Plane tickets online.......

[mermaid96]

I need some advice here...... my TA said she could get me tickets from Maine to Orlando for $281 each. I found tickets on Orbitz.com for Maine to Orlando for $223 each. Can I get some of your experiences (good or bad) on buying plane tickets online? Are there "hidden" fees that make the tickets more expensive than quoted? I don't want to get suckered here! Thanks everyone!! ~Mermaid96

 

[Beverly Lynn]

if you find the tkts online for a better price then buy it! there is nothing wrong with buying tkts online. no hidden fees etc. they tell you before you pruchase them who much the grand total is with all the taxes and pfc charges. someof the onlinetravel sights add the 10 surcharge. but they tell you this. so before you hit that purchase/submit button make sure of what the ttl cost is.

 

[cindala]

I have purchased my airfare for the last three trips on-line through Delta.com . I have been pleased and received better rates this way than by phone. Through Delta, you are even allowed to pick your own seats from a seating map.

If you find a better rate on-line than through your travel agent, it is probably worth purchasing. I'm not sure about Orbitz, or travelocity or those sites, but when dealing directly with the airlines dot com site, there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[CarolA]

The airlines often have webbased fares that are cheaper than the Travel Agent fares. I believe that these fares show or Orbitz which may be why you are seeing the cheaper fare. However, what else is your TA doing for you? Some TAs charge fees to reserve hotels and rental cars if you don't book the airfare with them. Make sure there are no new TA fees which would eat up your airfare savings!

 

[Disneyfun1]

I bought online at travelocity.com and had no problem in the past.

 

[danacara]

I second Cindala on Delta.com - I loved picking out my own seats and saved $17 per ticket over the telephone price. That paid for dinner for 4 at Rose & Crown during Illuminations. You stand to save $47! Remember that most travel agents are great people, but you don't owe them anything except for common respect and courtesy, and certainly if you can save money you should strongly consider booking over the web.

 

[mermaid96]

Thanks you guys. Someone mentioned to me that since I live where it snows that time of year.... a TA might be better cause they can get you the next possible flight easier if one is cancelled or you miss a connection or something. What do any of you think of that?

 

[drusba]

Orbitz is basically a joint venture among several major airlines. The prices quoted are what you pay as they include all applicable taxes and fees and Orbitz is a reliable group.. Orbitz does very often have prices lower than travel agents as it was designed to avoid the middle man so to speak. All airlines and many travel agents are following closely what happens to Orbitz because it could have a major impact on travel agencies and how tickets get sold if huge numbers start using Orbitz. Having a travel agent available on call can make it easier to switch flights if yours is cancelled.

 

[Beanie]

I have bought airline tickets the last three times we have flown and have never had a problem...I actually like it better because I live in a secluded area and the nearest TA is 2 hours away...they won't send the tickets through the mail, I have to pick them up, so online ordering is way easier!!

 

[CarolA]

Mermaid,
Your TA may or may not be able to help you if there are airline problems. What time of the day are you flying? Are they open then? If not, do they have an after hours service that they can connect you with?

I have a business TA that does a great job for me on this kind of thing. However, the agency she is with employees about 100 people and she is the ONLY one who seems to care so..... it just depends on the TA.

 

[mermaid96]

I found a flight on Orbitz for $228......... the same flight and I mean the same #'s going down to FL but different ones returning...... was $299! I think I might book tonight!! Thanks guys!

 

[Sandi]

Mermaid:

I'm from a snowy region, too. I have purchase tickets on-line through Expedia, USAir, and Northwest over the last few years. I have also been snowbound a few times. Even with e-tickets, I've not had a problem getting rebooked. I always hear that you should get paper tickets in case you need to be reticketed, but I don't know the whole story there. If any one can enlighten me on that, I would appreciate it.

I always make certain that I'm not taking the last flight of the day, so if there is bad weather and you can't make a connection or whatever, there is another flight. In the two cases we were actually stuck overnight due to snow, USAir treated us very well. I was satisfied (of course being "stuck" in Orlando is a pretty good place to be stuck).

Since Orbitz is a combo of the airlines, I would suggest that you might also check pricing and ticketing with the airline that is giving you the best price.

 

[CherylH]

I've never had a problem ordering tickets online and I've purchased from Travelocity, Expedia, Southwest, Delta, USAir, and Northwest. We even booked a cruise through Expedia!

I love being able to shop around for prices at my leisure and booking as soon as I find an acceptable fare. We've saved a lot of money on travel in the past few years!

 

[msr709]

I don't think I'll ever use a TA again! I've done two trips by myself and most of the arrangements were online! Airline tickets as well as park tickets and I have been very happy both times. My first trip was through Continental and the second I used Delta, and I particularly appreciate being able to pick my own seats, its very convenient and I saved $15 on each ticket.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

working for an airline and being on the queue desk for 7 yrs I can tell you this they are the ones who reacommodate you on another flight or carrier if ther are delays and such. not the TA. in fact many TA's don't even put the contact nbr for the passenger int he ressie only their nbr. very irritating when you have like 20 min to contact a psgr and there is no phone nbr.......

 

[GoldenOldie]

Originally posted by Sandi
Mermaid:
Even with e-tickets, I've not had a problem getting rebooked. I always hear that you should get paper tickets in case you need to be reticketed, but I don't know the whole story there. If any one can enlighten me on that, I would appreciate it.

Here's the Reader's Digest condensed version:

In the event of flight delays or cancellation, the airline you purchased the E tickets from will reaccomodate you on their own next available flight. That however could be many hours (or the next day) away. You may find a better flight with availability on another airline to get you where you are going sooner. But you cannot take an E ticket from one airline and use it on another. Airlines need a paper ticket to prove you actually flew with them and to "settle up" financially with the originating airline.

 

[CarolA]

I need some clarification here. Beverly Lynn HELP!

I keep hearing this mess about how you just take your paper ticket to another airline and they will rebook you! Well I have NEVER actually seen this happen unless I had a full fare ticket! It has always been my experience that the airline who issued you the ticket has to rebook you on the other airline. Basicaly my feeling has been that if Delta can't get me there, I cannot just walk to American with my $150 round trip ticket and expect to get taken care of. Am I missing something!. I don't worry about e-tickets because I have always had to stand in line to get rebooked anyway.

Thanks.

 

[Beverly Lynn]

the only time you may take your tkt to another carrier and get ont ehri flights like that is if your tkt is a full coah or first class unrestricted fare. and I mean a tkt that cost buku bucks not the 150 round trip specials. those tkts must be endorsed over to another carrier with the originating carriers endorsement code on it. as for reacommodating you ont he next flight yes the originating carrier has the right to put you on their next available flight but they have a certain window of time to do that. if they do not have a flight to put you on then they are to put you on another carrier. we had certain carriers we had to use before other ones.

 

[cmatt]

I bought from Orbitz I got the seats I wanted at the total price they said also picked flight times, I called around 1 st did'nt get close to the price I paid, I have always had the tickets fedex to me I have'nt ever just printed them off, it cost me 10.00 more but just use to the regular tickets I guess, good luck cmatt

 

[mermaid96]

Thanks everyone....CMatt, that is what we are finding too- nobody can even come CLOSE to the price Orbitz has (even if you add on that $10 you were talking about) It is nice to hear that someone has used Orbitz and been happy with the results!! So you had them FedEx the paper tickets to you? I'll probably do that too......I hope the 4 of us will get to sit together. Someone told me that they bought through someone else and they had their family all over the plane- including their 2 year old. She was going to have to sit by herself.