Thursday, April 3, 2008

Cheap Tickets & Cheap Flights

There are lots of good websites with fare comparisons and tips. Check out these links. Be flexible on your departure and arrival dates and on your airports and your airlines and your hotels.


1. Start with these airfare aggregators: Kayak, Farechase, Sidestep, and Farecast. Each one searches multiple airlines, but they tend to return slightly different results. They're usually best bets for cheap flights. Farecast gives you a fare prediction (only accurate about 50-75% of the time).
KayakFarechaseSidestepFarecast

2. Check the traditional discount search engines: Cheaptickets, Orbitz, Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity. These too will return different prices for different flights. Most charge a small booking fee (see tips on your right).
Cheap TicketsOrbitzExpediaPricelineTravelocity

3. Check Southwest (they do not share prices with above sites). Also check JetBlue, Delta, and US Airways to see if they have any site-exclusive specials.
SouthwestJet BlueDeltaUS Airways

4. Book the cheapest flight you can find above that matches your criteria. (See additional tips on this page).

Using One Way Flights

Southwest and Jetblue list separate prices for each leg of the flight. If you find that one of the legs of the flight is way is cheaper than the other, check the more expensive route via Orbitz and Travelocity as a one way fare. This way you can book two separate flights using two separate sites and get the best deal on each one way flight.

If you do book this way, make sure that each search was run within the last 10-15 minutes and book them close to the same time. You don’t want to take the chance that one reservation expires before you get a chance to book them both.

Multiple Cities

If you need to book a flight to multiple cities, there are several strategies you can take. Most booking engines allow you to search flights using a “multi-city” or “3-way” option. You should try this first to get a baseline of prices.

It’s also a good idea to break up the flight and run searches for one-way flights for each leg. Jetblue and Southwest treat all their flights as one-ways (even if you’re booking round trip), so they often have good prices for one-way tickets. Orbitz also tends to return cheap one-way flights.

Travel Tips

If you book a round trip ticket with an airline and do not make your first flight, you need to notify them if you intend to use the second half of the flight. Otherwise, they will cancel your entire ticket.

Keep in mind airport parking fees and tolls, which can really add up over a number of days. Use satellite parking when available - it tends to be cheaper. When deciding between airports, keep in mind the cost of gas - and or public transportation / taxi fares.

Some airlines will allow you to change your flight for around $50-100 to a different day if they have availability. So if you want to stay an extra day in New York City, it might only cost you $50 to extend your trip. Call the airline and talk to a customer service rep – they can often be rather accommodating.

If you fly often, sign up for frequent flyer miles with each airline. Even if you book through a booking engine (like Orbitz), you can still apply miles to that particular airline's frequent flyer account. You might also want to look into getting a cradit card (like the Delta Skymiles American Express card) that earn points when you shop - many have double points for things you buy everyday. Those points tend to add up after a while and can be used to get free flights.

If you're a student, check out Student Universe or STA Travel for discounted airfare.

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Cheap Tickets & Cheap Airlines

Here are some good links and tips for saving on airfare. Read and surf and you'll save money.

Your price will depend on many factors, but here are some basic tips to start with:

  • Buy a package — buying a hotel room with an air ticket can often save you a lot. This also brings extra revenue to the booking agencies and if you happen to use one you will be reminded about the savings not once
  • Be flexible with dates — plus/minus one day can make a huge difference with air travel. Once I saved around $200 on a ticket to Europe by moving the departure date from June 1 to May 31.
  • Research nearby airports — many services provide an option which will enable you to include into your search the nearby airports around your departure/destination point. This may help you reduce the price.
  • Go for extra stops — non-stop flights are usually the most expensive and if you have time at your hands consider a connecting flight instead

Below are the online tools to help you find the best ticket price grouped by category. Each category is different and serves its own distinctive purpose.

Search Engines

These will search for the best price and then redirect you to the booking agency or airline website to buy the ticket. Search engines are free to use and make money from advertisement. Sometimes the listed price will not be up to date since search engines often cache prices to speed up search. Use them to get an estimate and don’t be surprised if the price at checkout will end up slightly higher.

