PriceLine...name your airline price?

[pednurse]

Has anyone ever used Priceline.com's "name your own price" feature for getting cheap airline flights? If you have, what was your experience.....pros....cons? TIA

 

[safetymom]

You are stuck with whatever flight times they can get. If you can live with that and that it may not be a non stop then no problems using priceline.

 

[TAKitty]

I did it once and will never to it again. I ended up with a horrible flight time and a LONG lay over to finally get home. If you search often you will find that you can get just as cheap of a flight yourself. We fly for 49-59 to Orlando. My grandma is coming in from Fort Myers for 86 round trip!

 

[pednurse]

Thanks for the info.....the days I was looking at, I really don't have much flexibility for the return flight, so I guess I'll stick with daily price checks via the normal routes. Thanks!

 

[tiki23]

A former employer bid a priceline flight for me to attend a conference. I flew a red-eye and landed right before the conference began and ended up leaving a day later than I wanted. I also had two connections on the way home. Ugh!

 

[jayally]

I will not do it again. I could have gotten a cheaper flight and got frequent flyer miles and would have accumlatated enough miles for almost 3 r/t tickets. I would like to extend our trip but I am stuck with the return flight. THey routed me the worst flights possible with an 8am return flight even though they have flights all day long from MCO to LAX. I am stuck. I did get a nonstop departure but that was only because the flight times changed so I was arriving at 12:32am instead of 11:58pm and leaving at 10:40am from LAX. It was a little loophole I found as they guarantee you will arrive no later than 12:30am. The rebooked me on a flight that got in at 9:45pm but it had a connection in wash dc and that part of the trip would take longer than LAX to MCO. I called again because they made another change and I was not booked on the same flight as my kids. I spoke to a nice CS rep at priceline who was able to rebook me for the 3rd time on a nonstop flight that will only take 5hrs and get us in at 6:29pm. I didn't ask her to do this but I was venting how ridiculous it was to put us on such a terrible route. She did agree it was a terrible choice for a flight but they are only allowed so many bookings per fare and had to contact united to get their permission to change it. I booked priceline airfare in 2005 and 2003 and it was a better experience but I am not saving a whole lot and I rather have the control. I think I have finally learned my lesson. I could have bid lower than I did too. I do think they are improving their customer service skills. I was not charged a fee for the change but this was due to the fact United made so many changes to our tickets. They will not let me change anything on the return flight.

 

[gr8tdame]

Never again.... worst flights....
They own the tickets so you cannot even discuss things with the airline.

 

[debden]

If your looking at flights to Orlando you would probably end up with a late night arrival and an early morning departure.Those are the flights nobody wants to take.Keep looking for a lower airfare and better times.I'm leaving in 6 weeks and I just purchased my airfare.Got a good deal too.
Good Luck.
Debbie

 

[jayally]

If your looking at flights to Orlando you would probably end up with a late night arrival and an early morning departure.Those are the flights nobody wants to take.Keep looking for a lower airfare and better times.I'm leaving in 6 weeks and I just purchased my airfare.Got a good deal too.
Good Luck.
Debbie

exactly my feeling. I am losing a whole day of our vacation.