Airfare Question

[max_boost]

Hey bros

Book direct via Air Canada flight costs = $2800 = pick your seats

Use Sky Scanner for flight comparisons and find the exact same flight for $2400 and you book via Travelocity or Flight Hub etc.

What am I missing here? You know it's the same flight but $400 cheaper.

You book via Sky Scanner / 3rd party and you pick you seats ? day before? day of?

$400 savings is GREAT (recession, times are tough etc). However if the gf and I don't sit together, the headache will not be worth $400.

Advice? Thanks.

[ercchry]

I'd check the cancellation policy and options to change dates, that's usually where buying direct wins

[max_boost]

Yup ercchry bingo by the looks of it.

Depending which site you end up booking from, some outright say no changes no refunds etc. Let's just assume they are all like that.

If i book through air Brussels, apparently I get to pick seats post purchase and I should still save $300. I just don't know if it's worth the risk lol they got FB, twitter for me to get in contact and site seems legit enough lol but maybe I'll just book AC direct and forget it.

Still haven't made it into business class like the real beyond ballers TYMSMNY, Dannie, TOmco, gkaeris etc. Peasant seats for me lol

[TomcoPDR]

At least have the decenacy to put the gf in business then.

[Gainsbarre]

I almost always book flights through third party websites (typically Expedia, but sometimes Flighthub and Flight Network as well). When I book through a third party website I always get a confirmation page and email that informs me of the reservation and provides me with an airline confirmation code. Make note of / copy-paste this airline confirmation code and go directly to the airlines' website to look up your reservation (you will need this code and typically a combination of at least two of the following: first name, last name, date of travel, departure city). Doing this confirms your booking directly with the airline, and will also allow you to select your seats for free (e.g. Air Canada, Westjet, Delta, and ANA all allow you to do this, among many other airlines, as long as you stay within the same seat class). However, there are some airlines (e.g. British Airways and Aeromexico) that will charge you for the right to select a seat more than 24 hours in advance (though you can almost always select your seats for free upon web check-in 24 hours in advance). In this case you can select seats well in advance, subject to a fee (typically around $20/$30 CAD per person).

I've booked hundreds of flights through third party websites over the years and have never once had a problem with the booking, though I always check my bookings directly with the airline online to be safe...the added bonus here is that in doing so, you can also often select your seats well in advance for free. Booking through Expedia also allows me to exploit their best price guarantee for $50 vouchers, but that's a topic for another thread

[max_boost]

^^^ that's a money post. Thanks for sharing dude.

[TomcoPDR]

Perfect. With all the savings now go fly business. Once the Porsche sells, it'll recoup the heloc anyways.

[Feruk]

Originally posted by Gainsbarre
Booking through Expedia also allows me to exploit their best price guarantee for $50 vouchers, but that's a topic for another thread

How long is that voucher good for? I was curious and did a quick compare. Expedia is WAY more pricy for identical flights to Europe, so depending on length of voucher, and if I can use more than one, might be easy money.

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by TomcoPDR
Once the Porsche sells, it'll recoup the heloc anyways.

Pay off condo or buy a nice car? Jesus, the answer is so fucking clear.

Go test drive an F-Type R or SVR, that would be pretty bad ass and original. I would be soooo jealous

Or maybe gently used 991 911 Turbo with PDK.

[Gainsbarre]

Originally posted by Feruk

How long is that voucher good for? I was curious and did a quick compare. Expedia is WAY more pricy for identical flights to Europe, so depending on length of voucher, and if I can use more than one, might be easy money.

The $50 vouchers expire 12 months from the end of the month that they're issued (so a year and a bit). The vouchers are not issued until after the travel has taken place (presumably this is so that you don't book make a bunch of refundable bookings, collect the voucher(s), and then cancel the reservation). You can only use one voucher per hotel or airfare+hotel booking, and the booking is supposed to cost at least $100, though I have successfully applied the $50 voucher the hotels that cost less than $100/night. You can't use the vouchers on airfare alone.

Personally I don't book air + hotel bookings on Expedia, because they'll give you the equivalent discount if you book a hotel for the same destination (or nearby) for nearly a month after the airfare booking. Plus two separate bookings make it much easier to file a best price guarantee claim (terms/conditions on the other website must match those on Expedia), and gives you two opportunities to find a lower price elsewhere (giving you two chances at a $50 voucher)