United States

International

Booking Agencies

These will search for the best price and will charge you a fixed fee (around $5) to book the ticket. Unless you are in a hurry it is always a good idea to check the airline website directly (see the list below) before paying the agency. Just as with search engines the booking agency may sometime display stale pricing data although this usually happens less frequently

  • Orbitz — I have had the best experience with this company, their customer support actually answers phone calls. ;-) They claim to search 455 airlines.
  • Expedia — The largest and most popular booking agency according to Alexa ranking. Their airlines selection looks impressive as well.
  • Travelocity — I have always liked their “Flexible Dates” option which allows me to shop for discounted tickets however most competitors nowadays offer the functionality as well
  • Cheaptickets — another website to check. From my experience the prices you will see are the same as at Expedia or Orbitz but their booking fee can be $1 or $2 less
  • Hotwire — is owned by Expedia and has a shorter list of suppliers. I personally don’t see why you would want to use it instead of Expedia which gives you better search options
  • Priceline — better known for their “Name Your Own Price” functionality available with hotels (read about it here).
  • Qixo — a smaller and less popular agency with a subset of functionality compared to what you will find at the competitors

Airline Websites

You will get the most current information if you go to the airline website directly. Buying from the airline removes an extra piece in the ticket sale transaction chain which is always a good thing if you want to minimize the chance of an error with booking. Besides some airlines don’t list tickets with the agencies at all and if you want to have the complete picture you have to check these directly.

Travel Forums

Discuss travel deals and get tips from other travelers like you.

Travel Deals Sites

Last but not the least. These websites are operated by people who are professional bargain hunters in travel industry. If you travel a lot subscribing to their newsletter for hot travel deals delivered to your mailbox might be a good idea.

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Scoring Cheap Tickets

There's no one technique or website that will always get you the cheapest fare.
You have to work. You have to research. You have to be ready.
Email me your tips. I wanna know!
Some more tips:
See Cheap Airfare Deals
The World's Best Economy-Class Seat
A Guide to the Domestic Discount Airlines
Where Do You Find the Best Airfares?

Think you need a vacation now? Just wait until you're scouring dozens of booking sites, aggregators and airline Web sites to find cheap tickets for your next trip -- then you'll really be ready for a week off!

Unfortunately for weary travelers, there's no real shortcut to finding cheap airfare. As with any purchase, you need to shop around to get the best deal -- by trying different booking sites, altering your dates, and waiting until just the right time to purchase. But if you're willing to put in a little time and effort, you could save big on your next flight. Want to learn how? Read on for our top 10 tips -- and then share your own!

1. Buy Early
Especially during peak travel periods, making reservations late in the game can cost you a lot of money. Airline ticket prices typically go up 21 days, 14 days, 7 days and 3 days before flying, so if you're planning ahead, try to make the call before these deadlines. And if you're traveling internationally, you'll want to book even earlier -- from three to six months in advance -- for the best deals. However, sometimes you can get lucky if you wait, which brings us to:

2. Buy Late
Often you can buy tickets at the very last minute for a great price, if the airlines have failed to fill their planes. Many airlines offer weekly newsletters that feature their best last-minute deals. You can also find many of them listed in our Bargain Box, or at specialized sites like LastMinuteTravel.com. If you can stand the suspense, and if you are flexible with your itinerary, you can find fantastic money-savers to very attractive travel destinations.

3. Shop Around
No matter how good it sounds, you should never book the first fare you see. Start your search by checking a few of the major online travel providers, like Travelocity, or aggregator sites like Kayak.com. This will give you a preliminary idea of which airline flies your particular itinerary, what the going rate is and what restrictions might apply. Armed with this information, you can head directly to the appropriate airline Web site to see if the same flights are any cheaper (some airlines guarantee to offer the lowest possible fares on their own Web sites). While you're there, check to see if the airline is running any sales or promotions to your destination.

If you don't see anything in your preferred price range, don't be afraid to bide your time and watch the fares for a bit. Most major booking sites have alert features that will e-mail you when your fare drops to a price you're willing to pay.

4. Know When to Buy
The hardest part of booking a flight is knowing when to stop tracking fares and make that final purchase. If you're flying within the U.S. or Canada, Farecast.com can help you reach that decision, offering fare predictions for more than 75 cities. Just plug in your itinerary and the site will advise you either to book now or to wait, depending on whether the fare is expected to rise or drop. (Farecast also offers a Fare Guard service, for an additional fee, that will protect you if the price drops after you book.) Another useful site is Kayak.com, which displays the fare history for domestic and international flights, allowing you to see whether your fare is headed in an upward or downward direction.

Finally, keep in mind that most airlines launch fare sales on Tuesdays and Wednesdays -- so if you decide to buy on a Monday, you may be gnashing your teeth on Tuesday when your destination goes on sale.

