Fare Guarantee vs. Seat Guarantee
 

I just booked a flight and was told the fare would be guaranteed for 24 hours, but the seat would be held for 72 hours, but not guaranteed at that fare. Has anyone had experience astually waiting the 72 hours and had the fee "increased" from the original one booked. I was afraid to take a chance since I was told there were no more seats on the return for the fare I was quoted. And the next fare was substantially higher.

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DtG

You can "extend" the 24-hour price "guarantee" by using the right approach.

On more than one occasion, I have booked a flight (by phone) and been told they would hold the tickets and price until "tommorrow midnight". The next day, I phone a say that I can not get to the airport today and can they extend the deadline. They have always extented it at least another day.

I tried that and on occasion I have done that. This time, since there were no other seats at that fare, I would have lost my fare guarantee. I think they will extend, if in fact they could book "anew" at the fare you have. Have you found it otherwise?

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DtG

If you call to extend and the fare is not available anymore, just buy the ticket at the fare you had already guaranteed. The new, now available fare, is not required until your 24 hours is up.

If the plan is to purchase tickets with vouchers rather than just "CHARGE" it, then decisions need to be made according to when AA offices are open. That was MY plan. I had vouchers from a bumped flight for my ticket, and a few vouchers from volumebuy for my friend's ticket. This meant I had to get to the AA office before 3PM Saturday for the fare guarantee. Yes, one could always go to the aiport, but it is far less convenient (no way to park, so second person waiting in the car, etc, etc,. My question remains. has anyone waited past the fare guarantee and been told at the point of purchasing the ticket, that they had to pay more for their seat because thefare wqs no longer available?

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DtG

Absolutely that can happen. When the 24 hours is up, the reservation is cancelled. They can go back to the original fare, if you're lucky, otherwise they will re-price the itinerary. I had a flight that I made a reservation and never bought. When I went to check in I was told that the recervation was cancelled. They were able to look up by locator and made good on the original fare. I was able to pay the original fare at the taime of check-in.

On the reservation in question, I was told that the fare would be guaranteed for 24 hours, but the seat would be held for 72 hours (not cancelled). This is different than the web fares where you need to book the same day or your reservation is cancelled. The web fares can't be extended by phone.

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DtG

This has happened to me before. I booked with 24-hour fare guarantee and a 72-hour ticketing window. Went to buy the ticket on the 3rd day and the price had gone up $40. Not fun, but that's the chance you take when you don't ticket at time of rez (or now, within 24 hours).