Manipulating the American Airlines booking computer

duchy

Panda beat me to it -Sat Nav for sure-all the hire places have it available but get it put on your reservation to be sure. I think your kids would love the west coast San Diego, Santa Monica and Disneyland all spring to mind as great places.
Murphy it is certainly do-able in an hour and forty but not a certainty (taking into account the kid factor, maybe waiting for your pushchair etc). I think you have two choices-go for it but check the alternative connections so if you don't make it you are ready to tell them the best connection to put you on or go back to AA now and ask them to rebook you.
If you've pre-reserved seats towards the front of the plane I'd probably give it go-if right back I wouldn't. I always book towards the front and am prepared to go soon as the doors open bags in hand so I can walk briskly and be at the front of the Chicago immigration line but i realise that may not work with mini-Murphys.
Finally confirmed my July seats today after lots of faffing -got the 15 percent and the £15 waived so got to save my $200 voucher from my last bump to put towards my son's award ticket (reduced mileage fare so miles and money). Think I better go live on the OS board from now til July to help me save up for the spends now

PandaPants_2

Can this Mastercard discount be used for US flights only? We are booking New York - San Fran and Vegas - New York with AA soon and its around £245 each. If we pay with OH's Mastercard will the discount be applicable?

Murphy_The_Cat

duchy wrote: »

Murphy it is certainly do-able in an hour and forty but not a certainty (taking into account the kid factor, maybe waiting for your pushchair etc). I think you have two choices-go for it but check the alternative connections so if you don't make it you are ready to tell them the best connection to put you on or go back to AA now and ask them to rebook you.
If you've pre-reserved seats towards the front of the plane I'd probably give it go-if right back I wouldn't. I always book towards the front and am prepared to go soon as the doors open bags in hand so I can walk briskly and be at the front of the Chicago immigration line but i realise that may not work with mini-Murphys.

cheers duchy

in between making my post and you replying I phoned AA cust services (not an Irish, or American voice) and he reassured me that 1 hr 40 mins is within the acceptable criteria for a transfer across ORD - so as long as the plane is on time, everything will be OK. If not, we've got an additional 7 hour wait to look forward to. :eek::eek: - that'll be fun - not.
At least we are at the front of cattle class, so its fingers crossed for us.

PandaPants_2

That is an EVIL airport!! Rather you than me! :rotfl:

Murphy_The_Cat

PandaPants wrote: »

That is an EVIL airport!! Rather you than me! :rotfl:

gee, thanks.:beer::rotfl:
If its ontime, I'll be OK, if its 10-15 min late, it'll be sphincter exercise time . if its more than that, we'll be in for a long stay at The Childrens Air Museum / Playground.

duchy

If you do get stuck with 7 hours (although I don't think Chicago is evil as airports go-but Miami certainly is ) as you'll be luggage free you COULD hop on the train into the city for a couple of hours. Station is built onto the airport and it was dirt cheap $2 to go in (one way) but otherwise a lounge pass might be a good investment. You don't pay for the kids as they are under 18 so it'd be $75 for the two of you-for comfy seating-sofas for the kids to snooze on, a kids playroom, free internet and free coffee and soft drinks, decent loos and showers. Might be worth it to you if worst comes to worst as 7 hours wait anywhere isn't great with kids.
BTW congratulations on the weight loss-it's very impressive

stoneman

PandaPants wrote: »

Can this Mastercard discount be used for US flights only? We are booking New York - San Fran and Vegas - New York with AA soon and its around £245 each. If we pay with OH's Mastercard will the discount be applicable?

Have a look at Virgin America for the NY/SFO flights. They are pretty darn cheap, and have been voted best domestic airline of the year (unlike her sister airline)

duchy

Seems that anywhere Virgin America have started to fly the legacy airlines who already fly the same route are flighting back with matched prices too. Definitely a shop around scenario

Murphy_The_Cat

duchy wrote: »

If you do get stuck with 7 hours (although I don't think Chicago is evil as airports go-but Miami certainly is ) as you'll be luggage free you COULD hop on the train into the city for a couple of hours. Station is built onto the airport and it was dirt cheap $2 to go in (one way) but otherwise a lounge pass might be a good investment. You don't pay for the kids as they are under 18 so it'd be $75 for the two of you-for comfy seating-sofas for the kids to snooze on, a kids playroom, free internet and free coffee and soft drinks, decent loos and showers. Might be worth it to you if worst comes to worst as 7 hours wait anywhere isn't great with kids.
BTW congratulations on the weight loss-it's very impressive

thanks for that suggestion duchy, if it comes down to that, it will be $75 well spent. I hadn't thought about it as I thought that small children weren't welcome in the loungues ?

duchy

Well if you read FlyerTalk you'd think so !!
If they weren't welcome they wouldn't let them in free under 18 or have a playroom. So long as they aren't rampaging through the lounge it isn't an issue-and why would they want to rampage there when there's a nice kiddie area with cartoons to watch anyway. I think with a wait that long it could be $75 well spent too but hopefully it won't happen. I've tried for tight connections when my flight was late before now and made it OK so hopefully so will you-this is all pure contingency !