Tauck Air fares
We've traveled with Tauck a dozen times. I've never arranged air with them. I priced them once and it was significantly higher through them. Has that been your experience? Is there any advantage to Tauck arranging your flight?
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We've traveled with Tauck a dozen times. I've never arranged air with them. I priced them once and it was significantly higher through them. Has that been your experience? Is there any advantage to Tauck arranging your flight?
Comments
At least three advantages:
We have about the same number of Tauck trips. I usually book my own flights at the earliest opportunity.
We used to compare flights with Tauck and then flights doing it ourselves. Originally took their choices but soon realized we had way more choices doing it ourselves. Then realized Tauck would book any flights for us. Advantage, not paying for them until the sixty days before. In those days we flew coach or premium economy. These days we more regularly book Business class ourselves using Amex travel which has great prices and five times points.
Recently, Tauck cancelled an upcoming tour on us giving us another choice of date. We were able to change flights but Tauck paid the fairly hefty change fee. The flight had only gone up by one dollar. They sent us a check very promptly in the mail for the price difference.
Our air is booked with Tauck for Sept. 2020 to Africa. We got great Business fares. I did a lot of research myself before booking. We were told that now with the exotics , we had to pay upfront at time of booking. No more 60 day window. The fares were so good we were more than willing to do so.
That’s interesting!! Was that for K and T using the KLM flight via Amsterdam? We have taken those flights twice
, Coach and Business Class, but two months ago we flew there on Qatar business, great price, the best comfort and service we have ever taken so far.
We are also going on K&T in August. We booked our KLM flight thru Tauck with a 2-day layover in Amsterdam and an extra day in Nairobi—which reduced the business class fare by nearly half! We did have to pay the airfare at the time we booked. we generally arrange our air through Tauck for the convenience and for many of the reasons listed in previous posts.
The Tauck policy has indeed changed. I contacted Tauck Travel for Business Class fares for my December Egypt/Jordan tour and was told I had to pay for the fare at time of booking. The flights I viewed on line were much much cheaper than what was being quoted by Tauck. The Air Travel advisor advised I call back in 3 weeks as all of the contracts had not been entered into the system yet. I'll call back this week to assess the situation. If the fares are not better, I will book via American Express as British says you do get 5X points. Too bad about the new policy for Exotics. I used to have Tauck hold the fare and keep a watchful eye on the same fares directly with the airlines. On two occasions the fares decreased within that 60 days period before Tauck payment was required and I was able to cancel the Tauck reservation. I saved $1500 on my last fare. I was shocked in a very good way.
@jan_page511 I was intrigued by your comment In regard to saving nearly half with your stays in Amsterdam and Nairobi. I am curious about how that was done. Rather than one booking straight through on your way to the beginning of the adventure, was it made as separate reservations? and the total of the two was less than one trip? I spend days looking at options on flights. We originate (usually) from Nashville. Because it isn't a big hub, I mess around with using other exits points for the international flight and then reserve the "bump" flight from Nashville to the larger hub separately.
@CaraBethP, we worked with a Tauck agent. We asked what the difference in airfare would be if we did the layover. When she told us the fare, we had her double check because it was so much less than without the layover. We had her book it right then as we thought if we waited it would only increase. My understanding is that it is booked as one ticket. We are a large hub in Chicago, so the only stop is Amsterdam. On the return, we have a 5 hour layover.
This year is the first time we didn't book at least the transatlantic flights thru Tauck. Was a bit late getting on it and when I called the air dept last week their options and prices were limited and bad. Had Deltas options up on my computer as I talked to the agent. Even she agreed what I could book direct with Delta was better than anything she could offer. Always good to check out the options available before calling the air dept and seeing what they have.
I agree with Claudia. If you have the skills due diligence can be worthwhile. I have traveled to Europe five times and after exhaustive research Tauck was able to get me the best price with the least stop-overs. I always book within a week of booking the trip because I want the peace-of-mind that the flights are arranged. I also enjoy the comfort of knowing that Tauck will resolve all problems-priceless.
Are you sure you aren't just requesting Tauck "arrange" your air?
If you actually "book" your air within a week of booking your trip you must be waiting quite awhile after the trips are posted and prices set, to book! That could limit departure choices.
Tauck often posts departure dates and trip prices as much as a year and a half or more before the first departure, however most airlines don't release their schedules or set prices until 330* days prior to the (return) flight. If you wait to book the trip until flights are released, you risk the possibility the Tauck departure you want, especially for a popular trip, being sold out.
Tauck can take your air "request" when you book a trip, prior to 330 day window, but can't tell you a price nor actually book your flights- the 330 day window applies to everyone- the airlines just don't show flight nor price outside that window.
Like Alan, we almost always book a tour with Tauck at least 18 months in advance. We then book our flights at the 330 day widow, Tauck does not have access to all the airlines and prices and definitely does not always have the best prices. They appear to favor Delta. The only problem we do notice is that when you book so far in advance, the times and planes can change before you fly. That happens less often when you book nearer to your departures.
Seniorcorporal, the other thing I learnt about Tauck’s air years ago was that they put you on flights with layovers that if you booked flights yourself you could skip a layover and fly direct, certainly from where we live. I must have easily flown to Europe over 100 times, Booking yourself can save hundreds of dollars. As stated above, we book with AMex. They have helped us a couple of times when our flights have been changed, last year a flight was canceled two days before we were due to fly back from Amsterdam and they sorted it for us.Tauck air dept is not open 24 hours. Thankfully, we have never had to find out if Tauck is good at sorting out air problems.