Problem with Priceline

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I was JUST on the Priceline website. It says that 1) you will not have more than one stop unless you specifically authorize it and 2) if you have a layover it will not exceed 3 hours.

Has anybody ever done "Name Your Price"? I am tempted to try it, but I am worried about getting bad flight times.

 

[MonorailMan]

I was JUST on the Priceline website. It says that 1) you will not have more than one stop unless you specifically authorize it and 2) if you have a layover it will not exceed 3 hours.

Has anybody ever done "Name Your Price"? I am tempted to try it, but I am worried about getting bad flight times.

From my own personal experience, and from what friends have told me, you can get some really good prices on flights. However, you'll more than likely get a really early flight (around 6:00am) or a late flight (9:00pm or later).

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

Your library card? Really?? Okay, thanks.

I'm not entirely sure it was my library card -- it was one of those racy-racy through the terminal things and when I got to security I noticed I was clutching my drivers license and my library card. I guess, it might just as easily been my drivers license but in any case, it wasn't a credit card.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

From my own personal experience, and from what friends have told me, you can get some really good prices on flights. However, you'll more than likely get a really early flight (around 6:00am) or a late flight (9:00pm or later).

Unfortunately we would probably end up going TO Orlando late and coming HOME early.
We already booked DH on miles, but DS and I are looking at $842 for the 2 of us to go round trip. I need to decide how much drama I am willing to tolerate to get cheap airfare. I figure DS and I can fly in a day ahead of DH to avoid losing our first day at WDW, and then going home we'll just suck it up and deal with it, even if it means Magical Express at 4 AM. I just have to get brave enough to take that non-refundable plunge!

It says no departures after 10 PM, and no red-eye, so maybe that means if we take off at 10 PM we won't have a 3 hour layover?

 

[MonorailMan]

I'm not entirely sure it was my library card -- it was one of those racy-racy through the terminal things and when I got to security I noticed I was clutching my drivers license and my library card. I guess, it might just as easily been my drivers license but in any case, it wasn't a credit card.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I never have to do the "racy-racy" thing in an airport again. The first time I flew I had a layover in Dallas, which was supposed to be about 45 minutes long. Since our flight was late leaving we only had a 10-minute layover in order to take 2 monorails to get all the way to the other side of the airport. Luckily for me the people I went with used to live in Dallas and were familiar with the layout. We made it onto the plane at the very last second.

That plays a BIG role in why I get nervous when I travel. On the plus side, I must've lost about 4 pounds running in the airport. Gotta love "Airport Cardio"!

Unfortunately we would probably end up going TO Orlando late and coming HOME early.
We already booked DH on miles, but DS and I are looking at $842 for the 2 of us to go round trip. I need to decide how much drama I am willing to tolerate to get cheap airfare. I figure DS and I can fly in a day ahead of DH to avoid losing our first day at WDW, and then going home we'll just suck it up and deal with it, even if it means Magical Express at 4 AM. I just have to get brave enough to take that non-refundable plunge!

It says no departures after 10 PM, and no red-eye, so maybe that means if we take off at 10 PM we won't have a 3 hour layover?

$842....just for the flights?? Jeez! I'll have to contact the friend I'm meeting in Orlando. He somehow always manages to get great flight prices. The trip he's taking in a few weeks from LaGuardia to Orlando only cost him a little over $100 on Delta, with no layovers. I used Priceline several weeks before he booked his flight (during the big fuel price increase) and wound up paying more than twice as much.

As far as layovers after 10 go, I'd have to say that it depends on where you're flying to/from. Unfortunately, if you live in a city like mine there are no direct flights to/from Orlando.....but there are direct flights to/from Tampa. Go figure. But if you live somewhere where direct flights are possible, I'd say the chance of getting a layover that late would go down quite a bit, as would the length of the possible layover.

Sorry, I tend to ramble when I'm hungry.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Yep. $421 per person, round trip. That does not include the $15 per checked bag each way, and I ALWAYS check a bag or 2.

American and Airtran both fly direct Dallas to Orlando. Delta used to, but they stopped. Now I think there are only 2 Delta flights per day and they both stop in Atlanta. SW goes to Orlando, but out of a different airport. Since DH is flying out of DFW I would prefer that DS and I go out of the same one because that's where the car will be. Whoever gets home first needs to be at the same airport as the car.

Like I said, I have to decide how much trouble I am willing to endure to get cheaper flights. I have flown by myself, and flown with DS, just the 2 of us. DH has never flown by himself. I think he could do it, but he might not be happy about it.

 

[mykidsintow]

I have used priceline a few times. I have named my own price...
You can low ball it and it tells you what you have to change, etc.

However, the last 4 times I have flown orbitz always beat priceline, even the name your own price.

I recommend trying a site called kayak.com You don't have to book through them, but it will search ALL the flight companies and tell you the cheapest. Its pretty spiffy!

Good luck on your flights!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I have used priceline a few times. I have named my own price...
You can low ball it and it tells you what you have to change, etc.

However, the last 4 times I have flown orbitz always beat priceline, even the name your own price.

I recommend trying a site called kayak.com You don't have to book through them, but it will search ALL the flight companies and tell you the cheapest. Its pretty spiffy!

Good luck on your flights!

I used to LOVE kayak and FareCompare, but now they don't pull up American, which is one of 2 airlines that fly direct to MCO out of Dallas!

On the one hand I think it is silly to bid on tickets 10 months ahead of time. On the other hand, I am really scared of the fares going UP. I guess at the very least I should wait until all of the airlines have their August schedules up and try to decide then.

