Airfare ???

[luvcruisin66]

Anyone use priceline for airfare, making a bid? We are having a tough time finding decent airfare for October and wondering if anyone has had any luck bidding at priceline?

[13point1]

Anyone use priceline for airfare, making a bid? We are having a tough time finding decent airfare for October and wondering if anyone has had any luck bidding at priceline?

 

I havent, but a friend did and they had him on a flight with 3 connections. They will book you on the cheapest flights. Plus you would need to fly in a day early and a day after because you dont know what times the flights would arrive and depart.

[luvcruisin66]

We already plan on arriving a day early and hanging out in Orlando for a couple of days after. I am just wondering how much cheaper it is, if much at all. Also, it says that you will have no mre than 1 connection.......:confused:

[13point1]

We already plan on arriving a day early and hanging out in Orlando for a couple of days after. I am just wondering how much cheaper it is, if much at all. Also, it says that you will have no mre than 1 connection.......:confused:

Really, this was a couple of years ago so maybe things have changed for the better. You can always submit a low bid and see what happens.

 

Good Luck

[debster818]

Have you check with American. We booked flights 2 weeks ago so we could get in with the "not" paying for bags. Now the flights we booke are $76 cheaper for 2.

[vacruizer]

I looked into Pricelin and did some research but decided against it. Even selecting the day before for the first flight, it looked like they could have you leaving up until midnight that day which is still a little too close for me. If you had flight problems (which is common that late in the day) you are back to trying to find something available last minute to fly the day of the cruise. Been there and done that and it's a way too stressful way to start a vacation.

 

Coming home you would have to stay overnight at a hotel and book for the day after you arrive since they could have you flying out early am before the ship arrived or you could get to the airport.

 

It might be a better service if you could at least specify some sort of basic flight parameters - like needing to arrive or depart by a certain time.

[Emerald31]

I have did so twice and only because we were staying in the port city 2 days pre and post cruise. Both bid were accepted by United and had one connection. The layover was 2 hours each way in Chicago. We saved over 50% doing this. But in the last 2 years I had better luck purchasing directly because Priceline didn't have any availability when I bid.

[illin]

Each booking with Priceline has been an utter mess. The last two hotels were both in nice hotels, but we were given the "Priceline Special" room...a nasty smoking room that was just awesful. It was a Sunday night and the hotel was maybe 10% full...but they would not move us to a non-smoking room. We just packed up and went to a nearby Hampton and I ate the $60.

 

The air we booked (on antoehr trip) had THREE connections...and I was just going from DC to Denver. Took us over 12 hours to get there...I could have almost driven it in that time.

 

If you are served by a discount airline (Southwest, JetBlue etc)..check them first. They are hard to beat.

[Travel Angel]

There have been success stories and less than happy customers using priceline for airfare..... The most success I have had with them is either for hotels (and then I usually use Hotwire with better success) and car rentals.... I just secured a Hertz Luxury Car in Syracuse, NY for 3 days over 4th of July @ $90.00 plus taxes thanks to Priceline.....well worth the bidding !

[Ilovepj]

Anyone use priceline for airfare, making a bid? We are having a tough time finding decent airfare for October and wondering if anyone has had any luck bidding at priceline?

 

Hope you find a good deal, Just wanted to tell you to come join our roll call, we have a great bunch of people going on that Sailing.

 

Helen

[silentbob007]

I am hesitant to use Priceline for airfare since there is so much unknown. You are correct in thinking there is only one connection allowed ... unless you agree to allow for more than one. My one experience in using Priceline for air was horrible ... but not really at the fault of Priceline. I booked IND to PHL and got an afternoon flight ... which unfortunately in the summer, meant that there were severe storms that shut down the east coast ... and left me sitting for 4 hours on the tarmac at O'Hare. Fun times.

 

Keeping in mind the inconvenience of not knowing the schedule ahead of time and figuring on the worst possible times (super late flights in and super early flights out, both with connecting waits of a few hours at least), figure out how much money you'd have to save for it to be worth it and use that as the MOST you would bid.

[nho9504]

It would only work when airlines have empty seats to sell. In generally, it works best when you have to travel on a last minute situation and the normal purchase channel would be very expensive - but there are still empty seats and the inventories go to Priceline and such.

 

When you purchase seats for future travel several months ahead, Priceline has seldom a good place to book.

 

How many flights in the past year or so when you flew, you saw empty seats?

 

Given capacities are being cut left and right ranging from 10 to 14% by virtually all legacy airlines, do you realistically think Priceline would have inventory, i.e. empty seats for sale, other than multiple connections, if they do?

 

Hotel rooms, on the other hand, may have good availability now since people do not do roadtrips due to the gas price.

 

Car rentals - the larger size cars and more expensive cars have better chance of getting it from Priceline at very cheap rate - because most who book direct with rental car companies would want compact or just standard - to save gas. Also keep in mind, the Loss and Damage Waiver insurance - I am not sure if bid thru Priceline your credit card would offer same protection than if you book direct with rental car company. Of course, if you have comprehensive care insurance policy on your own car, then you dont need to worry about that part.

[IDKaren]

I do not usually use them cuz their is NOBODY to talk to if a problem it seems! Have you tried Kayak dot com for flights and prices. I have found some pretty good deals through their searches Good luck!