Celebrity by Air

[Vicjac]

It really stinks that you can't get your free luggage if booking a flight with Celebrity flights with united using your mileage plus credit card.  Anyone have this issue?

[mahdnc]

We also booked our United flights with FBC. It is the first time that we used them and I was wondering about that. 

 

Even if we miss out on that perk, the fare savings from using FBC more than makes up for it. 

[papaflamingo]

47 minutes ago, Vicjac said:

It really stinks that you can't get your free luggage if booking a flight with Celebrity flights with united using your mileage plus credit card.  Anyone have this issue?

That's because you are not purchasing the flight from United, but from Celebrity.  As mentioned, I imagine it's much cheaper than the cost of luggage.  Also keep in mind, besides the savings, if the cruise cancels your flights are cancelled too with no penalties.  

[terrydtx]

I am not sure about United, but last year we had AA tickets to Florida with FBC and when we checked in at the airport, I just showed my AA Advantage card to the agent and the fees were waived.

[Suzanne123]

Make sure that your frequent flyer number is showing up on your reservation on the United web site.  

[leaveitallbehind]

2 hours ago, Vicjac said:

It really stinks that you can't get your free luggage if booking a flight with Celebrity flights with united using your mileage plus credit card.  Anyone have this issue?

As others have suggested, try directly at check in at the airport. We have had success with that as mentioned by @terrydtx with other airlines.

 

But if not successful, you have to weigh the advantages of no money required at the time of booking, no penalties for changing or canceling the flights prior to cruise final payment, typically lower fares than purchasing directly from the airlines, ability to rebook should a lower fare exist, payment for the tickets not due until final payment with the cruise, and support by Celebrity with rescheduling and getting to the ship should a delay or cancelation occur with the flights against the possibility of no free luggage.

 

Seems to me, if that would end up being the case, that might be a small issue in comparison.  We prefer booking flights through Celebrity (and RCCL) for those reasons.  Just my opinion.

Edited April 26, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[matcris77381]

We have used Celebrity Air, and paid no baggage fees. 
As said above, make sure your ff# is attached to your reservation. 

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, terrydtx said:

I am not sure about United, but last year we had AA tickets to Florida with FBC and when we checked in at the airport, I just showed my AA Advantage card to the agent and the fees were waived.

 

Is it your status with American that gets you out of the fee?

Edited April 26, 2022 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

46 minutes ago, Suzanne123 said:

Make sure that your frequent flyer number is showing up on your reservation on the United web site.  

 

Funny you should say that.  After entering in our freq flyer number and other information on the FBC website, the tickets that I reserved did not have either of our freq flyer numbers attached.  It took two separate phone calls with one hour wait times each to finally get that fixed.  Actually, it is not that funny.

[RichYak]

United is unique in that you must book directly with them to get the free checked bag(s) benefit of their credit cards. With other airlines, simply having your frequent flier number attached to the reservation is enough.

[abritinva]

17 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

Funny you should say that.  After entering in our freq flyer number and other information on the FBC website, the tickets that I reserved did not have either of our freq flyer numbers attached.  It took two separate phone calls with one hour wait times each to finally get that fixed.  Actually, it is not that funny.

I had a similar problem but in my case it was the full spelling of my name. Celebrity dropped my middle name, United had it in my Mileage Plus profile. Again it took a number of calls to resolve.

[leaveitallbehind]

17 minutes ago, RichYak said:

United is unique in that you must book directly with them to get the free checked bag(s) benefit of their credit cards. With other airlines, simply having your frequent flier number attached to the reservation is enough.

So with United, that benefit is tied specifically to the use of their sponsored credit card when booking flights directly through them, (while other airlines may have it tied into mileage status)?  Good to know - I was not aware of that with United. (I fly with them very little). 

 

Maybe the fare arrangement they have with Celebrity negates that benefit even when using their card for the purchase. 

 

Based on that the OP may not be able to exercise that benefit.  I still think that is a relatively small concern v the total booking benefits provided - especially if the fare is more attractive. Again, just my opinion.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[mahdnc]

2 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

So with United, that benefit is tied specifically to the use of their sponsored credit card when booking flights directly through them, (while other airlines may have it tied into mileage status)?  Good to know - I was not aware of that with United. (I fly with them very little). 

 

Maybe the fare arrangement they have with Celebrity negates that benefit even when using their card for the purchase. 

 

Based on that the OP may not be able to exercise that benefit.  I still think that is a relatively small concern v the total booking benefits provided - especially if the fare is more attractive. Again, just my opinion.

 

 

 

The FBC agent I talked to said that even though I may pay FBC for the tickets using my MileagePlus Visa, United doesn't see it when FBC pays them.

[leaveitallbehind]

45 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

The FBC agent I talked to said that even though I may pay FBC for the tickets using my MileagePlus Visa, United doesn't see it when FBC pays them.

I guess that would be because as it is a payment to Celebrity it is not a direct purchase with the card to United, which seems to be the United CC T&C with the luggage benefit per @RichYak

Edited April 26, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[RichYak]

50 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Maybe the fare arrangement they have with Celebrity negates that benefit even when using their card for the purchase. 

It's not just Flights by Celebrity, booking a United flight via any online travel agent would negate the free checked bag benefit. 

[leaveitallbehind]

51 minutes ago, RichYak said:

It's not just Flights by Celebrity, booking a United flight via any online travel agent would negate the free checked bag benefit. 

Agree.  The benefit, as you described, would only apply to flights using that card booked directly by the cardholder with United.  No third party involvement.

[leaveitallbehind]

6 hours ago, Vicjac said:

It really stinks that you can't get your free luggage if booking a flight with Celebrity flights with united using your mileage plus credit card.  Anyone have this issue?

Given the information provided on this tread it would seem to me that the frustration with the free luggage issue is not with Celebrity, but with United and their policy regarding you having to make a direct booking with United using their sponsored CC in order to enjoy that benefit.  And it would seem that would be the case with any third part flight bookings.  Celebrity has no say in the matter or ability to override that T&C.  But as mentioned, hopefully the other benefits of booking through them - including the possibility of a lower fare - will offset that.  🙂

[Arizona Wildcat]

4 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Funny you should say that.  After entering in our freq flyer number and other information on the FBC website, the tickets that I reserved did not have either of our freq flyer numbers attached.  It took two separate phone calls with one hour wait times each to finally get that fixed.  Actually, it is not that funny.

A suggestion for the future.  Simply show them your frequent flyer card or give the airline your number when you check in.  Why spend time and stress out forwhat you could do in 1 minute at the airport?

[mahdnc]

30 minutes ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

A suggestion for the future.  Simply show them your frequent flyer card or give the airline your number when you check in.  Why spend time and stress out forwhat you could do in 1 minute at the airport?

 

That is a thought.  The reason that I would prefer to agonize up front like that is because I want my reservation to be linked and visible thru my MileagePlus account/app.  It then alerts me to changes in my flight schedule should they occur which is nice because I don't want to count on FBC notifying me. 

 

If my frequent flyer account number is not linked to the reservation then I would have to type in the record locater number every time I need to look something up.

 

Also none of the perks associated with freq flyer status (e.g. upgrade priority) would be recognized on my reservation without the freq flyer number attached.