MAN-ATL-MCO

I'm looking to book some UC reward seats to Orlando for Christmas. Currently there are none available for my dates (17th-29th) but at the moment there is availability on the outward to ATL. The return dates aren't loaded for the return from ATL. I've no problems with changing in ATL but have a few queries.

Do I book a through route to MCO? If so I assume that there'll be no need to collect luggage at ATL? Which carrier flies the ATL-MCO leg?

We regularly fly the MAN-MCO route but I've no experience of ATL so any help will be greatly received. Thanks.

You would have to collect your luggage from the belt at ATL even if it's tagged through to MCO as you have to clear customs at your port of entry to the US.

Immediately after clearing customs you then hand your luggage back in before proceeding landside and catching the shuttle to the gate for your domestic flight.

Delta fly ATL-MCO roughly every hour. ATL is a vast airport, dominated by Delta, but it's easy to get around with an underground shuttle linking all the concourses.

If you are VS Gold you can use one of the Delta lounges while you wait for your connection to MCO provided it's on the same day.

Also if you have Amex Plat you can use any (of the ten!!) Delta Sky Clubs at ATL.

I loved connecting through ATL, it was a breeze & will definitely be doing so again as miles seats are abundant it seems

Thank you.

It does seem like the reward seats are plentiful. I'm just waiting for the return to become available and then I'll book.

3 x UC seats with miles booked MAN-ATL return so I'm very happy! I did need to buy an extra 9000 miles and it was only after the transaction was completed that I realised I could have saved £67 by transfering the miles from my husbands account but never mind!

I've just done our seat assignment and didn't realise that the UC cabin was so large on this route? We've travelled UC on the LHR to LAX route but this seat configuration is new to me.

Well done.
Worth bearing in mind if you are going to do it again that you can use more than one account to pay provided you pay a whole leg. e.g. hubby pays his own flight out, you pay the rest. Or any other combination.
Dick D

VS use the A330 on that route, which has a very cramped and unpopular UC cabin.

The good news is VS has listened to feedback and will be refitting the cabins to bring them in line with the Dreamliner and the A340 - so 3 across instead of 4.

Whether that'll have been done by Christmas however, who knows.

I was interested in this route also so contacted flying club.

I was told there is no way to buy linked reward flights via atl. So I would buy a LHR > ATL on virgin and a ATL > MCO on delta. But they are totally separate. So offer no protection at all if the virgin flight is delayed, or worse still, the delta one is delayed on the way home.

Any suggestions?

Done this once (well, LHR - ATL- MCO) and just about to book another.

There are loads of flights between ATL and MCO, it's a very short hop in the region of 40 mins, so if you are a little nervous of connections, more so the MCO - ATL one, just book a flight before the flight you need to catch your connection comfortably.

David

Thanks for the advice.

I've noticed that Southwest fly the ATL-MCO route. Has anyone any experience of using them or would you advise booking with Delta? I've used Delta before and have a connection booked with them in July for LAX-MCO.

Weve always used Delta when connecting and they offer to tag your bags to the UK normally. (Mind I haven't always taken them up on that offer )

David

On the way home from the US, your luggage will be checked through all the way to the UK and there's no need to reclaim it at ATL.

It's only outbound where - even though the luggage will be tagged through to MCO - you have to pick it up at ATL in order to clear US customs.

As for Southwest vs Delta - up to you although remember cash bookings with Delta earn VS miles & tier points (and carry additional benefits for VS Golds) if that makes a difference.

As for Southwest vs Delta - up to you although remember cash bookings with Delta earn VS miles & tier points (and carry additional benefits for VS Golds) if that makes a difference.

And the Virgin fare to MCO via ATL is less than the virgin fare to ATL
I don't know how that works but it is.

Dick D

I was interested in this route also so contacted flying club.

I was told there is no way to buy linked reward flights via atl. So I would buy a LHR > ATL on virgin and a ATL > MCO on delta. But they are totally separate. So offer no protection at all if the virgin flight is delayed, or worse still, the delta one is delayed on the way home.

Any suggestions?

You can definitely buy a through ticket via ATL from VS, ie. on a single booking reference meaning that you're protected if first flight is delayed. I used miles for the LHR to ATL part and cash for the onward DL - all on a single booking.

And the Virgin fare to MCO via ATL is less than the virgin fare to ATL. I don't know how that works but it is.

Market forces I guess. Just as DUB-LHR-LAX can be half the price of LHR-LAX.

ATL is predominantly a business route so caters for a very different market to MCO.

It's too late for me to do a through booking. I'd forgotten that I could gain VS miles with Delta

I'll book direct but give plenty of time for the connection. Thanks again.

Unlike UK airlines, US carriers will often let you catch an earlier flight than the one you're booked on. No guarantees but if you find yourself with 3 hours to kill at ATL it's worth asking if there's room on the next flight. The worst that can happen is they say no.

Likewise if your VS flight is very late arriving, given the partnership with DL chances are they'd rebook you on a later flight to MCO if you miss your connection.

We land in ATL at 2.45pm and I was thinking of booking the connection to MCO for 16.55pm. There is a flight at 15.55pm but I thought that was being too optimistic. If we manage to land early/clear immigration quickly then I'll ask about the earlier flight. No worries if they say no.

I was interested in this route also so contacted flying club.

I was told there is no way to buy linked reward flights via atl. So I would buy a LHR > ATL on virgin and a ATL > MCO on delta. But they are totally separate. So offer no protection at all if the virgin flight is delayed, or worse still, the delta one is delayed on the way home.

Any suggestions?

You can definitely buy a through ticket via ATL from VS, ie. on a single booking reference meaning that you're protected if first flight is delayed. I used miles for the LHR to ATL part and cash for the onward DL - all on a single booking.

Thats good news. The virgin rep told me it was not possible to combine miles and cash flight nor was it possible to combine 2 reward flights, on the same pnr.

Did you have to jump through hoops or do you have any tips about how you did this?

I was interested in this route also so contacted flying club.

I was told there is no way to buy linked reward flights via atl. So I would buy a LHR > ATL on virgin and a ATL > MCO on delta. But they are totally separate. So offer no protection at all if the virgin flight is delayed, or worse still, the delta one is delayed on the way home.

Any suggestions?

You can definitely buy a through ticket via ATL from VS, ie. on a single booking reference meaning that you're protected if first flight is delayed. I used miles for the LHR to ATL part and cash for the onward DL - all on a single booking.

Thats good news. The virgin rep told me it was not possible to combine miles and cash flight nor was it possible to combine 2 reward flights, on the same pnr.

Did you have to jump through hoops or do you have any tips about how you did this?

No, I just phoned up and used miles to book LHR to ATL (PE out & UC back) and cash for the Delta flights between ATL & New Orleans. Everything was on the single booking reference. I then upgraded the outbound to UC for more miles on checking in at LHR.

Thanks
James