I've never bought airline tickets or package vacations off the Internet but I'm considering it. I know Internet companies can vary just as other business do, but lately I've heard some bad stories. Can anyone share their experience with what companies were good and/or bad. Thanks!

I've purchased many tickets and even vacation packages over the internet without any problems. Just know who youre dealing with. I've used travelocity (who is operated by the Sabre reservation system owned by American Airlines parent company), Travelweb, and also American Airlines vacations and Delta Airlines vacations. To help protect yourself you may want to get the latest Netscape or Internet Explorer Browser which have 128 bit encryption (the best general security available), and also after you give the company your credit card number over their web sight and complete your transaction, exit your browser and clear your "cookies.txt" file. This file will sometimes actually store your credit card number for the next time you visit the site again. One thing to think about to keep things in perspective- when you use your credit card at a store, there are carbon copies of your credit card that are usually thrown in the trash for anyone to grab, also when you send your checks into the credit card companies to pay your bill, never put the entire credit card number on the check, only the first 12 numbers then "XXXX". Thats enough to identify you and the card, but everyone who sees that check when its processed can't use your credit card number. Also, call your credit card company and have them stop sending "transfer checks" or any other checks that are used with your account. Anyone can get a hold of those checks and use them. Believe me I know- someone used one of my checks ,that I did not request, to get 2700.00 worth of cash and I didn't know it until I got my statement (the credit card company took off the 2700.00 from my bill). What I'm trying to say is that its far more likely for credit card fraud to happen in the "real world" than over the internet as long as you know who youre dealing with. <BR>

Meg, I will have to agree with David. I have also used the internet to purchase tickets. Don't be driven by bad stories you have heard I could tell you bad stories on any subject you wish to discuss. I just purchased tickets from www.tiss.com and faxed my credit card info. Their quoted prices are for cash/check and charge an extra 4% for credit card. A good forum for cheap flights is found at www.eurotrip.com. Don and Tricia give alot of advice on different web sites. From the prices I have booked over the last few years I don"t even check with a travel agent anymore. Regards - Tom

I have purchased domestic airline tickets through travelocity. I had no problems and received the tickets within a week. I am considering buying the tickets for my next European trip through tiss.com, an international consolidator.

Went to England last year, purchased a "fly/drive" package from europevacations.com. I also just purchased tickets to Hawaii through preview travel.com. I would recommend getting "real" tickets instead of e-tickets.

Thanks for Q&A, as I was experiencing e-anxiety, about pushing that final button to commit. Did not quite trust a faceless transaction, and am still looking forward to feeling of convenience as opposed to this HIGH learning curve!!

I have purchased domestic tix on Alaska Airlines and always eticket and love it. I have heard that etix can be a problem if you need to use another airline but my experience is that anytime there has been a problem with a flight that would require me to change flights the problem is widespread ie weather, and noone is moving. <BR> <BR>I just bought a ticket on NW for Paris and i couldnt have gotten the deal except on the internet. saved $100 off of the usual fare. Int'l tix must be paper document, no etix option. <BR> <BR>One good reason for electronic services is the FF mile bonus avail from the airlines. Anyone interested in a FF mile website which accrues miles while you are on the internet should email me.

This topic should have been discussed in the general section and not in the European forum.

I purchased one way tickets from Budapest to Prague (from the US) on Expedia.com. I did the transaction on Saturday and the tickets arrived on the following Tuesday. <BR> <BR>Seeing that this was Europe related, it qualifies for this forum, Erwin.