Air fare tricks?

[MELSMICE]

Waiting to book air fare for next year. USAir books 330 days in advance, however, on the date the air becomes available I will only be allowed to book by outbound flight. We are staying for 2 weeks, by the time the return flight becomes available, all the outbounds will be gone or "picked over".

Does anyone have any tips on getting around this? Right now my only thought is to call everyday & each day change my return flight to the next day until I have the actual day I want to return home (does that make sense?). I know they will hold a reservation for 24 hours without a charge to your credit card.

Has anyone ever done this?

 

[CarolA]

When are you going? If you are buying a ticket, I am not sure your idea of changing the return date every day will work unless you are paying full fare. Otherwise they charge you the $100 change fee everytime you change.

The only time I have booked 330 days in advance was for a frequent flyer trip to Europe.

 

[MELSMICE]

We have frequent flyers for Nov., however, I are planning to go in April with paying fares. This is when I need flights held.

I have held flights before & then called to change them within the 24 hour window, just never changed them daily. I just don't understand the system that you can book the outbound but can't get a return flight. Not many people (unless your on business) leave & come home in the same day - especially to Orlando.

Anyway, my sister who is a travel agent gave me some tips. I had also called the airlines & someone there is the one that old me to call back every day until I got to my return date.

You're probably wondering why I don't just go through my sister. Because the airlines have cut agent commissions most of them are charging a fee to book air fare, so she said I'm better off doing it on my own. Actually, she has always recommended doing a Disney vacation al a carte because it will save money in the long run.