I am hosting an event for at least 25 people, possibly up to 80-100. They will be flying in from all corners of the world. What group discounts exist out there that I can take advantage of for my attendees?

I have already spoken with American and United. United doesn't appear to want to help us, saying that they'll only be able to grant us discounts for groups of at least ten flying the same itinerary. Since they're not all coming from the same place, this is not practical. American was more helpful, saying that they offer a 5% discount off the lowest currently available fare. Any others out there?

We are not a corporation, we're not even a non-profit organization. Just a group of people getting together in southern California in March.

All help is appreciated; thanks in advance!

I did this for a group going down to NOLA a little while ago. I ended up getting a negotiated rate with AA. They'll not only give you 5% off whatever their lowest fare is, but also an additional 5% off if you book the tix 60 days in advance.

But the best part is that you get to use zone fares. If there isn't a saturday night stay, that can make a *huge* difference.

Alternatively, consider calling a travel agent. Sometimes they can do things, especially with the airlines sales offices, that us mortals can't do.

In the airline business there is an important distinction between "group" travel and "meeting" travel. Group travel involves a group of people traveling together from a single origin to a single destination. Meeting travel, which is what you are looking for, involves people traveling independently from different origins to a single destination. Some airlines, such as AA, have a single desk that handles both types, while others, such as UA, have different desks for each type. The group desk at UA cannot deal with your situation but the meeting desk can. You can reach the UA meeting desk at 1-800-633-8825.

When you set up a meeting agreement, you need to specify the destination and dates of your meeting. The airlines usually give you a 3-day travel window on either side of the meeting dates. You need to have a minimum of 10 people booking through the meeting agreement. In return, you can expect the following perks -

1) Fares - Each person will have a choice of using "zone" fares - specified rates from different parts of the country that do not require a Sat night stay - or 5-10% off the lowest applicable published fare.

2) Free tickets - You should earn 1 free ticket for every 40 tickets booked. Sometimes airlines run promotions in which the ratio will be lowered to 1 for 30 or even 1 for 25. Some airlines allow you to earn points that can be applied either to free coach tickets, upgrades, or other items.

3) Name changes - On nearly all airline tickets, name changes are not allowed. However, with most meeting agreements, if someone buys a non-refundable ticket and needs to cancel, a name change is allowed for the standard administrative service fee (e.g., $75 on domestic tickets).

I have arranged many meeting agreements for my own organization and others and would be happy to help if you would like. Just send me an email.

jet,

JerryFF noted:
1) Fares - Each person will have a choice of using "zone" fares - specified rates from different parts of the country that do not require a Sat night stay - or 5-10% off the lowest applicable published fare.

One thing to be careful about here... zone fares are not always available. It's subject to capacity controls and the whims of the airline.

I tried this with a big Texas-based airline (not AA), and the problem I had was that we could never get the zone fares, even though my own group could have met the requirement. They were asking $800 for MSP-CRP -- with meeting fares *and* 60 days in advance.

Find out how many seats are available in the zone fare categories before signing on the dotted line...