Airline Tickets- YOUR expertise needed!

[iheartmickey1111]

What are some ways you've been able to score good deals on airline tickets? Does anyone know what the discount is with any of the airlines for military?

Of course, I think we all know to try to not fly on a weekend or close to holidays, but what are some other tricks you know? Is there a certain website you prefer to buy them from?

 

[seashoreCM]

Do your looking (shopping) on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

 

[Green Tea]

Not flying on a weekend isn't true. Saturday is generally a pretty cheap day to travel. Sunday and Friday are generally the most expensive days.

 

[Green Tea]

If you are going for a long enough trip that travel days don't need to be maximized, try Name Your Own Price on Priceline.

 

[Green Tea]

Also look to non legacy carriers.....always see if Allegiant, Southwest or Airtran are options.

Don't be afraid to drive a little ways to a different airport if the price difference is worth your time and miles driven. I drove an 1.5 hours to a different airport for a savings of over $1000 PER TICKET! For a $10 reduction, it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Doodlebug939]

I believe that Southwest does military tickets. But I can tell you that most of the time I find that that wanna get away rates are better but it never hurts to ask. I ask about military rates all the time worst thing that they can say is no.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

What are some ways you've been able to score good deals on airline tickets? Does anyone know what the discount is with any of the airlines for military?

Of course, I think we all know to try to not fly on a weekend or close to holidays, but what are some other tricks you know? Is there a certain website you prefer to buy them from?

Military discounts on airline tickets are no deal. It is a discount off the full fare price and you can almost always find cheaper tickets. You need to call to buy these and to get prices.

The best website to use to buy tickets is the website of your airline.

I suggest that you browse the Transportation Board, where this topic is frequently discussed.

If you are going for a long enough trip that travel days don't need to be maximized, try Name Your Own Price on Priceline.

I completely disagree with this. There is no way I would ever recommend buying airline tickets this way. You don't get frequent flyer miles, you don't get to pick your airline or flight time; who knows what type of horrible flight you'll get? Just do a Google search for more information.

 

[Green Tea]

I completely disagree with this. There is no way I would ever recommend buying airline tickets this way. You don't get frequent flyer miles, you don't get to pick your airline or flight time; who knows what type of horrible flight you'll get? Just do a Google search for more information.

You pick if you will take 1 connection or 2 connections. If you'll fly on a non jet aircraft or not. You will fly sometime between specific hours unless you elect to try for non peak hours. When you are flying from a smaller airport, you can pretty much figure out what time you'll leave. It is an easy way to save money on a flight. I wouldn't do it for a weekend but have used it other times for long trips. I got great flights, and ones I would have picked on my own if they had been the cheapest, which they were not, oddly.

Once you buy the ticket you have exactly the same flyer rights as anyone else on the plane. If you have never done it, how can you recommend against it?

 

[iheartmickey1111]

Also look to non legacy carriers.....always see if Allegiant, Southwest or Airtran are options.

Don't be afraid to drive a little ways to a different airport if the price difference is worth your time and miles driven. I drove an 1.5 hours to a different airport for a savings of over $1000 PER TICKET! For a $10 reduction, it wouldn't be worth it.

Haha, yes, I already have to drive 3 hours to get to an airport large enough for decent fairs. It usually ends up in us staying the night before we leave at a hotel, but even with the hotel cost added in, we save about $400 total.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

You pick if you will take 1 connection or 2 connections. If you'll fly on a non jet aircraft or not. You will fly sometime between specific hours unless you elect to try for non peak hours. When you are flying from a smaller airport, you can pretty much figure out what time you'll leave. It is an easy way to save money on a flight. I wouldn't do it for a weekend but have used it other times for long trips. I got great flights, and ones I would have picked on my own if they had been the cheapest, which they were not, oddly.

Once you buy the ticket you have exactly the same flyer rights as anyone else on the plane. If you have never done it, how can you recommend against it?

Well.....


That last statement comes with a "warning"


If anything goes wrong you are "bottom of the list" for rebooking etc...

And when airline x changes your flights etc...you get to call Priceline.

And you are not going to earn Frequent flyer miles etc...

 

[sissy_ib]

Name your own price never works for me. Even when I put in a price similar to what I am seeing on Priceline. The options it usually gives me are something ridiculous like $20 less or an airport and hour and a half away. I wish there was a "trick" to getting lower priced airfare but I don't think there is anymore. You just have to watch for discounts and book early. People say book on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but that does not work anymore. The airlines figured that out years ago. The prices do not fluctuate that much.