When to book flight

[ChrisB123]

I know there's lots of controversy regarding airlines, how to book and what to book. On MVJ it says Viking will book tickets starting in May of 2024 for a Cruise that is in August. That leaves only 3 months to get the best flight and seats for us. I have a TA and Air +. Should I insist the TA book now or what? I don't want to be a pain but don't want to get stuck on horrible flights either.

[CDR2001]

If you paid for air plus, you and your TA can call to discuss flight options, and Viking will reserve it now. BTW, you’re not a pain, that’s what Air Plus is for! I usually research flights I like prior to the discussion, and I’ve always found acceptable flights in the Viking contract. Now, ticketing those flights is another story. Viking will ticket the flight around 75 days out, but you can request early ticketing. After ticketing, seat upgrades may be options. Call air plus for details. And…. If you decide to book your own flights, all Viking Air fees can be refunded in our experience. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by CDR2001

[CCWineLover]

17 minutes ago, ChrisB123 said:

I know there's lots of controversy regarding airlines, how to book and what to book. On MVJ it says Viking will book tickets starting in May of 2024 for a Cruise that is in August. That leaves only 3 months to get the best flight and seats for us. I have a TA and Air +. Should I insist the TA book now or what? I don't want to be a pain but don't want to get stuck on horrible flights either.

That's why we've given up on Viking Air.  We do our own and book 11 months in advance - AND - get ticketed.  Yes, the airlines will change things, but at least we have something.  To me that's the biggest negative of Viking Air - having to wait so long.

[SantaFe1]

3 hours ago, CDR2001 said:

If you paid for air plus, you and your TA can call to discuss flight options, and Viking will reserve it now. BTW, you’re not a pain, that’s what Air Plus is for! I usually research flights I like prior to the discussion, and I’ve always found acceptable flights in the Viking contract. Now, ticketing those flights is another story. Viking will ticket the flight around 75 days out, but you can request early ticketing. After ticketing, seat upgrades may be options. Call air plus for details. And…. If you decide to book your own flights, all Viking Air fees can be refunded in our experience. 

For flights abroad we use Viking Air +.  We choose flights as soon as they come available.  Then as soon as we pay in full, we ask to be ticketed.  Flights for us are hard, because we have to fly to a gateway city and then maybe another stop.  So when we find something we like, and Viking has it, we book ASAP.  

Edited November 30, 2023 by SantaFe1

[Peregrina651]

 

I learned on our very first Viking adventure that the fee charged for Viking Air Plus was worth every penny -- especially as I listened to other pax complaining about getting up in the middle of the night so they could make the crack of dawn flight they were scheduled for or how many stops they would be making instead of flying non-stop. I'm already spending thousands of dollars for my vacation, so why quibble over the fee if it will make things easier and less stressful.

 

Following these boards, I have learned a whole lot more about dealing with Viking Air and Viking Air Plus.

• I always add Viking Air when I book to lock in the air pricing; I know that if I try to add it later, it will cost more. Once the air is locked, so is the upgrade to premium-econ or business. Also, very easy to cancel as long as it is done before flights are ticketed.

 

• I do not add the Air Plus fee at booking. TA will add it when and if we are actually flying Viking Air.

 

•  I book flights somewhere between 300-275 days before our return home date (just to make sure that all of the airlines have had a chance to open booking for the dates I am looking at).

 

• Always plan to arrive a day or more early. Viking will charge you a deviation fee and you will lose your transfers  -- but it sure beats the stress of arriving late because of airline delays.

 

•  No matter what and even working with a travel agent, doing your own research is paramount -- which nowadays is quite simple. Even if you aren't booking your own flights, you need to have an idea of what is out there, what you find acceptable and what is absolutely not acceptable (connecting flights under two hours!! regardless of what the airline charts say is not acceptable -- and especially if you have to go through customs).

 

•  If price is your criterion for choosing between Viking and OYO (on your own), you cannot get around doing the math before you choose. Sometimes booking through Viking is cheaper and sometimes OYO is cheaper. It depends on where you are flying from and to and what Viking has contracted with the various airlines.

 

So much to think about when making flight arrangements.

 

 

 

[ChrisB123]

So how do you check out flights? Do you just Google your closest airport to the airport you are going to? Sorry, I'm a novice at this. 🥴

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, ChrisB123 said:

So how do you check out flights? Do you just Google your closest airport to the airport you are going to? Sorry, I'm a novice at this. 🥴

 

I/We start our flight research usually about 300-310 days out.

 

We start with Google Flights and yes, do exactly what you are asking.  We enter our departure airport and our destination airport and then look at options.  Then we call Air Plus if we have that on our cruise booking.  (Sometimes we book the air directly)  We look at all options and then choose routes and times and call Air Plus.

[Peregrina651]

5 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

I/We start our flight research usually about 300-310 days out.

 

We start with Google Flights and yes, do exactly what you are asking.  We enter our departure airport and our destination airport and then look at options.  Then we call Air Plus if we have that on our cruise booking.  (Sometimes we book the air directly)  We look at all options and then choose routes and times and call Air Plus.

 

Note that the Viking price offer is a limited offer.  It does not mean that you can choose any flights you want at that price but that you can choose from the flights they are offering at that price.  

[CDNPolar]

Just now, Peregrina651 said:

 

Note that the Viking price offer is a limited offer.  It does not mean that you can choose any flights you want at that price but that you can choose from the flights they are offering at that price.  

 

Yes, absolutely.  We know from our departure point YYZ, the airlines that Viking typically have contract with and we tend to gravitate to those first.  

 

We have been quoted a couple hundred bucks more for flights to get certain airlines or schedules that we wanted.  That can happen.

I should have qualified that.

Also that not all Viking contract rates allow you to upgrade to Business or Premium Economy, but we ask that up front.

 

We generally have 4 or 5 options when we call Air Plus and we work through them from our top choice down.

[MSEm]

Flights go on sale about 11 months from the date of the flight.  I booked our March 2024 flights 10 months before the dates.  For an 8 hour or longer flight we choose first or business class.  I was surprised the look at the seat map. On the return flight  we could NOT get 2 first class seats together.  We have seats on different row but close.

We prefer non-stop or limited changes. We also look at the departure times. We do not want to leave our cabin at  2 AM for a 6 AM flight.