splitting flight reservations for delta

lookame

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 21, 2011
So in looking at flights delta is the cheapest, but delta also wont allow us to select seats at that price point. Fair enough and I would rather not ask people to change seats (they paid for them and it's rude of me to ask). It'd be me, my 4 yr old daughter, hubby and 12 yr old son. My 12 yr old and hubby are fine on their own, although DS is a chatterbox but he'd likely play his DS....just more likely to try to chat with those hes sitting around. My 4 yr old on the other hand needs help like any 4 yr old. Heres the hiccup...hubby wants to save money, we've done frontier and not picked seats and were fine ect ect. I wwould like to pick seats for me and my 4 yr old to make sure we are together at least. My solution is I reserve 2 flights at the higher main cabin rate and pick mine and DD seats together and then hubby and DS book flights (same plane and time just separate reservation from DD and I) at the basic economy price for them and have them check in at 24 hrs and arrive to the gate extra early in hopes theyll be seated closer together, and if not...like I said DS can handle himself (heck hed probably love it lol) Does this sound like a reasonable plan? I'm trying to keep both hubby and me happy since he wants to be cheap and I want the saftey net.
 
Sounds fine to me. My son and I sat a few rows apart when he was...8?...and he LOVED it. It was b/c we were flying on miles on a day when a ton of flights were messed up b/c of weather on the other coast, so we took what we could get. It made him a much less needy flyer, to be "on his own" for a couple hours.
 
The one possible snafu that I can foresee is if your flight is cancelled. In such an event, the computer will attempt to reallocate you to new flights. It keeps people on the same reservation together, but wouldn't try to keep the two reservations together. This is not a fatal problem, just pointing it out.

You can try to link your reservations (I do this when I travel for work with colleagues who booked flights separately), so that the computer will (should) automatically look for the same new flight. And, failing that, you don't have to accept the new flights that you are given, so you can move to the same flight (just adds a potential extra step and the "good" flight may no longer have room for you all (assuming that there are options that are better than others).
 
The one possible snafu that I can foresee is if your flight is cancelled. In such an event, the computer will attempt to reallocate you to new flights. It keeps people on the same reservation together, but wouldn't try to keep the two reservations together. This is not a fatal problem, just pointing it out.

You can try to link your reservations (I do this when I travel for work with colleagues who booked flights separately), so that the computer will (should) automatically look for the same new flight. And, failing that, you don't have to accept the new flights that you are given, so you can move to the same flight (just adds a potential extra step and the "good" flight may no longer have room for you all (assuming that there are options that are better than others).
That would be my only concern as well. But as soon as I notice a change, I would make sure both reservations got changed to the new flights and if not, immediately call Delta. Even if things can't get worked out, two of you arriving at MCO earlier than the others isn't that big a deal either.
 


Just keep in mind the basic tickets usually get the middle seats. So just because you book your ticket and your daughters ticket together will not guarantee you will sit together.
 
Just keep in mind the basic tickets usually get the middle seats. So just because you book your ticket and your daughters ticket together will not guarantee you will sit together.

The plan is NOT book basic for the OP and her daughter. They'll book a level up and choose seats (likely pay extra to do so). Her husband and son will book basic and sit wherever (as you point out, likely middle seats but people have reported being lucky and getting seats together).
 
The one possible snafu that I can foresee is if your flight is cancelled. In such an event, the computer will attempt to reallocate you to new flights. It keeps people on the same reservation together, but wouldn't try to keep the two reservations together. This is not a fatal problem, just pointing it out.

You can try to link your reservations (I do this when I travel for work with colleagues who booked flights separately), so that the computer will (should) automatically look for the same new flight. And, failing that, you don't have to accept the new flights that you are given, so you can move to the same flight (just adds a potential extra step and the "good" flight may no longer have room for you all (assuming that there are options that are better than others).

Oh this is a good point! I’m somewhat inexperienced with flying and have never booked a flight myself and my husband has only flown once (again never booking a flight himself). He’s certainly a much more relaxed vacationer saying things like “oh I’m not worried” I’m more a planner. We are traveling in January and the state we’re leaving is known for having seasons but lately it seems the snow doesn’t truly hit till Feb/March/ April. That being said, our luck we’ll get snowmegeddon the day we leave or come back. I’d be a mess if the 4 of us get sent to different flights. Is it easy to link flights?

Just keep in mind the basic tickets usually get the middle seats. So just because you book your ticket and your daughters ticket together will not guarantee you will sit together.

Yes I understand that is a very real possibility. Hubby and DS don’t mind sitting middle. Hubby has sat next to strangers before and while he was annoyed they wouldn’t shut up he just put some headphones on and that was it. It’s about a 2 and a half hour flight so it’s not a big deal where they sit. I know basic economy for the 4 of us would be very difficult for everyone to sit together anyway but at least booking me and my daughter in main cabin would put us together.
 


