Joining bookings

[MattP]

Hi, I am a touch confused and don’t want to mess up
I was looking to book a flight using my points. DTW to LHR via IAD. DTW to IAD is with Delta and then IAD to LHR with Virgin.

I can find the flights as one ticket if I pay by cash, but if I go to pay by points on the Virgin website, I can’t book it as 1 flight but only as 2 separate flights and transactions for each leg. Its the same exact flights and its just over a 4hr connection time, so ample time from that perspective.

Does it matter if I book this as 2 separate tickets as opposed to 1? My primary concern is if the 1st flight has delays etc. then I am left in limbo whereas if the booking is joined up, I believe (rightly or wrongly) that the airline has an obligation to help minimise the impact?

Thanks and any advice is welcomed?

[NorthernLass]

You would be well advised to have this all on one booking – I’m pretty sure this can be done on the phone. Virgin agents are really helpful, call the UK number early in the morning when they first open for the best chance of getting through quickly.

[MattP]

Thanks, I just had a computer says no conversation via the agent on chat.
I was told I would need to book as 2 separate tickets and I wouldn’t be eligible for onward protection. I don’t get it as I booked all as one transaction on the same flights last November, and the flights are available for cash all as one, just 2 separate tickets if taken via points.

[NorthernLass]

That is weird. I was looking for GCM-ATL-MAN just recently on points (also on DL then VS) and it priced up on the app as one booking, just not on a date which fitted with my travel plans!

That said, I just keep getting an error message when trying to open the app since yesterday, so maybe there is some IT issue at present.

Also – was your routing MCT compliant, or other problem which might have affected the result?

[MattP]

Sorry, I am not sure what MCT compliant is.

I definitely don’t fully understand things thought that’s for certain, I looked at another route, DTW to BOS to LHR
This time it is once again available as cash on 1 ticket or 2 separate points bookings but not as 1 through ticket via the Virgin Website.
However via KLM using flying blue, the same journey is available for points as 1 through booking and its the exact the same flights (Delta for DTW to BOS and Virgin for BOS to LHR).

I think I will transfer some of my AMEX points to Flying Blue and use that instead, I get the same end result with the onward flyer protection included, just got to do the maths on the pricing differences now.

[JDB]

@MattP – it’s not particularly unusual with any airline to see different through ticket availability for cash vs rewards (or even just cash/rewards) even if both sectors are available. The question is, does it matter to have two bookings/tickets in this instance and you will receive divergent views on this!

If the first flight is on Delta domestic but the transatlantic is on Virgin they may well agree to check your bags through, even on two tickets but do you have UK261 protection and who will provide it??

[MattP]

I Have had some unfortunate delays with connecting flights in the states in the past, especially Nov to Feb due to the weather. In Nov I actually got lucky, I was meant to travel via IAD as per my original query and due to cancelation I got put on the direct flight from DTW to LHR.

Unfortunately this time around the Direct flight is only available for cash, so I will play it safe I think and book on 1 ticket with KLM/Flying Blue

[davefl]

Are you trying to book upper class on virgin? Delta domestic first doesn’t match UC, so you’ll only be able to book UC on Virgin and Economy on DL as a combined ticket. You can’t mix cash and points either. You also can’t do this online, only with an agent that knows what they’re doing.

What you can do is once you have the single ticket, go to the DL website and upgrade the domedtic leg with cash or DL miles.

4 hour connection time at IAD from DTW is more than enough. Even if you have two tickets DL will check your luggage through to LHR (unlike Oneworld airlines). They don’t mind if it’s 2 tickets, cash+points or whatever.

[MattP]

Thanks, no all of this is all Economy, as trying to maximise my points. I will be carry on also, so no checked luggage either.
This is really all my nervousness around something going wrong with my internal flight and missing my flight back to the UK and then being out of pocket to rectify the situation.

[davefl]

Then if you can find both flights seperately for points on the VS website, an agent should have no issue booking it as one ticket. Just do the usual hang up and call again.