Trip Coach: March 27, 2006

Tinley Park, IL: We're going on a cruise out of Miami in June. We're leaving the night before to make it easier to get on the boat early.

We're leaving 6/15/07 on AA 1048 at 8:10a from O'Hare and returning on AA2773 on 6/23/07 lvg. Miami at 3:55p. We're a family of 4 - 2 adults and 2 kids (16 & 12). We usually board at the very end and also dress up a little and always ask if we can be upgraded - but it never works - we do this when we travel as a couple also - and have never been successful - any tips or advice? Thanks.

Mary

Matthew Bennett: Here again, the upgrades doled out at the airport are few and far between. You might check fares into Ft. Lauderdale (a "low-fare" airport) as they can often be much less than Miami -- and the airport is a lot easier to navigate!

_______________________

Dana Point, CA: My husband and I are flying to Rome, Italy the beginning of May. We are 64 and 62 years old respectively. Our Delta flight departs from LAX with a change of planes in DC. We have our reservations and have our seating selection which is not optimum. I have a leg condition that makes it very difficult to sit still on a long flight. When permmissable, I get up and walk so I always request an aisle seat. We prefer bulkhead or exit isle seating so I can stretch my legs out. Even though I told the airlines I have a letter from my doctor, they would not accommodate this request at the time we made our reservations. Also, on two legs of our journey, seat selection is made at the gate. Any suggestions on how I can get better seating?

Thank you.

Matthew Bennett: I'd buy a one-day pass to the airport lounge. Asking for a better seat in economy is not too much to ask for, and agents are more empowered in the lounges to take care of visitors than gate agents -- who are in a rush to get you on the plane and gone.

_______________________

Jefferson City, Missouri: How can you know if the ticket you are purchasing online from an airline's website is a ticket that might, or might not, be upgradable?

Matthew Bennett: Make sure to identify the one-letter "booking code" (i.e. Q, V, S, etc.) when you're making a reservation for the fare being quoted. Before you hit the "buy" button, go to your airline's web site and look at the fine print underneath the "Mileage Award Chart"; here the applicable fare codes are usually always identified.

_______________________