This is what we did. My 4 year old sat with me out of necessity, and so we paid the uncharge to pick those seats. DH and DS just rolled the dice; they ended up right behind us, and next to each other. We decided to take our chances on the return flight and had the same outcome. It was a risky game, though!
 
That being said, our luck we’ll get snowmegeddon the day we leave or come back.

That won’t be a surprise. You’ll know such a thing is coming. And since you’re on this forum, you hopefully have read all the tricks of the trade. When leaving home, be packed early, watch for flight changes to become free and hopefully get out before it hits, etc. going home, have a bit of extra room in your budget for a night or two somewhere if flights are cancelled. It’s about planning not panicking.

And never ever let the airline choose your flight (unless it magically works). When you notice changes happening, be on that phone.


I’d be a mess if the 4 of us get sent to different flights. Is it easy to link flights?

Why would you be a mess? Each pairing would be on a plane with professionals and help if needed. You’d be ok.

Call them and link the reservations.
 
That won’t be a surprise. You’ll know such a thing is coming. And since you’re on this forum, you hopefully have read all the tricks of the trade. When leaving home, be packed early, watch for flight changes to become free and hopefully get out before it hits, etc. going home, have a bit of extra room in your budget for a night or two somewhere if flights are cancelled. It’s about planning not panicking.

And never ever let the airline choose your flight (unless it magically works). When you notice changes happening, be on that phone.




Why would you be a mess? Each pairing would be on a plane with professionals and help if needed. You’d be ok.

Call them and link the reservations.

I’d be a mess because my anxiety would be through the roof. I know they’d certainly be in good hands but I’m also that person who will be stressed until all 4 of us are together again (only in the situation which they are sent to a different flight than my daughter and I). I planned on getting checked in for our flights (at the gate) about 2-3 hrs early and online check in 24 hrs early. That being said hubbys plan is we’ll be fine checking in one hr early, we don’t need to be at the airport until 1 hr before. :P That being said we’ll have our phones and he can text me before take off and when he and DS land should we get put on separate flights. Just hopefully flights that are both nonstop instead of layover flights.

Would you say as soon as it gets announced the flight is cancelled to call and arrange new flights? Or start calling when a delay is announced? Or just start looking at new flights when a delay is announced? If it’s a later flight that would originally cost more do we have to pay the difference?these are probably no brained questions but I just wanna be sure what I should be doing and when.
 
Would you say as soon as it gets announced the flight is cancelled to call and arrange new flights? Or start calling when a delay is announced? Or just start looking at new flights when a delay is announced? If it’s a later flight that would originally cost more do we have to pay the difference?these are probably no brained questions but I just wanna be sure what I should be doing and when.
You're talking a couple different situations...
1) If there is a major storm coming, the airline will post on their web page when they allow for "no charge" changes. If that happens, IMMEDIATELY call and change flights (have some already picked out). Usually this will happen a couple days ahead of a storm.
2) If you're already at the airport and your flight is delayed, odds are other flights will be delayed (if it's a weather issue). One thing I've learned is to NOT venture far from your gate if the flight is delayed. One time I was told there was going to be a three hour delay, so my family and I walked away and I called the airline to see what other options there were. "Oh, we see the flight is boarding." Sure enough, we walked back to the gate and they were starting the boarding process.
 
On American if you buy the cheapest seats then carry on is not free. You also board last so middle seats is likely. Is Delta the same way?

For an upcoming flight on American, the lowest fare was only $20 less than main cabin. I opted to pay the $20 and get free carry on and seat selection.
 
I say you should go ahead with your plan and not worry too much about the "what if" scenarios. Follow the advice given here by sam_gordon.

One thing to add: If your flight gets canceled, Delta's system should automatically rebook you. But, that doesn't mean you can't still talk to a human (either via the phone or at the airport). If you get placed on different flights, talk to a person and request to be put on the same flight. That wouldn't be an unusual request for the Delta representative.
 
On American if you buy the cheapest seats then carry on is not free. You also board last so middle seats is likely. Is Delta the same way?

For an upcoming flight on American, the lowest fare was only $20 less than main cabin. I opted to pay the $20 and get free carry on and seat selection.

Delta includes a carry on for all fares, some of the higher priced fares like first class include checked bags. The difference between basic economy and main cabin for us would be a total of $200 ($50 per person). The best scenario would be we’d pay the additional cost for us all and the kids would sit with me and hubby would sit the aisle seat across from me. I’m a nervous flyer and do better being able to talk with him. My daughter will hold my hand during takeoff and landing though so I can handle not sitting near him. That being said hubby is very laxadazy and doesn’t care one bit as long as we all get to Florida and get home. He’s annoying like that. I’m also the one that thinks of the worst situation possible and need to have back up plans.

In the end it will most likely be 100% fine but still.

Oh also if our plane changes or flights change would my daughter and I still sit together? I don’t mind the seats to much but if we’re added to a flight which people had paid for main cabin for their seats and only middle seats are left am I just out the extra money I paid for the two of us to sit next to each other?
 

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