 

[MonorailMan]

I know what you mean. When I first started flying a few years ago I was told to wait to buy my tickets until just a couple weeks before leaving because the fares drop dramatically. Unfortunately, I've only found that to be true twice. The other couple times I've flown the prices skyrocketed. It's a gamble, I know. You also have to be aware of fuel prices, etc., etc., etc.....

 

[padalyn]

On the one hand I think it is silly to bid on tickets 10 months ahead of time. On the other hand, I am really scared of the fares going UP. I guess at the very least I should wait until all of the airlines have their August schedules up and try to decide then.

Oh I beg to differ....I ALWAYS book my flights as early as possble. I use Jet Blue exclusively, and when the tickets go down, I call -they refund me the overage as a credit. So far on this trip I have 35.00 credit. My roundtrip fare is 225. leaving at 11am EWR to MCO, then return, well that flight has been changed 3 times so far. I figure I am in for at least one more change. Now I have to change my dinner ressy for the day I am leaving to lunch!!! I am returning MCO 6:30pm arriving at EWR 930ish. (The flight started out at 9:30pm from MCO!!)

We used Kayak when making a broken trip from EWR to Vienna, and returning from Prague to EWR - we did alright - around 700.00 each.

I have also had DVC find me airfare. A few years ago I did the Alaska cruise using points (DVC) and I just couldn't get airfare from EWR to Anchorage then from Vancouver to EWR for under 1600 each (2 people) I called DVC and asked if they could help, the rep called back in about 2 hours apologizing, she said she just couldn't get the air under 1500, I replied well - 1500 each is better than 1600 each. She gasped and said - No, I meant 1500 TOTAL!! I said - book it (no, I didn't say Danno - tho I wanted to!)

We did alright using Orbitz in and out of Barcelona last year also. So, it is really hit or miss - but Priceline won't refund ANYTHING...I am not sure about other airlines, but Jet Blue is really good about it.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

American would laugh at me if I asked for a refund. Thing is, American is our first choice. We really like them.

I have heard Airtran likes to change schedules, add layovers to non-stop flights, cancel flights entirely, etc. so I don't know if I want that much adventure.

They said on the news last night that American is going to start a la carte pricing where the base fares will drop but every single "amenity" will add to the price. Well, I can bring my own drink, snack, pillow, etc. I am curious to see how much the fares REALLY drop.

I also KIND OF think the fares might drop after Airtran's schedule comes out, so we'll see.

We paid $324 for DH's round trip ticket this year. I probably could have gotten it for a little bit less IF I booked him on flights other than the ones DS and I were on (we flew on miles) but with my mom's chemo we weren't 100% sure what was going to happen. I couldn't chance DS and DH being on different flights if I had to leave because of an emergency, so we paid the $324. I think I bought his ticket to Orlando in February and his ticket home in April, and the fares never went down. I get skittish about tickets if I don't have them in place pretty far ahead of time.

 

[mykidsintow]

I should clarify I have never booked *through* kayak. I have just used them to find the lowest fares and then booked directly with the lowest site.

I typically use Orbitz. There is no American at our main airport, so thats not an issue. Jet Blue is also not an option. We have a po-dunk airport.... with a nice non-stop 2 hr flight to Orlando everyday

 

[padalyn]

We have a po-dunk airport.... with a nice non-stop 2 hr flight to Orlando everyday

Are you gloating??? lucky you. Many flights, hmm?

We have 3 airports that go to Orlando close by, a total of 5 within easy drive. Since NYC is almost everyone's hub or they go through we have access to many flights, the mess is getting to the airport!

LGA is physically the closest - but can take an hour to 90 min to drive the 20 miles! EWR is next - at about 30 miles, it takes about 45 min. JFK - well....that is about 30 miles and 2 hours go figure.

The other airports are a bit further, Rochester, and Phili are about 2.5 hrs away. The local airport (10 min away) is for small commuter planes only. Southwest tried to get a route out of there and were denied due to plane size. The runway can't handle a big jet.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I *almost* put in a super-low bid just to see what would happen, but I chickened out at the last minute!
I can't decide if I am better off waiting until Airtran's schedule is out, or if I should bid now. Or if I should skip the bidding entirely and just watch the fares.

 

[MonorailMan]

I checked with my friend, and he said he got his $110 ticket to Orlando directly on Delta's web site. Of course that price more than likely takes into account that there are usually about 4 bajillion direct flights from LaGuardia to MCO every day.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Airfare from DFW to MCO is usually not less than $230, and that is rare. My flights dropped to $300 today, so I need to decide what I am going to do.

 

[MonorailMan]

Airfare from DFW to MCO is usually not less than $230, and that is rare. My flights dropped to $300 today, so I need to decide what I am going to do.

From what I understand, the "new" prices are usually posted at midnight on Tuesdays. I probably wouldn't wait until next Tuesday. I'd go for it......but that's just me.

Getting good deals is like playing poker, isn't it?

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

From what I understand, the "new" prices are usually posted at midnight on Tuesdays. I probably wouldn't wait until next Tuesday. I'd go for it......but that's just me.

Getting good deals is like playing poker, isn't it?

I have my flights on hold until midnight tomorrow. I wanted to talk to DH about it, but he is worthless. He told me to do whatever. So now I have to decide by tomorrow without any additional input from him.

 

[padalyn]

bajillion

I have never actually seen that word in print!!!

Good luck Skellington's girl...you will figure it out.