Air Travel

Grand Circle strives to offer you the best value possible. In order to provide you with lowest cost airfare possible, Grand Circle negotiates special airline contracts that may contain certain restrictions affecting availability and choice of seats, flights, routes, and/or specific arrival times. You will receive a preliminary air itinerary approximately 100 days before your departure. This itinerary is subject to change. You will then receive a final package that will include your Final Document Booklet approximately 15 days prior to your departure date. Please contact Grand Circle immediately if your first and last names do not appear exactly as they do on your passport.

Although Grand Circle will forward your request for preferred seating to the airline, the airline will not always give you a seat assignment in advance. You can check for confirmation of your seat requests in My Account on the Air Itinerary page in the section named Special Flight Requests found at the bottom of the page. Please note: You do have a confirmed reservation even if you do not see a seat assignment on your air itinerary. If the airline is able to pre-assign seats, this will be indicated on your final air itinerary. If the airline does not assign your seat in advance, we recommend that you check in early at the airport to request the seating you prefer. On select Grand Circle vacations, you may be able to request a seat in My Account. When this is possible, you'll see a "Modify" button in the upper right corner of the Special Flight Requests page. Clicking this button will give you the option to select your seat assignment. Note, however, that the allowance of these requests is still at the discretion of the airline. If the airline chooses not to allow requests for a particular flight, an error message will appear. Otherwise, you may select your seat assignments from a seating chart of the aircraft. Special note: Bulkhead seating and emergency exit seating cannot be pre-assigned - the airlines need to qualify passengers for these seats at the time of check-in. If you prefer bulkhead or emergency exit seating, please check in early.

Once you depart for your trip, Grand Circle is available 24 hours a day to assist you with your travel needs, including unanticipated flight delays or cancellations. Please work directly with your ticketed airline to rebook your flight before calling Grand Circle with your updated flight information. If your flight is delayed or you miss your flight during business hours (Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm Eastern Time and Saturday from 9am to 3pm Eastern Time), call our Customer Service department toll-free at 1-800-321-2835. If your flight is delayed or you miss your flight outside of our business hours, call our Flight Watch staff at 1-800-866-2034 or 1-617-346-6090 (collect calls accepted) to report the schedule change. Grand Circle is not responsible for flights delayed or cancelled, portions of trips missed due to such issues, or additional expenses incurred prior to joining your trip.

If you decide to reserve your own air travel, please be aware that you are responsible for all transfers to and from the destination airport and other flight arrangements made necessary by your tour's itinerary. Transfers are not available for purchase. If your itinerary is unexpectedly altered, you will be responsible for flight changes and costs. By reserving your own air travel, you forfeit any benefits and travel protection otherwise offered by Grand Circle. You are strongly encouraged to reserve your air travel through Grand Circle.

On certain Grand Circle vacations, you have the option to enjoy breakaway travel at the end of your stay, subject to flight availability. This option enables you to travel on your own wherever you choose. Your total travel time cannot exceed 30 days from the original date of departure from the U.S. On the date of your ticketed return to the U.S., return to the airport of your departure for your flight home. There is a $75-$100 per-person, nonrefundable fee to request breakaway travel. Additional air charges may also apply. You will be responsible for confirming your international flight back to the U.S. and for your own transfers to the airport. All arrangements for breakaway travel must be requested no later than 46 days prior to departure. Confirmation information will be available approximately 45 days before your departure. Consult our Travel Counselors for more details. Please note: Grand Circle does not assist in making travel arrangements during breakaway travel and does not assume any liability for any activity or trip you take independently while on this program and not under the direct supervision of Grand Circle. This would include liability for any changes made by an airline that affect your air arrangements for a period of time when you are traveling independently of your group, whether we handled the air ticketing or not. Also, if you have purchased Travel Protection and assistance through Grand Circle, only your medical coverage is extended for the duration of your breakaway. You will not be covered for trip interruption or delay. All traveler requests, including Breakaways, preferred air schedules, and special accommodations are subject to availability and are not guaranteed, and charges may apply.

