Please - Need Hotwire/priceline help
Feb 18th, 2005 | 03:20 PM
#1
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Please - Need Hotwire/priceline help
I am going to need to buy 2 plane tickets on a 3-4 day notice and am looking for the best price when my daughter has her baby.
Would it be better to use Hotwire or Priceline? I don't like the idea of bidding on Priceline but would I get it cheaper? At least with Hotwire I know what price I am dealing with and can fool around with the dates to see pricing.
What are the "rules" like for these tickets? I am wondering if we needed to change the return date if I could just pay the change fee depending on what the airline usually charges.
Would it be better to use Hotwire or Priceline? I don't like the idea of bidding on Priceline but would I get it cheaper? At least with Hotwire I know what price I am dealing with and can fool around with the dates to see pricing.
What are the "rules" like for these tickets? I am wondering if we needed to change the return date if I could just pay the change fee depending on what the airline usually charges.
Feb 18th, 2005 | 07:11 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,856
Likes: 79
The problem with Hotwire or PL is that you don't know when the flight leaves - you can specify "no red-eyes" but that doesn't mean that you might not spend 6 hours in Dallas between two four-hour flights. Unlikely, but possible.
The change-return question is a total crapshoot. Sometimes Hotwire or PL book into fare classes that have really crummy - or no - change provisions. Personally I wouldn't chance it; besides, if you look at biddingfortravel.com you'll see that the deals people get on PL are not all that fab, for the most part.
What "city pair" are you looking at? Are there budget carriers (Southwest, Independence, Air Tran, etc.) that serve them or airports nearby? Often the low-cost carriers will sell you a one-way ticket that is only slightly more than half the restricted round trip fare, which would give you more flexibility. Let us know what your cities are and more help might be forthcoming.
The change-return question is a total crapshoot. Sometimes Hotwire or PL book into fare classes that have really crummy - or no - change provisions. Personally I wouldn't chance it; besides, if you look at biddingfortravel.com you'll see that the deals people get on PL are not all that fab, for the most part.
What "city pair" are you looking at? Are there budget carriers (Southwest, Independence, Air Tran, etc.) that serve them or airports nearby? Often the low-cost carriers will sell you a one-way ticket that is only slightly more than half the restricted round trip fare, which would give you more flexibility. Let us know what your cities are and more help might be forthcoming.
Feb 19th, 2005 | 04:32 AM
#3
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Posts: n/a
We will be traveling from Syracuse [SYR] to Dallas [DFW]. We could also fly into Love. We prefer using SYR. It would require about 2 hours travel to reach the Albany or Rochester Airports and would probably require a hotel overnight...too expensive for the inconvenience unless the deals were terrific.
A one way ticket would be ideal but Independence and Jet Blue out of Syr do not offer flights to Dallas.
The rules for hotwire and Pricleline say travel would be between 6am and 10pm and completed the same day which doesn't seem too bad. I think the longest time we would be traveling would be maybe 7-8 hours according to the flights I have seen on travelocity and orbitz.
A one way ticket would be ideal but Independence and Jet Blue out of Syr do not offer flights to Dallas.
The rules for hotwire and Pricleline say travel would be between 6am and 10pm and completed the same day which doesn't seem too bad. I think the longest time we would be traveling would be maybe 7-8 hours according to the flights I have seen on travelocity and orbitz.
Feb 19th, 2005 | 06:50 AM
#4
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Here are some suggestions, none really the best:
- AirTran flies from ROC to DFW via Baltimore or Atlanta. Their one-way walk-up fare in coach is ~$265, or even better their business class is only $50 more, with no change fees.
- Various airlines from Syracuse. Last minute roundtrip fares are about $700, but you may still have to pay to change your return.
- You should also try various travel site's last minute air+hotel package deals. Sometimes they are cheaper than just air tickets on their own - just don't use the hotels. However, if you need to stay more than a few days, then it wouldn't make too much sense.
- I've never used Priceline for this, but I just checked Hotwire for Syracuse-Dallas, and it's like $900+, so no deal there.
- AirTran flies from ROC to DFW via Baltimore or Atlanta. Their one-way walk-up fare in coach is ~$265, or even better their business class is only $50 more, with no change fees.
- Various airlines from Syracuse. Last minute roundtrip fares are about $700, but you may still have to pay to change your return.
- You should also try various travel site's last minute air+hotel package deals. Sometimes they are cheaper than just air tickets on their own - just don't use the hotels. However, if you need to stay more than a few days, then it wouldn't make too much sense.
- I've never used Priceline for this, but I just checked Hotwire for Syracuse-Dallas, and it's like $900+, so no deal there.
Feb 19th, 2005 | 07:28 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,856
Likes: 79
I found $258 on United SYR-DFW one way via Washington/Dulles. You can see it if you "fool" the UA website by using the "multi-city" option and specifying SYR-IAD and IAD-DFW on the same day, rather than just typing in SYR-DFW on the conventional one-way screen.
You might find www.itasoftware.com an interesting place to find airfares, then phoning or on-lining the airline to get the great fares you can discover on ITA. (It's not a booking site, just an availability/planning site.)
You might find www.itasoftware.com an interesting place to find airfares, then phoning or on-lining the airline to get the great fares you can discover on ITA. (It's not a booking site, just an availability/planning site.)
