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Booking Air to Austrailia/NewZealnd

Jm1212Jm1212
in Grand Australia and New Zealand
We are taking the Grand Au/NZ trip March 2017. Has anyone used Tauck to book air on the same trip in 2015-2016? Interested in your experience booking air?

We are located in Dallas, wondering if its better to book ourselves or Tauck?

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    BritishBritish
    edited February 2016
    We almost always get Tauck to book our flights these days. We chose the flights we want, they book them, so we do not have to pay until sixty days before. If you chose Tauck, you have to be sure they just don't book you on the airlines they contract with or you may find you could be on indirect routes when there are better alternatives from where you live. Their flight prices are sometimes cheaper, sometimes more expensive but they are not ticketed until the sixty days before so there is more flexibility for you to change. Most people chose Air New Zealand or Qantas and they are very good airlines. I do not know the level of tickets you want, but we found Premium Economy a good fit for our budget, more width and legroom, a separate cabin for the class and same food as business class. We took the Australia only tour, then the New Zealand tour a couple of years ago, we are not retired so almost a month at once was too much time. We found the flights to NZ much easier in all aspects, time, jet lag recovery etc.
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    bcorre2bcorre2
    We also are Grand Au/NZ tour March 2017. Just received our Tauck Res with Air to follow and paymt Dec 2016. Our TA for 20yrs will handle for best pricing on our BC Air. We added pre and post extra nights. On the Tauck March 2, 2017 tour.

    Bob & Margie
    Mill Creek, WA
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    RE619RE619
    Booking with Tauck is more expensive. If you have the time and inclination to do the online research you will be able to find less expensive, often much so, fares on your own.
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    BritishBritish
    edited February 2016
    If you chose the flights you want at the prices you find, Tauck can still book those prices for you, I do not think that some people understand this. If they handle your booking as a courtesy, they will not charge you until sixty days before and all their privileges apply. Also, on our earlier trips with Tauck when we did book our own flights occasionally, Tauck definitely was sometimes cheaper if they were using the route you wanted to go. This all takes some research on your part. If you do not ask the right questions of Tauck, you will not get the right answers.
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    NiambNiamb
    In our group, people who left the booking up to Tauck were booked from Auckland to Sydney at the end of the tour, with a layover there and a transfer to a different flight to take them from Sydney to the USA. Others in our group, who did not leave the bookings up to Tauck were able to fly directly back to the US from Auckland, though on Air New Zealand rather than Qantas. A direct flight from Auckland saves time, not sure about money.
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    BritishBritish
    Yes, we used Air New Zealand, the flight times are also much better.
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    JPC317JPC317
    We are on the March 2nd, 2017 Grand Australia and NZ trip. We booked our flights from Orlando, FL--stop at LAX--then on to Melbourne on United Airlines, back from Auckland to Orlando with stop in LAX also on United, Business class and found best price. We are going several days early to see more of Melbourne and staying in Auckland one night after the trip
    anyone else going early?
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    rogfamrogfam
    We were on this tour last winter and it was great. Booked Air NZ ourselves and it was much less expensive than Tauck. We stopped in SF on the way out, and spent time in Fiji on our return and there was no extra charge. (Tauck does charge for layovers).

    Lastly, the Syd-Wellington leg is not included as part of the internal flights for the journey. They must be booked and paid as part of your international flights. Tauck will tell you what flights that they use on this segment. There was a Quatas and a Air NZ flight that took off a few mins apart.

    Any questions about the tour, feel free to ask.
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    Sandman1Sandman1
    To JPC317; we will be doing this trip in October of 2107 and was curious if you tried to find any FF tickets? If you don't mind, what was the cost on United trip business class?
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    moorevjmoorevj
    To Jm1212.
    Tauck has contracts with different airlines. Some are cheaper that others, some are more flexible, depending on the airlines.
    We got a quote from Tauck that was for less than their travel air department quoted. Then, they said it was an error and could not honor the price. We also found a cheaper flight and shorter travel time, (less layover), direct flight. Tauck would not book it for us, citing it was against their contract. I suggest researching your flight and ask Tauck before you book. Do what is best for you and make it as easy and a fun trip for your circumstances. We like and prefer Tauck services, but in this case it was higher and confusing. We are leaving SFO, to LAX, to Mel. Returning directly from ACK. March 16, 2017 trip. We are on United, which required us to pay for the airfare in advance in order to book the seat we wanted. Good luck, hunting.
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    JPC317JPC317
    Sandman wrote:
    To JPC317; we will be doing this trip in October of 2107 and was curious if you tried to find any FF tickets? If you don't mind, what was the cost on United trip business class?

    I booked United Business class--Orlando-Lax-Lax-Melbourne over and United Auckland--SFO-SFO-Orlando for $6,448. with no FF miles used
    Hope that helps you
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    JPC317JPC317
    rogfam wrote:
    We were on this tour last winter and it was great. Booked Air NZ ourselves and it was much less expensive than Tauck. We stopped in SF on the way out, and spent time in Fiji on our return and there was no extra charge. (Tauck does charge for layovers).

    Lastly, the Syd-Wellington leg is not included as part of the internal flights for the journey. They must be booked and paid as part of your international flights. Tauck will tell you what flights that they use on this segment. There was a Quatas and a Air NZ flight that took off a few mins apart.

    Any questions about the tour, feel free to ask.

    Thanks for offering to answer questions about the March, 2017 trip. We are 2 ladies that frequently traveled together one the years with our husbands (of over 50 years). We are now widows and want to continue our travels,even though solo. We are pretty active and love to travel----how did you find the pace and activity level of this trip---this is my first Tauck tour and looking forward to it very much---thanks in advance
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    smarks50smarks50
    Sandman: In January and February next year I am doing the "Cruising Down Under - Westbound" trip then the "Spotlight on Australia" tour. I booked Air New Zealand (a United partner) from SFO to Auckland then United directly from Sydney to SFO at the end of the trips. I bought a business class ticket (no miles used) and the cost was $7,382. Hope this helps you.
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    Sandman1Sandman1
    Thanks smarks50; looks like I may have to save my points and actually buy tickets! Haven't done that in so long on international travel, I think I forgot how. Probably don't chose to remember paying anything more than some of the exorbitant fees added to reward tickets, but somehow that never bothered me as I was happy with the deal. I have a while to try and may enlist the services of one of these online guys that claim they can snag tickets I can't get fast enough. in any event, thanks for your reply.
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    alijabberwockyalijabberwocky
    I have a great travel agent who booked our flights and I always use her and we always get in a few days early.

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