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Long Hold Times for Delta Vacations (Consolidated Threads)

Long Hold Times for Delta Vacations (Consolidated Threads)

Old Apr 21, 2021, 8:22 am
  #16  
nrr
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Originally Posted by Orange County Commuter
You have to look for Advanced Search Options. Link below takes you to the booking to the booking page and at the top there are 3 tabs. Default is flight and hotel, other two options are flight/car and hotel/car.




Looking to book Flights and Car? Traveling with children need more than one hotel room? Advanced Search Options
Thanks. I just tried "dummy" bookings: (JFK-LAS) air + hotel and air + car, using the cheapest hotels and cars for each, air + hotel was cheaper than air + car; since I'm not going to use their hotel (I get my rooms comped in LAS), but cutting the hotel to 2 nights (the minimum req.)) it would shave a few $ off (probably "ditto" for the car.) But I'll still play with a few more combinations.
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Old Apr 21, 2021, 9:55 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by nrr
I've booked lots of DL Vacation (hotel + air) over the past few years, they've always counted as "exception" fares.
I recently booked two dl vacation packages, on www.delta.com when I click receipt I see just the aggregate total for the package, there is NO separate airfare listed, would that indicate an "exception" fare or do I have to see how dl actually totals my MQDs after I've flown?
Not sure whether DL would break out the airfare if the vacation package were using published fares either, but will try to find out if there is an indicator of some kind before the trip occurs and MQDs are finally awarded. Packages to traditional vacation spots are more likely to use bulk airfares, generally.
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Old Apr 21, 2021, 5:24 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by NYC Flyer
Not sure whether DL would break out the airfare if the vacation package were using published fares either, but will try to find out if there is an indicator of some kind before the trip occurs and MQDs are finally awarded. Packages to traditional vacation spots are more likely to use bulk airfares, generally.
On the APP when I click receipt: "FLIGHT TOTAL $0.00" plus an entry for taxes.is also listed.
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Old Apr 21, 2021, 6:09 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by nrr
On the APP when I click receipt: "FLIGHT TOTAL $0.00" plus an entry for taxes.is also listed.
I did a couple of searches on the DL Vacations travel agent portal. The air itineraries clearly indicated "Published" (LAS) vs "Unpublished" (HNL) from the start of the booking process.

When I tried to book LAS on the consumer-facing website, there is no indication of fare type. The TA portal, "WorldAgentDirect", is about 10 years behind in terms of "sizzle" but runs much faster. I think it's based on tech developed by NW. Oddly, it handles the flight options first, then hotels, unlike the consumer site.

I wish I could provide more concrete guidance, other than a travel agent can tell you upfront in the process whether the package uses published fares or bulk/"unpublished" fares. Also, it looks like TAs are able to redeem vouchers for client bookings--did not expect that.

Last edited by NYC Flyer; Apr 21, 2021 at 6:10 pm Reason: clarity
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Old Apr 21, 2021, 7:42 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by NYC Flyer
I did a couple of searches on the DL Vacations travel agent portal. The air itineraries clearly indicated "Published" (LAS) vs "Unpublished" (HNL) from the start of the booking process.

When I tried to book LAS on the consumer-facing website, there is no indication of fare type. The TA portal, "WorldAgentDirect", is about 10 years behind in terms of "sizzle" but runs much faster. I think it's based on tech developed by NW. Oddly, it handles the flight options first, then hotels, unlike the consumer site.

I wish I could provide more concrete guidance, other than a travel agent can tell you upfront in the process whether the package uses published fares or bulk/"unpublished" fares. Also, it looks like TAs are able to redeem vouchers for client bookings--did not expect that.
"Published" or "Unpublished" I should get MQDs, if it shows $0.00 on the APP and an aggregate total for the entire "package" on www.delta.com wouldn't DL have to use "Method Distance" when computing my MQDs?
When I book a flight through DL Vacations the terms "published", "unpublished" are not in my "vocabulary".
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Old Apr 21, 2021, 7:52 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by nrr
"Published" or "Unpublished" I should get MQDs, if it shows $0.00 on the APP and an aggregate total for the entire "package" on www.delta.com wouldn't DL have to use "Method Distance" when computing my MQDs?
You'll definitely get MQDs. Assuming the $0.00 correlates to how the airfare component is reported to SkyMiles accounting, there's a good chance it's a bulk fare and you should get distanced based MQDs.
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Old Apr 22, 2021, 8:59 am
  #22  
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I just tried to call DL Vacations, 4/22 at 11:00 am EDT, the estimated wait time is between 120 MIN and 200 MIN--BUT, they now have a callback option.
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Old May 2, 2021, 8:09 pm
  #23  
 
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What is going on with Delta Vacations phone center? 6:30 before agent answered

I needed to change a reservation and waited 6 hours and 33 minutes to get an agent today.

What could possibly be going on with Delta Vacations phone center?
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Old May 2, 2021, 8:22 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Mr. S
I needed to change a reservation and waited 6 hours and 33 minutes to get an agent today.

What could possibly be going on with Delta Vacations phone center?
I've had as long as 2 hours. Sometimes there is an option for a callback. My guess is that they have fewer agents on Sunday and DL makes changes on Saturday.
Most annoying: frequently there are busy signals, "your call did not go through", stutter tones, etc. and then a long wait to get connected.
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Old May 2, 2021, 8:58 pm
  #25  
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Welcome to the new Delta.

Its not just vacations either, the regular phone lines are the same way.
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Old May 3, 2021, 6:49 am
  #26  
 
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I have found that if I contact Delta Vacations on Facebook or Twitter, they ask for your phone number and they call you back in a much more timely manner. It's impossible to get through anyone through the call center lately
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Old May 3, 2021, 7:01 am
  #27  
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Yeah its not just DL Vacations... the normal call center is an unmitigated dumpster fire as well.
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Old May 3, 2021, 7:42 am
  #28  
 
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This was the case before the pandemic. About 5 years ago, I booked a Delta Vacation trip and wanted to add a car. After on hold for hours, I finally hung up and never got through to an agent. Booked a car separately instead. From that experience, I realized that while Delta Vacation can offer incredible prices, don't expect to talk to any agents unless you are booking a new vacation. I think the prioritize calls for new trips over the ones they already got your money. I would, too.
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Old May 3, 2021, 8:37 am
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Ilove2fly
This was the case before the pandemic. About 5 years ago, I booked a Delta Vacation trip and wanted to add a car. After on hold for hours, I finally hung up and never got through to an agent. Booked a car separately instead. From that experience, I realized that while Delta Vacation can offer incredible prices, don't expect to talk to any agents unless you are booking a new vacation. I think the prioritize calls for new trips over the ones they already got your money. I would, too.
One of the options is "book a new reservation", the agent you get to can deal with "old reservations"--but lately there are long waits for either.
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Old May 5, 2021, 6:42 am
  #30  
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I called last night (5/4) at around 10:00 PM EDT, the callback wait time was 2 hours plus 30 min to actually speak with an agent; my issue (partly) was GUC related a "special ticketing agent" was needed = callback tomorrow at 8 am edt (when they open), the wait time is over 3 hours with NO callback option,
[The agent I spoke with last night suggested calling as a new booker...either new or old the wait is over 3 hours.]
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