If you would prefer more comfortable seating and extra amenities when you fly on the transatlantic/transpacific portion of your flight, Grand Circle offers Business Class seating on most Grand Circle programs at a substantial discount from the airlines' retail fares. If you haven't yet made your reservation, you may purchase upgraded seating when you do so. If you have already reserved your trip, please call our Customer Service line to upgrade your flight arrangements. Business Class upgrades are subject to availability.

Though Grand Circle sincerely hopes you experience smooth travel from start to finish, it’s a good idea to plan for the unexpected. For starters, you can help ensure that your time at the airport is stress-free by arriving early, leaving plenty of time for check-in, security, holiday traffic, and other unanticipated delays. Grand Circle suggests you contact the airline by telephone or online for recommended check-in times at your departure airport. Also, you may be traveling on an airline other than the one listed on your ticket. If your air itinerary identifies an Operating Carrier, be sure to check in with that airline for your flight. Tip: Many airports have websites that offer real-time information on airport security delays.

If an air itinerary has been created for you, you can view your current air routing when you visit My Account. Remember, Air Itineraries are subject to change until your tickets are issued. If your itinerary is changed and you are within 120 days of departure, we will notify you by mail. If you are within 45 days of departure, we will notify you by phone.

If you purchase Grand Circle’s airfare for both trips, and both trips are on the same continent, we will arrange your air travel between the two trips. You will be responsible for any additional costs, if applicable, for the flights connecting your trips. In addition, you will be responsible for transfers, accommodations, and any other expenses incurred during the period between your two trips.

We want you to enjoy your trip as much as possible. So if you begin and end your trip on the same date and at the same airport as a companion under a separate reservation and wish to travel together, let us know. Grand Circle will make every effort to make these arrangements within 120 days. Please do not call for confirmation outside of 120 days from your departure. We appreciate your patience and will work to accommodate your request, which will be reflected in your final package. Please note, if you and your companion are starting/ending your trip at different airports, we are unable to book you together on international flights. To provide each of you the best combination of price, availability, and connections, we must make your air arrangements individually.

Whenever possible, we arrange your flight schedule so that you have at least one hour between connecting domestic flights and international flights. In some cases, your connecting time could be two hours or more. These Grand Circle guidelines allow you more time than the minimum required by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Frequent flyer miles are awarded entirely at the airlines' discretion. To earn any frequent flyer credit that the airline might grant, present your frequent flyer account number when you check in for your flights. Also, save all of your boarding passes and your passenger receipt form your airline ticket package. You may need to present these directly to the airline (not to Grand Circle) to claim any credit allowed. Keep in mind that Grand Circle does not keep copies of your air tickets on file. Also, because we've contracted special group rates with airlines, you may not be able to redeem frequent flyer miles toward any portion of your Grand Circle flights or toward upgrades.

U.S. Departure: If you are among a group of ten or more GCT travelers who depart the U.S from your international gateway city, a GCT Airport Representative will assist you at the U.S. airport with the check-in of your flight. The Representative will be at the check-in counter three hours before your departure time and at the gate one hour before your departure time (security permitting). Please note: If you are arriving at your international gateway city via a connecting domestic flight, the Grand Circle Representative will be stationed at the check-in counter for your departing international flight, not at the domestic arrival gate. International Arrival: A GCT Representative will meet you at the airport after you exit customs and escort you to a private motor coach for your transfer to the pier or hotel. U.S. Return: At the end of your trip or post-trip extension, you'll be transferred to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. If you are among a group of ten or more GCT travelers who return to the same U.S. gateway city, a GCT Airport Representative will meet you as you exit customs and help you find taxis, buses, hotel accommodations, or connecting flights. Important Note: Please remember to wear your Grand Circle name tag when you exit customs, upon arrival and when you return to the U.S., so that you are readily identifiable as a GCT traveler.

If your group consists of ten or more passengers traveling from the same city on the same day, we will do our best to accommodate you all on the same flights—but we can’t guarantee that this will be possible. Please note that your preliminary air itinerary and its accompanying seat assignments may change. This is due to contractual obligations with our air partners. Your Group Leader will be made aware of your group’s flight itinerary as your departure date nears.

