of D.C., plus an eight-hour layover at Keflavik in the middle of night. There is nothing open at the airport and no seating. It would be a nightmare.

So it then was between WOW and Condor, which both fly out of BWI.

WOW may be wonderful but I simply don't want to weigh everything and pay extra for this and that. Condor sold a comprehensive package: meals and soft drinks free and less strict weight restrictions. Also, even if the flight is delayed, getting to AMS (and then by train to Rotterdam) will be no problem from FRA, whereas I don't want to risk volcanic eruptions messing with Iceland connections.

We are on HAL Rotterdam's July 2 18-day cruise from Rotterdam to Bergen to Lerwick to Iceland to Greenland to Boston. The only thing that could keep us from that cruise now is a health emergency. So we have insurance to cover if anything should go wrong.

We now have paid for Mainport Hotel in Rotterdam (with an in-room sauna and jacuzzi, with a river view), the flights. The reason for these super early arrangements is we want what we want. We got excellent prices on everything. (I see our inside cabin is about $800 more expensive pp than when we booked).

I have flown on all kinds of airlines, from Laker to Zambia. As long as they get us from point A to point B in one piece, we are willing to try anything. I see all these negative reviews about Condor; yet it is a thriving airline that seems to satisfy tens of thousands every year.

YES!

 

I book a year out and get 1st class (domestic) tickets for what passengers are paying 6 months out for economy....

I don't know of this. Can you please explain further? Domestic in Canada? I would always book a year out for reasonably priced first or business class for sure. I also don't know of WOW or Condor... Maybe I should research more.

Another point....depends where you are cruising to, but our experience has been with TA's is that NOTHING is as inexpensive as using the cruise line's air no matter how far out you book.

Another point....depends where you are cruising to, but our experience has been with TA's is that NOTHING is as inexpensive as using the cruise line's air no matter how far out you book.

That has been my experience as well. The cruise line air is able somehow to cut through the inane airline pricing conflict of one way being more expensive than round trip.