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I purchased a flight to Miami from Chicago on American Airlines about a month ago. The dates are for Thanksgiving (Nov 26-30).
I just found out I'm traveling to Tokyo for work the 2nd week of December. I may add on 1 or 2 days to this trip because my brother lives there, I haven't seen him in 7 years, and I've never been to Japan/Tokyo. Also, I may be paying for most of my mother's flight to join me on this trip as well as her expenses (food, etc.). So this could be expensive, and with about 6 weeks or so to plan, I don't have much time...or money, either because I just returned from a week (vacation) in Italy (yikes).
Anywho, although my mom is very excited about going to Miami for Thanksgiving as she never ever travels anywhere, I know she'd prefer to see my brother with me. I just don't think I can afford to keep the Miami vacation on and go to Japan 2 weeks after that.
Am I right that there's 0% chance of me getting any portion of my flight costs back? I've never just let a flight go like this before and I hate to see that money go down the toilet! (Luckily I hadn't booked the Miami hotel or my mother's ticket yet so those costs aren't an issue.)
IF you booked directly with the airlines, and IF you would be willing to put that towards the cost of some of the travel to Japan for either of you, then call and explain and ask them....the worst they can do is say no.
I have found if you book thru Expedia, Priceline or any of the broker types, they are not at ALL forgiving and chances are nil. Good luck, it doesn't HURT to ask!!!
And from certain departure points, they are rarely the cheapest option. We used SW a lot when we lived in Phoenix. Now in Raleigh, we nearly always get better fares and schedules/non-stop flights on Delta, Jet Blue or even Frontier (gasp).
SWA is a good airline, but it ain't all that. As others have said, we don't drink the Kool-Aid.
They're rarely, if ever the LOWEST cost on the face.. However, once you drill down, they're often the cheapest.
Look at ATL->LAS round trip for.. February 15-19.. Just random days I picked out there.
$307.96 is the best you can do on SWA.
Spirit $227.10
Frontier $248.00
United $255.00
Delta - $276.00
Ok.. So.. We assume 2 bags.. Additional things for SW.. Nothing. Cost.. $307.96
Spirit.. $52 each way for the bags.. So, that's another $104.. We're up to $329.10. Throw a Coke and snack in flight.. $340. No carrier agreements, about 7 flights per day.
Frontier.. $55 each way for the bags.. So, another $110.. That's $348.
United.. $60 each way for the bags.. That's $375
Delta.. Well, you see where this is going. SWA winds up being the lowest cost. Now, advantages to United and Delta, they have cross carrier agreements, so, your flight gets cancelled, they can probably get you there quicker than others, including SWA, though SWA has more flights per day than Frontier and Spirit.. Those two, your flight gets cancelled, it could take them days to get you there.
And, of course, as people are saying.. You want to move from the 3pm flight to the 6pm flight.. Add $200 more to everyone BUT SWA.
I'm not in the "SWA is the best ever!" camp.. Frankly, I hate their non-assigned seating. But, they generally are the easiest to deal with and the few times i've flown with them, i've always been satisfied. Pending on where I was going, and the number of flights per day.. I might pay the extra $50-100 for a legacy carrier for more options, or more safety from cancellations.
Things like Allegiant.. A flight gets cancelled, you might not get the next flight for 2-3 days.
They're rarely, if ever the LOWEST cost on the face.. However, once you drill down, they're often the cheapest.
Look at ATL->LAS round trip for.. February 15-19.. Just random days I picked out there.
$307.96 is the best you can do on SWA.
Spirit $227.10
Frontier $248.00
United $255.00
Delta - $276.00
Ok.. So.. We assume 2 bags.. Additional things for SW.. Nothing. Cost.. $307.96
Spirit.. $52 each way for the bags.. So, that's another $104.. We're up to $329.10. Throw a Coke and snack in flight.. $340. No carrier agreements, about 7 flights per day.
Frontier.. $55 each way for the bags.. So, another $110.. That's $348.
United.. $60 each way for the bags.. That's $375
Delta.. Well, you see where this is going. SWA winds up being the lowest cost. Now, advantages to United and Delta, they have cross carrier agreements, so, your flight gets cancelled, they can probably get you there quicker than others, including SWA, though SWA has more flights per day than Frontier and Spirit.. Those two, your flight gets cancelled, it could take them days to get you there.
And, of course, as people are saying.. You want to move from the 3pm flight to the 6pm flight.. Add $200 more to everyone BUT SWA.
I'm not in the "SWA is the best ever!" camp.. Frankly, I hate their non-assigned seating. But, they generally are the easiest to deal with and the few times i've flown with them, i've always been satisfied. Pending on where I was going, and the number of flights per day.. I might pay the extra $50-100 for a legacy carrier for more options, or more safety from cancellations.
Things like Allegiant.. A flight gets cancelled, you might not get the next flight for 2-3 days.
