How to book group flights
Booking flights for a group of ten or more travelers is different from purchasing individual airline tickets.
The process will be a little different for each group. You have to coordinate dates, airports, schedules, passenger information, deposits, payment deadlines, airline policies, and traveler changes—all while managing everyone on the same itinerary.
Step 1: Determine your group’s size
Start with the number of people who are expected to travel. Your final headcount may change during the planning process, so don’t worry if your list isn’t completely finalized when you begin. As long as the group size stays above ten, most airlines will honor the quote you reserved as long as the group size doesn’t reduce by more than 10%. Adding travelers, however, can change the group’s rate because airlines set fares according to basic supply and demand. Less seats available on the flight means a higher fare. If you’re not sure how many spots to reserve, tell us about your group and we’ll make a recommendation.
Step 2: Determine your travel dates and destinations
Share your preferred departure and return dates and times. If any of these details are flexible, tell us. Even a small amount of flexibility can open up additional itinerary options.
For large groups, international travel, peak seasons, and popular destinations, starting the process early is especially important.
Step 3: Choose your preferred departure and arrival cities
Let us know where your travelers are coming from. Some groups all depart from the same airport. Others may need to coordinate travelers from multiple cities.
We’ll help determine what options are available for your particular group. It’s also helpful for us to know if the group has any flexibility with departure and arrival cities so we can recommend the most comfortable and cost-effective itineraries.
Step 4: Request a free group airfare quote
Designate one leader of your group to complete our form, providing your destination, dates, group size, departure/arrival information, and any special requirements. A member of our team will reach out ASAP via email to confirm your request, and ask any clarifying questions about your trip. Then, we’ll present the group leader with flight options to compare.
Step 5: Compare the flight itineraries
wIn addition to the fare, we suggest that you consider the following factors before choosing an itinerary.
- Departure and arrival times
- Number of connections
- Connection airports
- Layover duration
- Departure airports
- Baggage requirements
- Group seating considerations
- Airline policies
- Payment deadlines
- Flexibility for changes
- Individual deviations
- Traveler preferences
Our team will help you understand the practical differences between any options we present.
Step 6: Reserve the group flights
Once your group chooses an itinerary, we’ll review all applicable deposit, deadlines, and booking requirements with the group leader. You will also complete a Group Travel Agreement that outlines these policies and details.
Note that group reservations are subject to airline policies, availability, and applicable deadlines.
Step 7: Collect passenger information
After reserving, you’ll need to provide the passenger information required by the airline.
Depending on the itinerary, this may include:
- Legal name
- Date of birth
- Passport information
- Known Traveler Number
- Frequent-flyer information
- Other required traveler details
We’ll explain what information is required and when it is due for your specific trip.
Step 8: Manage changes before ticketing
A major benefit of booking as a group is that there’s added flexibility to accommodate the changes that inevitably come up when you travel with a large group. Group travel plans change.
Travelers may need to join the trip or drop out. Names may need correction. Dates may shift. Special requests and needs for accommodations may change.
The options available depend on the airline’s group policy, so contact us as soon as you know something has changed so we can manage any adjustments.
Step 9: Complete ticketing and final payment
Our team will explain the applicable ticketing deadlines, including if the group used a deposit/remaining balance payment structure. We offer a variety of flexible payment options that allow travelers to be responsible for submitting their own individual payments directly to us, without handing off funds to the group leader.
We recommend that every member of the group reviews their own travel information to catch any typos or errors.
Step 10: Prepare for departure
Even after tickets are issued, changes may come up.
We’ll help with applicable flight changes, schedule disruptions, and other air-related issues according to the airline’s policies and the services associated with your booking.
