Can searching for flights raise the prices

[DaniB]

JoeCathy --> I also get $328 (rounded-up a few cents)

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If you go to any travel website and the cities are still listed from the search you did the last time you were there, it's tracking you. Definitely clear your cookies; clear your complete browsing history too and start fresh.

Keep in mind that cookies are not necessarily bad things. When you clear everything, everything is cleared. Websites you are automatically logged into when you go there will be cleared and you'll have to log in again.

BobK/Orlando

 

[kaytieeldr]

An experiment,
I've been tracking a non-stop flight for a couple of weeks on Delta, Boston, BOS to Orlando, MCO; Depart BOS, 1/22/11, 7:00 am , depart MCO, 1/29/11, 6:50pm.
I have no intention of booking this flight.
The price has gone from it's original $229 round trip to it's current $328 round trip.
What is everybody else getting for a price?
Good luck all.
Joe

$327.50
One ticket
Same flights.
NO Delta cookies on my computer

Now, if you're willing to switch to the 6:50 BOS-MCO flight, and the 8:00 AM MCO-BOS flight, THAT'S still $229. $228.50, to be exact.

So, no, it's not your cookies - it's that the $229 seats for that flight combination have all sold out. Period.

eta: no MCO-bound or -departure cookies on my computer at all.

 

[mkmckee22]

I didnt do that exact expirament, however, I must agree with the pricing going up.... I tracked flights for late April via orbitz for several weeks and thought I was clearing my info and then refreshing. I finally decided on the flight times that I wanted while looking between orbitz and priceline and there
was about a 20 min gap in time and it asked me to refresh since there was no activity and the prices always went up between 16-25 per ticket.
In did end up booking and find that I am paying around 75.00 more per ticket then when I originally started my search.
Then yesterday for the heck of it, I looked again and I could now find direct flights to and from for 12.00 less per ticket and no stops or layovers..... Then to my dismay, the original tickets are non cancelable Unless I want to pay up to 180.00 per ticket to change them! Ha! That would be assenine since I didnt pay much more than that to begin with.
It pays to learn how to clear the cookies...guess I know for next time.

 

[DebbieB]

Yes, they can go up as a result of searching.

Read this

http://www.airfarewatchdog.com/blog/3800914/thats-how-the-cookies-crumble/

I have deleted my cookies and observed this first hand. Also, read peoples comments below the story ....

Ted

I have also seen this happen.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Then to my dismay, the original tickets are non cancelable Unless I want to pay up to 180.00 per ticket to change them! Ha! That would be assenine since I didnt pay much more than that to begin with.
It pays to learn how to clear the cookies...guess I know for next time.

Actually, more accurately it pays to purchase refundable tickets (at a likely much higher cost) if one is going to continue to second-guess what one paid and continually attempt to request credits for fare drops.

Interesting how nobody ever offers to make up the difference when the fare INCREASES after they've bought their tickets, yet expects the airlines to make exceptions to the rules of NONrefundable tickets and at least provide a credit for the price drop

 

[JoeCathyAngelina]

An experiment,
I've been tracking a non-stop flight for a couple of weeks on Delta, Boston, BOS to Orlando, MCO; Depart BOS, 1/22/11, 7:00 am , depart MCO, 1/29/11, 6:50pm.
I have no intention of booking this flight.
The price has gone from it's original $229 round trip to it's current $328 round trip.
What is everybody else getting for a price?
Good luck all.
Joe

This morning when I checked the price of the experiment flight it was still at $328.
I just checked the flight and the price dropped to $323.
Good luck all,
Joe