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Group booking long haul

dseventy
dseventy Posts: 1,220 Forumite
edited 28 September 2014 at 6:20PM in Flights, currency & car hire
Hi all

I have been put in charge of booking a large family holiday to the west coast of USA next summer (late July / August).

Looking at flying into Las Vegas OR LA from the UK. (depends on best price and times, anywhere in the UK is possible, ie LHR, LGA or MAN)

There will be 18 of us, staggered over a period of 8 weeks. (We all go and depart staggered over a period)

I want the best deal and to maximize any benefits. My questions are :

1) Should I book direct with airlines or is there a specialist firm to try? (high street or online)
1a) Should I expect any discount with the large booking, or given its peak time I am talking nonsense?
2) Lets say I book direct with, for example, BA, is it worth me signing up to their reward programme?
3) I will be paying for everyone, will there be any issues with me paying but another traveler checking in without me?
4) Anything else to consider? (eg taking out a BA credit card and using that and paying it off instantly)

Thanks
D70
How about no longer being masochistic?
How about remembering your divinity?
How about unabashedly bawling your eyes out?
How about not equating death with stopping?

Comments

  • This doesn't sound like a group booking at all if everyone is travelling at different times, it is just a total of 18 people over a period of 8 weeks so there is no reason for them to even travel on the same airline.

    As to the specifics, Vegas has previously been more expensive than LAX or SFO because Virgin were the only carrier flying direct but with BA flying from Heathrow and Gatwick, that may have changed. To LAX you have BA with the A380, Virgin with their pretty but dim stewardesses, Air New Zealand, head and shoulders above the others, United Airlines if you like the granny service (and I'm not knocking it, I have had some wonderful flights with mature crew) and American.

    There are no direct flights from airports outside London and for departures at the end of July, fares are already high, almost £900 with American, over £1000 with everyone else. BA's sale finished last week and the next will start in late December but if you are travelling during the school holidays, I suspect the fares may not fall that much in the sale.

    By all means sign up to whichever airline FF scheme you can, with BA you can create a family account but you are not going to flying around the world first class after this no matter which scheme you join. Bizarrely although I fly a lot on BA and have a BA credit card, I never use it to buy flights as they charge a fee so I use a debit card with no fees.

    I am assuming that you are quite confident booking on line in which case booking direct may suit, if you want someone to hold your hand Trailfinders and Net Flights are both good agents. Trailfinders won't book on line but Net Flights give you both options.
  • richardw
    richardw Posts: 19,459 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts
    edited 29 September 2014 at 12:17PM
    You might find a flight and hotel deal through expedia or trailfinders.
    Don't think you'll get any discount.
    Yes, but only the passenger that travels get the miles from the booking, but check the family account.
    They'll ask if you are travelling, if you aren't just say no and see if there are further details needed.
    With a BA card you'd get the miles, but check the small print to see if it says the cardholder must travel.
    There's an Amex BA card.
    Posts are not advice and must not be relied upon.
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