Agree about Allegiant.
But your assumptions are wrong. We don't check bags. Period. So zero advantage there for us (and many others, I'm sure).
So you could potentially make both flights, it is just that what you anticipate spending in Japan will exceed your budget and that's why you want the Miami airfare refunded? I would have suggested asking your company to compensate you if they had overlapped your trips (assuming you had a vacation request in), but that doesn't appear to be the case?
I don't think you really have too much to stand on here. Can Mom pay some of her expenses, or your brother help cover some of the costs?
I do sometimes check bags, but not for that short of a trip. Got a quick trip up to Michigan to see family the week after next (Tuesday-Saturday) and it was always going to be carry on only. Delta and Southwest had the same ticket price into Detroit. But the Delta option had multiple flight options from the airport that's 20 minutes away so Spousal Unit can just kind of slow down and chuck me out the passenger door of the car on his way to work. The matching price Southwest ticket was one daily departure that would have me walking out the door of DTW at 1:00am on Wednesday and departs from an airport that's an hour and a half away one way.
Two checked bags for that short of a trip is crazy assumption. I can do just shy of three weeks in Europe on one large suitcase with enough clothes variety to not have to do laundry while on vacation.
Listen, I can stay gone 2 weeks or longer and fit everything into a carry on.
I take my nephews on a 3 day trip via car to Great Wolf Lodge every Christmas.. Brought their parents the last 2 years.. that woman brought something like 6 bags for a 3 day trip!
Now, I did that ATL->LAS round trip in July.. 2 people, we each brought a bag.. It was just cheaper through Southwest. I was an hour late doing the checkin, and wound up with B58 and B59.. Was lucky that we still got 2 seats together.
I purchased a flight to Miami from Chicago on American Airlines about a month ago. The dates are for Thanksgiving (Nov 26-30).
I just found out I'm traveling to Tokyo for work the 2nd week of December. I may add on 1 or 2 days to this trip because my brother lives there, I haven't seen him in 7 years, and I've never been to Japan/Tokyo. Also, I may be paying for most of my mother's flight to join me on this trip as well as her expenses (food, etc.). So this could be expensive, and with about 6 weeks or so to plan, I don't have much time...or money, either because I just returned from a week (vacation) in Italy (yikes).
Anywho, although my mom is very excited about going to Miami for Thanksgiving as she never ever travels anywhere, I know she'd prefer to see my brother with me. I just don't think I can afford to keep the Miami vacation on and go to Japan 2 weeks after that.
Am I right that there's 0% chance of me getting any portion of my flight costs back? I've never just let a flight go like this before and I hate to see that money go down the toilet! (Luckily I hadn't booked the Miami hotel or my mother's ticket yet so those costs aren't an issue.)
Your work doesn't pay for your trip to Tokyo? I don't understand the problem with the money.
The only time I got such a refund is when the flight was cancelled due to weather.
The two trips don't overlap, so....
I would ask your work to reimburse you at least partly, since they are sending you to Tokyo. But then, the two trips don't overlap, so they probably won't.
They're rarely, if ever the LOWEST cost on the face.. However, once you drill down, they're often the cheapest.
Look at ATL->LAS round trip for.. February 15-19.. Just random days I picked out there.
$307.96 is the best you can do on SWA.
Spirit $227.10
Frontier $248.00
United $255.00
Delta - $276.00
Ok.. So.. We assume 2 bags.. Additional things for SW.. Nothing. Cost.. $307.96
Spirit.. $52 each way for the bags.. So, that's another $104.. We're up to $329.10. Throw a Coke and snack in flight.. $340. No carrier agreements, about 7 flights per day.
Frontier.. $55 each way for the bags.. So, another $110.. That's $348.
United.. $60 each way for the bags.. That's $375
Delta.. Well, you see where this is going. SWA winds up being the lowest cost. Now, advantages to United and Delta, they have cross carrier agreements, so, your flight gets cancelled, they can probably get you there quicker than others, including SWA, though SWA has more flights per day than Frontier and Spirit.. Those two, your flight gets cancelled, it could take them days to get you there.
And, of course, as people are saying.. You want to move from the 3pm flight to the 6pm flight.. Add $200 more to everyone BUT SWA.
I'm not in the "SWA is the best ever!" camp.. Frankly, I hate their non-assigned seating. But, they generally are the easiest to deal with and the few times i've flown with them, i've always been satisfied. Pending on where I was going, and the number of flights per day.. I might pay the extra $50-100 for a legacy carrier for more options, or more safety from cancellations.
Things like Allegiant.. A flight gets cancelled, you might not get the next flight for 2-3 days.
The problem with this comparison is that it doesn't work for everyone! I do not travel with more than 1 checked bag. I don't buy drinks or food on airplanes. I also don't move my flight times.
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