5. Be Flexible
If you live close to more than one airport, check out the fares from all of the airports near you. Many online fare searching engines will ask you if you are willing to depart from or arrive in more than one city. Yes! Also, experiment with different travel dates; shifting your itinerary by a week or even a few days can make a significant difference in fares. You'll usually find the best deals on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

6. Don't Forget the Discounters
As their nickname suggests, discount airlines can save you a bundle, but they're not always easy to find. Luckily for consumers, discounters are cropping up more frequently on aggregators and booking sites (Kayak now offers fares for JetBlue, Spirit and AirTran, for example) -- but there are still a few holdouts, such as Southwest and Allegiant Air, whose fares can't be found anywhere but their own Web sites. If you're traveling outside the U.S., don't forget to check the international discounter airlines as well.

7. Use Your Frequent Flier Miles
Why pay a fare at all when you can use your frequent flier miles? Although redeeming miles has gotten more difficult in recent years, it's still a good option to consider, particularly if you're booking early; airlines designate a very limited number of seats on each flight as eligible for award travel, and these seats go quickly. For more on redeeming your miles, check out these tips from Traveler's Ed.

8. Get a Refund When Fares Go Down
If fares go down after you've purchased your ticket, ask for a refund! You may not always get one, but policies vary by airline -- and many do not publicize the fact that they will refund you the difference if prices go down. It can't hurt to ask.

9. Air Passes
In order to promote tourism in their countries, many national airlines offer air passes at reduced rates for tourists. If you're planning to do extensive travel in one country or region, an air pass might be your most cost-effective option. Qantas offers the Aussie AirPass for travel throughout Australia, while Cathay Pacific has a similar product for flights throughout Asia. For a comprehensive list of air passes worldwide, visit Airtimetable.com. Planning an even bigger trip? Look into around-the-world fares.

10. Check for Deals and Discounts
Don't forget to check our comprehensive Bargain Box for the latest air deals -- we post new ones every weekday. If you or your traveling companions are senior citizens or children, you'll want to take a peek at our senior and family areas as well.

Related Links
  • Get the Best Seat
  • Around-the-World Fares
  • Contacting Your Airline
  • See All Air Travel Resources
  • Tell Us About Your Latest Trip!
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    Insider Tips To Cheap Tickets

    Sid Stetson has the scoop.
    He writes for AOL that you have to work to get the cheapest fares. The market changes rapidly. Certain tips are good for a while and then stop working. You've got to watch fares carefully.

    Get the system to work in your favor with the following insider guidelines to cheap airfares.

    1. Do Your Research.

    Tips For Flying

    If you travel frequently, it pays to keep yourself informed. Bookmark airline tickets portals, sign up for airfare alerts on the routes you like and check them every few days.

    Diligent research on airfares will allow you to snag promotional deals when they occur and lock in savings on your favorite destinations. You can also sign up for newsletters that will email you when exceptional airfare savings are available as well.

    2. Know What a Good Price Is.

    This step ties in with Step 1. Being informed about the highs and lows in the airfare market will allow you to know what is -- and is not -- a great airfare. Savvy consumers who are considering making a major purchase of any kind gather information from all available sources and use that info to their advantage.

    Have You Traveled Lately?

    Keep an eye out for newspaper, TV and radio ads, and make mental notes about fluctuating airfares to all kinds of destinations. It may help to keep a blog of the rates you notice and the trends you see popping up. You may end up meeting other cheap airfare hounds like yourself who can offer hot tips

    3. Specifically Watch the Price Trends On Your Preferred Route.

    Cheap Travel Tips

    Most air travelers, especially business fliers, tend to fly to the same destinations on a regular basis. Consider tracking prices in a day planner or blog on a consistent basis so that you can track price trends on cheap airfares to your preferred airports.

    When it comes to airfare prices, there are few rules and lots of exceptions to the rules. But if you build an informal database for airfare fluctuations, you may be able to predict the best times to grab cheap airfares at their lowest.

    4. Airfare Prices Tend To Be Better Between 14 and 21 Days Before Your Target Date.

    Overall, this is true more often than not. Airlines try to entice you to buy 2 or 3 weeks in advance with price breaks on airfares. This way the flight fills up and they can increase the profitability on that route.

    Like most other markets, airfares are determined by supply and demand. If the demand for a particular route, say Chicago to Orlando in January, is high, the airlines capitalize on demand and increase airfares. If demand is low on the Cleveland to Boise route in October, airfares will trend down. Naturally, low end demand works to the consumer’s advantage.

