Flight Deals? Search by dates, not destination?
 

Does anyone know a website where you can search by date (and maybe price) and not by destination? I would like to go to Europe and am flexible as to the city; however, my dates are firm. I need to leave 12/31 and return 1/4. I would be leaving from Chicago. Is there a way to search open ended - or even with a price qualifier? For example, all flights which cost under, for example, $500, departing Chicago on 12/31 going to a city in Europe and returning to Chicago on 12/4? I typically go to websites and just type in my iterinary and then select cities highest on my list - but I feel like I could be missing out on a true gem!

Let me know if you know a place where I can do this.

Thanks!!

Yes, you can accomplish something like that by using Dream Maps on Travelocity:

http://dps1.travelocity.com/dreamMap...ce=TRAVELOCITY

Choose a departure airport only and then click on "To Western Europe" from the links above the U.S. map (or any of the other choices, for that matter). You will see fares to various cities and you can set upper limits on the fare price you want to see. Give it a try.

Very cool. I never knew this existed. Very nearly what I was hoping for in my "Cheap Flights Forum/US and Caribbean" question earlier today.

But it doesn't seem to care about dates.

And it isn't finding me anything under $300 - - alas...

But thanks for pointing this out, all the same.

Best wishes,

Rex

Flyboy,

Thanks!!! This is pretty close to what I am looking for! (If only I could narrow further with precise dates, it would be perfect!)

Anyway, what a great site - thank you for sharing.

Take care,
SRS

I think the Dream Maps feature is cool too. The only trouble I've found with it is after you get the list of airlines offering fares, it's very likely the choices are mostly not valid unless you live in a gateway city.

Lot's of "offers connecting service" but often won't follow through. Eventually after picking airline and dates, I've seen a message that the airline has no flights between locations, even though the airline's website says there is. Could just be me though.

By the way, you do get prompted for precise dates, but you have to pick the airline first.

It has been years since I have seen the best fares on Travelocity. Use the Dream Maps to find a location and what Travelocity calls the lowest fares, then go to the airlines web sites.

Keith

Chech out "Orbitz Deal Detector" at Orbitz.com.

With this, you can plug in the exact dates you're wanting to travel, your target price and up to three possible destinations.

You will have name three possible destinations, so it's not completely open-ended.

The key difference is that you can specify your travel dates.

crispin46556,

That's a great site too! Still not exactly perfect, but pretty good! And it looks like they will notify if and when the price hits what I want. Too bad you can't just say open ended to any city in a certain country or set of of countries....

Thank you!

There is another possibility for inexpensive flights.

It's called Airhitch. I've never used it, only read about it. Maybe someone else has and can give you input.

Believe that it's air-hitch.com with a DASH.

Best of luck to you in your search!
easytraveler

SRS,

You do realize that if you put in "LON" for the 3 digit code, you will be specifying all London airports. Instead of putting in LHR or LGW separately.

"ROM" covers both FCO and CIA, also for example.

crispin46556,

I did just that - I searched LON, PAR, and ROM. But if only I could search all of France, Italy, and England - it would open up tons more possibilities.

I am sure glad, though, that I posted this question - because the tips I've received have put me ahead of where I was before!

easytraveler,

I will check that site out and respond to it later!

Thanks again!

easytraveler,

I checked out airhitch briefly. Looks like to register you have to give them your passport number and credit card number. I don't think they "do" anything with them, but it made me a touch leary.

Has anyone else used them?

Other ideas??

Thanks again!
SRS

topping to see if that dream site does exist...

thanks!

I can't help you with any more sites, and I believe Travelocity dreamaps is the closest to what you're looking for, but, I will tell you this. You are looking for New Years weekend, and unless you'll find a miracle, expect to pay around %500 during that time. Your goal of $300 for New Years weekend is a little low.

Thanks AA - I was already thinking you were right and it appears that way even within the U.S.! Can't hurt to try though!

A couple of weeks ago I booked London roundtrip from New York
leaving 12/31 and returning 1/5 for $317
on BA. Several airlines had good deals if you are leaving on 12/31--can't speak to the Sunday return.

elaine,

that was couple of weeks ago. SRS will be lucky if he finds anything close to $500 now. Cheapest BA fares from ORD to London for the requested dates are around $1500. Even if he decides to come back few days later it's still above $1000. You are incorrect. It actually is 12/31 that's the expensive side of the trip.

SRS: Thanks for checking out the site!

Definitely agree with you that it's NOT GOOD to have to surrender your passport number and credit card number just to be able to check airfares!

I'm crossing airhitch off my list! Thanks again!

easytraveler

I prefer Yahoo to Dream Maps as it often seems to find cheaper flights for me. The URL is http://search.travel.yahoo.com/bin/s...=us&oc=was -- for flights from Washington, DC. Replace the last three letters with the code for your local airport (CHI for the OP). It also doesn't care about dates.