Expedia.ie flight booking question

naughtysmurf

Just wondering, if I book flights through expedia, what's the story with seat selection? Are they allocated at check-in or will I get an airline Ref No. that will allow me to go in and do my own seat selection?

Cheers

ProudDUB

You should be able to pick your own seats during the actual booking process, just as you do if you book the flights with the airlines directly. However, if the flight is almost fully booked out, or you are within a set number of days of the flights departure, you can not pre reserve your own seat. It will be assigned to you on the day of travel. Sorry, I don't know the exact number of days, or the booking % used for the cut off for pre reserving seats.

BuffyBot

It can also vary from airline to airline. Sometimes Expedia can do it during the booking process. Sometimes the airline website will allow you to do it with your Expedia reference. Sometimes you'll need the reference the airline uses (which can be different than the Expedia one) to do it, and getting that can be tough. Sometimes they'll be able to do it over the phone. Sometimes the circumstances above come into play. Sometimes you may have no luck at all and have to wait until the day.

So alas it's a bit of maybe, maybe not unfortunately.

naughtysmurf

Just in case anyone is interested, I booked the flights through expedia.ie as they were the best price & received an airline booking ref no which allowed me to log in directly on the carrier's website, do advance passenger info, seats were already allocated but I was able to change them to suit, so all in all a good experience

naughtysmurf

Resurrecting this thread as I have another Expedia / United related question

Looking to fly to Newark with United in the near future, if I book directly with United, there are no seats available in Economy on the outward leg & are charging +$500 extra for Premium Economy for four people.

I can get the same flights with expedia at a good price but it just says Economy. If I book this, what will happen when I log onto the United site with the Ref No. Expedia gives me to choose seats & only premium economy available, will United then charge me for having to choose the Premium Economy seats or will I get Premium Economy at no extra charge?

Thanks

steve-o

The US-based airlines tend to hold back the nicer seats for frequent fliers and those willing to pay extra, so only about half of the seats might be reservable in advance for mere mortals. So there will in fact be loads of seats available but just not available to you until check-in. They won't give you premium seats unless there are no regular seats available, and will only do that on the day of check-in.

Note that the economy plus on all US-based airlines is a normal economy seat with a few extra inches of legroom and possibly some free booze. It's not premium economy like on European airlines. Unless you are tall it's not worth paying for IMHO.