    Check Out These Confessions!

    5. Consider Nearby Airports Instead of the Major Hubs.

    This approach is one of the more predictable and reliable ways to bag savings on cheap airfares. Popular airports in specific regions tend to keep airfares in and out of that hub high simply because more travelers are willing to pay for location.

    Consider using secondary airports like Chicago Midway instead of the much larger O’Hare International, or Fort Lauderdale as an alternative to Miami International, as these airports are less popular than the nearby mammoth hubs. You can sometimes score lower airfares by opting to fly into these locations instead.

    6. Booking at the Last Minute Is Risky, But Can Lead to Huge Savings.

    If an airline is facing the possibility of breaking even or losing money on a particular route, they will frequently slash airfares the day before departure to entice travelers to book those airfares.

    The downside is that this is a crap shoot. If you wait until the last minute to buy, you’re at the mercy of chance and could possibly end up having to pay premium airfares because the flight is nearly sold out.

    7. Always Check an Airline’s Website When You Find a Cheap Airfare Somewhere Else.

    This is one of the more reliable ways to find a cheap airfare. If one of the online travel portals offers a great price on a flight, go directly to the airline’s website and see if their price is better.

    Airlines allocate a specific ratio of tickets for each flight in different price brackets to help ensure profitability. A travel portal may have access to a great price and pass the savings on to you. Often you can save additional money by cutting out their margin and buying directly from the airline itself.

    With a little time, effort and knowledge, you can certainly be a savvy airline insider. You’ll know what it takes to find a cheap airfare and be able to track the airfares you want to use. In no time, you’ll be flying wherever you want and for the best prices.

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    Cheap Tickets And Peak Travel

    People keep talking about peak and off-peak travel. What is it? What days and seasons are peak?

    It's complicated. It will determine the price of your ticket.
    What Day of the Week?
    Off-peak travel is generally considered Monday afternoon-Thursday morning, with Saturdays thrown in for good measure in the summer.

    Airlines frequently charge slightly lower fares for travel between Monday at noon and Thursday at noon, and on Saturday, while increasing fares significantly for Sunday, Monday morning, Thursday afternoon/evening, and Friday travel. During the summer, count Saturday as a peak travel day as well, and when it comes to Florida, it depends on which direction you travel on which days. Here's where things can get tricky: you probably won't be able to get out of a popular vacation spot like Orlando on a Sunday night or Monday morning, but you might be to get in.

    What Time of Day Is It?
    Here's a typical day in the life of the top ten domestic airlines' on-time performance (percentage of flights arriving on time):

    600 - 659 AM 88.2
    700 - 759 AM 91.3
    800 - 859 AM 88.6
    900 - 959 AM 86.4
    1000 - 1059 AM 85.1
    1100 - 1159 AM 84.1
    1200 - 1259 PM 84.1
    100 - 159 PM 84.1
    200 - 259 PM 82.3
    300 - 359 PM 82.2
    400 - 459 PM 79.5
    500 - 559 PM 78.4
    600 - 659 PM 77.6
    700 - 759 PM 76.5
    800 - 859 PM 76.4
    900 - 959 PM 76.8
    1000 - 1059 PM 77.3
    1100 - 559 AM 79.1

    On-time performance peaks just after sunrise, declines steadily all day, then climbs again in the late-night hours. You're up to 15% more likely to be there on time if you fly in the morning than in the afternoon.

    Best time to fly: morning
    Worst time to fly: late afternoon/evening.

    What Time of the Year Is It?
    Time and day of travel issues are fairly simple to work around; seasonal and holiday peak periods require more careful planning.

    The Art and Science of Seasonal Fluctuations
    The art of negotiating peak and non-peak travel periods remains as much art as science, and as much brawn as brains. Typically, warm climates are popular in winter months, cooler climes during the summer months. However, it doesn't always work this way. For instance, wintertime is peak travel period for Hawaii, but would you automatically think that August is just as crowded? It is, as Hawaii's temperate clime attracts desert dwellers in droves.

    "All the people who live in hot places, like Phoenix and Texas, will come to Hawaii during August," said Cathy Zadel, a Hawaii specialist (who also hosts some IT chats!) "People are out of school and on vacation, and it seems like all of California comes over during August for short vacations."

    On-Time Performance by Month
    It may surprise travelers to know that no one season seems worse than another for on-time performance. When measured by quarter, on-time performance for the top 10 airlines hovers around 75%, with little fluctuation.

