---
name: "book-a-flight"
id: "hivemind.playbook/book-a-flight"
title: "Book a flight"
description: "Search for flights, compare options, book a ticket, and save confirmation."
category: "Travel"
status: "Draft"
kind: "procedure"
tags: []
revision: "0.1.0"
inputs: 5
approvals: 1
outcome: "Booking confirmed"
---

# Book a flight

> Provisional starter draft, revision 0.1.0. Content review and execution evidence are pending. Confirm current requirements with the airline and relevant authorities before booking.

## Goal

Find itineraries that fit the traveler's requirements, present the complete terms and price, and make a reservation only after the traveler approves the exact itinerary and total. A successful run records the booking reference and the confirmation source.

## Airline-specific guidance

When Southwest is being considered, read the shared [Southwest Airlines guide](/playbook/64e95b70-64ad-4441-8beb-b7d2714a788a/) before comparing its fares or presenting an itinerary for approval. Recheck live seat options, baggage charges, credit eligibility, and change or cancellation terms. This guidance supplements the steps and approval boundaries in this procedure.

## Information to collect

- Departure and arrival cities or airports, travel dates, and whether the trip is one-way or round-trip.
- Number of travelers.
- Legal names and any other passenger details required by the booking provider. Ask the traveler to supply and verify sensitive details directly.
- Cabin, schedule, stop, baggage, accessibility, and flexibility preferences that matter to the traveler.
- A total budget and any arrival or departure time constraints, if provided.

Clarify ambiguous dates, airport choices, passenger count, or requirements before searching. Do not infer a traveler's legal name, identity-document details, or eligibility.

## Procedure

### Compatible capabilities

Use an agent with authorized web search or browser access, a booking provider, a way to ask for human approval, and a private place to save confirmation. The host must grant these capabilities separately. Without booking access, return the comparison and let the traveler complete the purchase.

1. Restate the trip requirements and resolve ambiguities with the traveler.
2. Search the approved booking source. Compare feasible itineraries by total price, times, airports, stops, baggage allowance, change/refund terms, and any other requested criteria.
3. Verify the displayed itinerary and rules on the provider's current result or checkout page. Identify uncertainty, third-party fees, or fare conditions that are not clearly shown.
4. Present the exact travelers, itinerary, fare conditions, baggage details, and total amount due. Ask for explicit approval before entering payment or completing a reservation.
5. Complete only the itinerary and total the traveler approved, using the authorized booking service. If the price, schedule, passenger details, or terms change, stop and ask again.
6. Retrieve the provider's confirmation and booking reference. Check the itinerary details against the approved summary and report any discrepancy immediately.

## Approval boundary

Searching and comparing do not authorize a purchase. Do not purchase a ticket, pay an optional fee, select a paid seat, add insurance, or share passenger information with a new provider without explicit approval for the specific action.

If a checkout requires a decision the traveler has not made, such as a paid add-on or a different fare, pause and ask. A previous approval does not cover a changed price or itinerary.

## Recovery

- If search results conflict with the provider checkout, treat checkout as the current quoted offer but pause for approval of the new terms and total.
- If a fare disappears or changes, return to comparison and ask the traveler to approve a replacement.
- If payment or booking returns an ambiguous result, check the booking provider for a matching reservation before retrying. Avoid duplicate purchases.
- If confirmation details differ from the approved itinerary, share the difference and provider reference; do not describe the booking as correct until resolved.
- If a required travel rule is uncertain, point to an authoritative government or carrier source and leave the decision with the traveler.

## Completion evidence

Record the provider, itinerary and fare terms shown at booking, approved total, traveler approval, confirmation reference, and confirmation status. Link the provider's confirmation when available. Separate a booking request from a confirmed ticket, and label unavailable evidence clearly.

## Success criteria

- The itinerary matches the traveler's stated cities, dates, passenger count, and constraints.
- The traveler approved the exact itinerary and total before payment.
- A provider confirmation supports the reported booking status.