September/October 2013 check in

[australiankaren]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

Yay, just booked my final flight. LAX to MCO with Virgin America.

I was about to book Main Cabin (economy) when I noticed Main Cabin Select (premium economy) wasn't too much more expensive ($150 p/p extra). Once you factor in the extra cost of luggage, meals, drinks and entertainment that you need to pay with main cabin (but not main cabin select) I figured that the difference was actually only about $80 p/p more for better seats and priority boarding and check-in. That and the fact that we can order as many drinks, food and movies without having to feel guilty about our spending.

I was really excited when I ran this option past DH and he said "Just book it".

Anyway, thought I'd mention this in case anyone is looking for a more reasonably priced premium economy option.

We also are tossing up between virgin america main cabin select @ $329 pp/one way or delta first class $500 pp/one way....the difference is the extra bags @ $25 per bag on VAmer..you are allowed one bag then $25 after that..we take 2 each....so thats $100 extra in bag fees....so thats around $710 pp Virgin or $1000 pp delta....and the fact that delta have non-stop red eyes...leaving at 11.30pm from lax rather than losing a whole day with virgin Lax dep 8 am ..may tip the scale in delta's favor this time...also getting around 8000 delta miles doesn't hurt either ...but things change so nothing is set in concrete till it is

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

We also are tossing up between virgin america main cabin select @ $329 pp/one way or delta first class $500 pp/one way....the difference is the extra bags @ $25 per bag on VAmer..you are allowed one bag then $25 after that..we take 2 each....so thats $100 extra in bag fees....so thats around $710 pp Virgin or $1000 pp delta....and the fact that delta have non-stop red eyes...leaving at 11.30pm from lax rather than losing a whole day with virgin Lax dep 8 am ..may tip the scale in delta's favor this time...also getting around 8000 delta miles doesn't hurt either ...but things change so nothing is set in concrete till it is

Tough choice, but I can see why in your case you'd be tending towards Delta. $500 for first class sounds like a really good deal.

We will only have one bag each going to Orlando, but will probably buy one extra suitcase in Orlando to bring home our shopping.

I think we will definitely need the overnight in LAX to recover from the Air NZ flight. There's no way any of my family (particularly my 5 year old) could cope with an overnight from Auckland, followed by an overnight from LA, followed by a day trying to keep busy while we wait for check-in for our hotel. None of us sleep well on planes, so it would mean about 48hrs without proper sleep. It would set us up poorly for the rest of our holiday. So I think the overnight in LA is an unfortunate necessity for my family.

I'm a bit gutted I'm flying back to LAX on AA. The price was cheap, and the time of the flight was good (Virgin's return times just didn't work for us), but AA looks like such a dull airline with pretty much no perks whatsoever. A means to an ends and that's it. On the plus side, I will be able to use that 5 hours with nothing better to do, to write heaps of my TR.

[australiankaren]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

Tough choice, but I can see why in your case you'd be tending towards Delta. $500 for first class sounds like a really good deal.

We will only have one bag each going to Orlando, but will probably buy one extra suitcase in Orlando to bring home our shopping.

I think we will definitely need the overnight in LAX to recover from the Air NZ flight. There's no way any of my family (particularly my 5 year old) could cope with an overnight from Auckland, followed by an overnight from LA, followed by a day trying to keep busy while we wait for check-in for our hotel. None of us sleep well on planes, so it would mean about 48hrs without proper sleep. It would set us up poorly for the rest of our holiday. So I think the overnight in LA is an unfortunate necessity for my family.

I'm a bit gutted I'm flying back to LAX on AA. The price was cheap, and the time of the flight was good (Virgin's return times just didn't work for us), but AA looks like such a dull airline with pretty much no perks whatsoever. A means to an ends and that's it. On the plus side, I will be able to use that 5 hours with nothing better to do, to write heaps of my TR.

dont forget you can get gogo internet for the flight....and good move breaking up the trip, nothing worse than dragging an unhappy/ exhausted family thru the airport...

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by australiankaren

dont forget you can get gogo internet for the flight....and good move breaking up the trip, nothing worse than dragging an unhappy/ exhausted family thru the airport...

I noticed that most domestic US airlines have internet. Will be a first for me to able to send an email from the air. :-)

[Royal Consort]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

I noticed that most domestic US airlines have internet. Will be a first for me to able to send an email from the air. :-)

I've been sending airmail for yeeeaars

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by Royal Consort

I've been sending airmail for yeeeaars

I realise that I'm a bit behind the mark with this service. But a young child and mortgage have kept me closer to home the last half decade. If the pacific and trans-tasman flights I have taken have had internet, I've been a bit too busy entertaining my young son to notice or care.

[Royal Consort]

Originally Posted by WanderlustNZ

I realise that I'm a bit behind the mark with this service. But a young child and mortgage have kept me closer to home the last half decade. If the pacific and trans-tasman flights I have taken have had internet, I've been a bit too busy entertaining my young son to notice or care.

I was joking. You know, popping an airmail sticker on a letter hence airmail. :D

[WanderlustNZ]

Originally Posted by Royal Consort

I was joking. You know, popping an airmail sticker on a letter hence airmail. :D

Ooops, sorry. I'm not always good at picking up people's online jokes. :

[Royal Consort]

I'm not very good at making them!

[5ofus]

Stuff's happening! Only a few more weeks until I find out if I can get my VGC studio! Exciting stuff

Still waiting for my friend to get back to me with hotel booking details for Vegas and once that's firmed up I'll book the car hire and Disneyland Express back to the airport

[Lewdannie]

Omg

omg

o.m.g !!!

[sarefromoz]

Originally Posted by Lewdannie

Omg

omg

o.m.g !!!

What??? Sounds exciting.

Happy Australia Day everyone!!!

Nothing much holiday wise happening here...well except for me being totally anal and booking accommodation for the only night that we had planned to wing it. I decided that we'd stay in Barstow for the night on the drive between the Grand Canyon and San Diego. That means we'll have an almost 6hr drive on the 1st day and almost 3hrs on the second. I'm dreading it because my girls fight and bicker in the 5 minute drive to school, so we tend to avoid long trips with them. One thing's for sure I'll be taking their iPods and plenty of books to keep them entertained on this leg of the trip. Oh and I'veorganised our ESTAs too. That travel folder of mine just keeps on getting thicker and thicker

So I guess the next step is car hire and tickets need to be organised for Disneyland, legoland, Seaworld and the San Diego zoo. If you have any tips on the least expensive to book all of these, I'd love to hear it. I was thinking a San Diego go card.

[sarefromoz]

Originally Posted by 5ofus

Stuff's happening! Only a few more weeks until I find out if I can get my VGC studio! Exciting stuff

Still waiting for my friend to get back to me with hotel booking details for Vegas and once that's firmed up I'll book the car hire and Disneyland Express back to the airport

Ok does the omg have to do with the vgc studio? Because I have no idea what it is. What does vgc stand for?

[Jade+3]

Originally Posted by Lewdannie

Omg

omg

o.m.g !!!

Qantas sale??

[PrincessInOz]

Originally Posted by Lewdannie

Omg

omg

o.m.g !!!

Originally Posted by Jade+3

Qantas sale??

It definitely is about the Qantas sale for me.

My flights to the US are booked.