If you lose or damage your airline tickets, please contact one of our Customer Service Representatives toll-free at 1-800-321-2835 during the following hours: Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm Eastern Time and Saturday from 9am to 3pm Eastern Time. If you lose or damage your airline tickets outside of our business hours, and are traveling within 72 hours call our Flight Watch staff at 1-800-866-2034 or 617-346-6090 (collect calls accepted) to report the issue.

Luggage restrictions vary from trip to trip, so we suggest checking your Travel Handbook for specifics. You can also find your baggage allowance on your trip’s web page in the “What to Pack Guide,” located in the "What to Wear" section of “Travel Tips & Tools.” If you're traveling to Australia, Africa, or China, you may encounter additional restrictions due to size and weight limitations on flights within these areas. For other destinations, you can generally bring luggage meeting these specifications: One piece of checked luggage, weighing less than 70 pounds and not exceeding 62 inches in the total of height + width + depth. One smaller carry-on weighing less than 40 pounds and not exceeding 45 inches in the total of height + width + depth. (Please note that the popular wheeled carry-on suitcases are often prohibited, due to size limitations on motorcoaches.) Again, these are only general guidelines and we highly recommend that you check your Travel Handbook or your trip’s web page for trip-specific information.

Most flights within the U.S. and to destinations in North America (Canada & Mexico) or Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala) no longer provide complimentary meals. On some flights food may be available for purchase on board. Meal prices, quantity and quality may vary. For this reason we recommend that you bring your own food items. Complimentary meals continue to be provided on most international flights to destinations outside North America. If you prefer a special airline meal on your international flight (salt-free, low-calorie, kosher, etc) please call the airline directly to reconfirm your requests after you receive your airline tickets.

Yes. In the event you need to change the spelling of your name as it will appear on your tickets, please make your request more than 46 days prior to your departure date. You will be responsible for any applicable charges imposed by our vendors. We regret that you may not request changes within 45 days of departure. Please note: Traveler substitutions are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation charges.

You are responsible for contacting your airline to find out restrictions and requirements for bringing oxygen canisters onto a plane. Airlines require advance documentation from your doctor and most will NOT allow passengers to carry their own oxygen on board without assistance. Advanced Aero Medical, Inc. can assist in arranging for oxygen. You must provide a minimum notice of two weeks for U.S. locations and four weeks for international locations. Call toll-free at 1-800-346-3556 on Monday through Friday from 9am-5:30pm Eastern Time for more information. Please note: While oxygen canisters are allowed onboard all Grand Circle River Cruise ships, Grand Circle is unable to assist in making special arrangements. It is recommended, if possible, that you travel with compact shoulder or backpack oxygen systems. Larger systems that require a separate wheeled cart may prevent you from taking part in off-ship portions of the trip.

Do I need to reconfirm my flights before I depart? We recommend that you call your scheduled airline within 24 hours of departure to verify and reconfirm that your domestic and/or international flight times have not changed.

Aer Lingus 800-474-7424
Aeroflot 877-209-1935
Air Canada 800-247-2262
Air France 800-237-2747
Air New Zealand 800-262-1234
Alaska Airlines 800-426-0333
Alitalia 800-223-5730
American Airlines 800-433-7300
Austrian Airlines 800-843-0002
British Airways 800-247-9297
Cathay Pacific Airways 800-233-2742
Continental Airlines 800-421-2456
Delta Airlines 800-221-1212
Egypt Air 800-334-6787
Finnair 800-950-5000
Iberia Airlines 800-772-4642
Japan Airlines 800-525-3663
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines 800-225-2525
Lacsa Airline of Costa Rica 800-225-2272
Lan Chile 866-435-9526
Lufthansa German Airlines 800-645-3880
Qantas Airways 800-227-4500
Swiss Air 877-359-7947
Taca International Airlines 800-400-TACA
Thai Airways 800-426-5204
Turkish Airlines 800-874-8875
United Airlines 800-521-0810
US Airway 800-428-4322
Virgin Atlantic 800-862-8621