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07-12-2007, 08:34 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: loving the possums
Posts: 2,192
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buying a plane ticket
I have never bought my own plane ticket online. Anyone have any recommendations for specific online sites (like Orbitz-that is the only one I can think of). Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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07-12-2007, 08:37 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Fenway Park
Posts: 6,692
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I usually use kayak.com since it searches all airline sights as well as Orbitz, Cheaptickets and the like. It will then link you to whichever sight you want to purchase from.
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07-12-2007, 08:45 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
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Go to the sites of the airlines themselves. That's what we always do.
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07-12-2007, 08:53 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Beyond
Posts: 5,092
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Let the games begin!
I search airlines directly, then see if I can get a cheaper price on Travelocity or Orbitz or Expedia. But, now they are all the same. So if you do not care about how much you want to spend and where you want to sit or if you want to sit together if you have a travel partner, then I would use the "betting" sites, like Cheaptickets, Hotwire or Priceline. And remember to "low ball", as for the most impossibly low price. If you want to go to LA to NY, ask for $100. If they accept it, and they most likely won't, then that is what you pay + tax which is $50 - $75--so you'll pay $175 round trip to LA to NY. And they charge your card automatically. Let us know if you get a $100 tix from LA to NY, though... 
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07-12-2007, 08:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mu_agd
I usually use kayak.com since it searches all airline sights as well as Orbitz, Cheaptickets and the like. It will then link you to whichever sight you want to purchase from.
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I use Kayak as well. It's better than going through all the different websites, only to find out that they're all the same price or just a few bucks off each other.
Quote:
Originally Posted by REE1993
Go to the sites of the airlines themselves. That's what we always do.
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Airlines use their "lowest fare guarantee" to get customers to book through them instead of other vendors, but that's not always the case. They'll have a particular fare advertised, but I've seen it cheaper on Travelocity/Orbitz/etc. If you happen to call the reservations center and tell them that you found a cheaper fare, they're supposed to match it (unless it's Priceline or Hotwire), but good luck getting Linda in India to get that done for you. I used to work at United right next to the Reservations Call Center...reservations agents don't care.
Still, it's always good to do a comparison between the vendor vs. airline website. Oftentimes the airline website will give you a booking bonus (extra miles, usually) if you book with them...and you might as well, if the prices are the same or similar.
Hotwire and Priceline have deeply discounted tickets, but be aware. They'll tell you what time of the day you're leaving and what kind of plane you'll be flying, but it won't tell you which carrier you're flying until AFTER your purchase goes through. If you're a frequent flyer member at whatever airline, you won't earn miles if you buy your wholesale tickets on Hotwire and Priceline.
Don't forget to always always always read the fine print!
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07-12-2007, 09:29 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Mile High America
Posts: 17,088
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Quote:
Originally Posted by REE1993
Go to the sites of the airlines themselves. That's what we always do.
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I generally check on Orbitz and Travelocity -- then check the airline site to see if the same basic fare is listed because Orbitz, etc adds a service charge.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
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The above is the opinion of the poster which may or may not be based in known facts and does not necessarily reflect the views of Delta Tau Delta or Greek Chat -- but it might.
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07-12-2007, 09:46 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Land of Chaos
Posts: 9,265
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Southwest Airlines
I'm a big fan of Southwest Airlines - you have to check out their site because they don't participate in the other sites already mentioned.
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Courtesy is owed, respect is earned, love is given.
Proud daughter AND mother of a Gamma Phi. 3 generations of love, labor, learning and loyalty.
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07-12-2007, 09:51 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Taking lessons at Cobra Kai Karate!
Posts: 14,928
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Go to Orbitz and Mobissimo.com and then to the website for the smaller airlines that fly where you want to go like Southwest/Spirit/ATA. If you find a cheap fare on Orbitz for an airline, then go to that airline's website and it'll usually be another 10-15 bucks cheaper.
-Rudey
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07-12-2007, 10:11 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Greater NorthEast
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07-12-2007, 10:15 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,317
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I had to book a flight for a sorority conference. I went to Orbitz and Travelocity to look for flights thinking they'd be cheaper. I ended up getting the same exact flight for $50 cheaper straight from Delta.com. It really depends sometimes.
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Loving would be easy if your colors were like my dream, red, gold, and green.
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07-12-2007, 11:51 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: Taking lessons at Cobra Kai Karate!
Posts: 14,928
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There is something seriously wrong with you. Seriously.
-Rudey
Quote:
Originally Posted by jon1856
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07-12-2007, 11:56 PM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Greater NorthEast
Posts: 3,185
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudey
There is something seriously wrong with you. Seriously.
-Rudey
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Why? 
I answered the OP question with links I already had stored for my own use.  
If you do not care, do not bother with the links. 
And I just learned of a new site from WCBS radio:
http://www.yapta.com/
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07-13-2007, 02:11 AM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The Emerald City
Posts: 3,413
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Lately, the cheapest tickets I've found have been through the airlines' own Web sites. They're about $10 cheaper than travelocity/expedia/orbitz because they don't charge booking fees. I've also used Priceline a few times and been very successful at getting great deals. If you use a bid site like Priceline, only go as low as the lowest fare usually offered during a sale. If you try to get a roundtrip ticket from SEA to JFK for $100, you won't get it, because not even with the greatest sales do airlines ever offer that route for that cheap. You could get it for $200, though, which would be a great deal!
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Love. Labor. Learning. Loyalty.
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07-13-2007, 10:34 AM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NY
Posts: 2,170
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This has nothing to do with a site, but since you've never bought your own just a tip...
Make sure you enter your name exactly as it appears on your ID. For instance, if you call yourself Jenny but it's Jennifer on your ID, you must put Jennifer.
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07-13-2007, 11:29 AM
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GreekChat Member
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,036
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SWTXBelle
I'm a big fan of Southwest Airlines - you have to check out their site because they don't participate in the other sites already mentioned.
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Yeah.......Southwest is great for anywhere close to our area.
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