Strategies for booking accommodations/air separately
 

Hi, I was hoping others could offer some advice for a specific situation, basically a "which comes first, the chicken or the egg" situation. I am considering a trip where I purchase accommodations through a third party (Skyauction)through a bidding process, and if I make the winning bid, I then have to specify travel dates and wait for confirmation from the provider, which takes several business days. From the point I provide my travel dates, my full payment amount is non-refundable, as long as they can meet those dates.

But, with airfare going up and my preferred travel dates being just before the December holiday season, I am reluctant to wait until I have confirmation of the hotel, and then face having to pay an astronomical airfare.

I have thought about a couple of things I can do to lower my risk of either 1) getting the hotel first and finding airfare is too expensive, or 2)buying airfare when I request the hotel, and then finding the hotel is not available for those dates. But, I was wondering what other people do in similar situations.

My research indicates that for the airlines with the best prices and service to this destination, I would face an immediate non-refundable purchase with USAirways, and a one day refundable purchase period with Delta (which won't be long enough for the hotel arrangements to get finalized). I don't believe that either airline currently allows passengers to "hold" a reservation and lock-in a price without purchasing the ticket. I know that most non-refundable tickets do allow changes (i.e., application of the value of ticket after deducting a change fee of $100 or more to another ticket to be used for travel within a year).

My ideas are:

1) If I decide to book the airfare first, I will check hotel availability through its website and other third parties for the desired travel dates to get some indication about availability (this isn't foolproof, though, because I assume that the hotels have more stringent capacity control on rooms sold at lower cost through auction sites (like airlines do with FF tickets)).

2) I'm thinking about buying trip insurance with the "cancel for any reason" add-on for the cost of the hotel and airfare, but the last time I looked at those policies, I think they provide less than full coverage (I seem to remember one company was around 75%).

3) I have thought about making a back-up hotel reservation (that I can cancel without penalty once the hotel auction accommdations are confirmed) when I purchase airfare, but the prices for a comparable hotel are quite a bit higher than my limit for the auction.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Doesn't it depend on the destination? Are we talking a major city that is full of hotel choices in various price ranges? Or somewhere with only a few options?

I always do airfare, then hotel.

But have never gone the bidding route, so can't give an opinion as to how that does or doesn't change the order.

I too do the airfare first. Unless you're going somewhere really remote there should be more hotel choices than good airfares. But I don't go the bidding route either - I look for small B&Bs, guest houses and pensions, and book direct.

I do Southwest which is most generous in this area. You can cancel and have your entire amount be applicable for one year. Then I shop the hotel. Recently, I found an amazing hotel deal in NY so I booked it and they don't have a penalty for canceling, or at most $25, and then I shop for the best airfare.

Thanks, everyone.

I usually do airfare first too, or do air and hotel pretty much at the same time (i.e., check availability of both and book within a day or so). The issues in this case are related to the auction situation and my level of interest in the trip. So, if I can win the hotel auction for at least $50 less per night than the lowest price I can get there or a comparable hotel (by booking direct or through a site like Expedia) and get a reasonable airfare, I'll book it, but otherwise, I'll watch and wait and consider other destinations.

Southwest isn't an option for this destination, but it is good to know about their policy.

beachdreams3~~ Maybe you need a post about hotel auction process? Because really that is the heart of your question not about booking accomodations & air separately as your title asks.

:-) Suze

beachdreams3:
If the auction cannot meet your travel dates what happens? Do you HAVE to choose other dates? Or if they can't meet them is that the end of the transaction--because I notice you say payment to hotel isn't due until they confirm available dates.

Schlegal1,

If they can't meet your dates, you don't have any financial obligation and don't have to pick other dates, although they may encourage you to try other dates. You submit your credit card information (you may even have to have a credit card on file to bid, I can't remember since I registered a while ago) when you submit your travel dates though, and then wait for them to confirm availability and process the payment. I've only used them once, so I'm not really an expert about their process.

So your option 3 would work--book airfare and a backup hotel and then hope you win the bidding. If you don't you can use your backup hotel. Although I see the problem of budget but I don't have any advice there since you don't mention destination. Good luck!