    For several years running the worst month to Travel has been June and the
    best month to travel has been November. Both are surprising: June would seem to have the best weather, and thus fewer delays; November has Thanksgiving, the worst travel day of the year, and thus more delays. Right? The numbers say otherwise.

    Is It Near a Holiday?
    Holidays, in general, can be tough, especially Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and New Year's. And don't forget Spring Break, as well as Valentine's Day, on routes ranging from Hawaii, Key West, the Caribbean and Mexico, Las Vegas and countless ski lodges. If you're planning a romantic Valentine's Day proposal, you better plan ahead, because an impulsive elopement might cost dearly at the ticket counter.

    Thanksgiving is an easy one: Wednesday is the heaviest travel day. On the return trip, the following weekend is often not all that bad, as folks tend to space their return flights out over the long weekend.

    Holiday peak days depend heavily on what day of the week certain holidays fall on. For example; if New Year's Day falls on a Friday, peak travel might not happen until Sunday, Jan 3 or even Monday, Jan 4. If New Year's Day falls on a Monday, people may start to head back to work immediately on Tuesday, Jan 2.

    One tip: in general, if you check blackout dates for fare sales, vacation packages, and your frequent flyer miles, these correspond closely to the peak travel dates.

    Where Are You Going?
    Other peak travel destinations and periods:

    Summer: destinations throughout Europe, Hawaii, Canada, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Maine and New Hampshire

    Spring: (especially during Spring Break): Florida, the Bahamas, Mexico, some European cities, Carnival cruises, Southern California, New Orleans.

    Winter: any attractive ski resort (especially in the Rockies and New England), most tropical or semitropical destinations and islands (especially the Caribbean), Costa Rica and other Central American destinations, Mexico, Disneyland and Disney World, many Pacific Rim countries (Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia), Israel (around holidays, political climate permitting).

    Fall: New England and parts of Canada (for fall foliage), Australia, New Zealand (primarily in the late fall, as summer begins Down Under).

    Tips for Peak Travel Periods
    Here are some tips for getting where you need to go during peak travel periods:

    Plan ahead, way ahead.
    In the top travel destinations, airlines, hotels, and car rental companies rarely have reason to offer last-minute incentive deals. "Low season is low season, and high season is high season," Zadel said. You're not going to save a lot of money waiting for late-breaking deals; you're more likely not to be able to go at all.

    Be flexible with dates and travel times.
    Especially during peak travel times, the difference between flying Monday morning or Monday afternoon, or during the day vs. late at night, can mean big money. Ask your travel agent or the airline to check around for better rates.

    Use any and all moneysaving tactics
    For example: AAA members, AARP members, students and teachers, companions traveling together, credit card holders, and travelers who check with consolidators and discount reservations services may find considerable savings by flashing an ID card at the time of purchase, especially for peak travel periods when prices are high and universally available discounts few. There are hundreds of readily available deals out there; think about them before you buy; see below for links to more information on many of them.

    When in doubt, do some research.
    Here are some pertinent articles in the Traveler's Resource Center that will help you navigate the peak travel periods:
    Travel Bargains
    Consolidators Save Money on Plane Tickets
    Getting the Best Hotel Rate
    Senior Discounts
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    Nailing The Cheap Ticket

    Money Magazine (Oct. 27, 2006) has some surprising tips.
    The cheap fare club has expanded to traditional airlines.

    Traditional airlines like American, Continental and United are selling more tickets at lower fares, aggressively matching or even undercutting prices on routes where discounters fly.

    The result: While your first step when planning a trip used to be finding out whether a discounter served the route you wanted to fly (and then booking without a second thought), your best move today is to search the big boys right along with the discounters.

    One reason for the change is that traditional airlines have been slashing expenses (many in bankruptcy court) and are returning to profitability, enabling them to better compete with their low-cost rivals.

    As for the discounters, well, their prices can go only so low. If you fly between New York and Los Angeles in early November, for example, you'll pay $337 on JetBlue but just $284 on American, Delta or United. A round-trip Hartford-to-Fort Lauderdale ticket bought in September for November travel cost $314 on Southwest and $293 on Delta.

    Southwest and other low-cost airlines still offer more seats at lower prices than traditional carriers do. "The problem is, those seats sell out the quickest," says Southwest marketing vice president Kevin Krone. Therefore, which airline has the lowest fares at any time is partly a matter of timing. And no one disputes the dramatic downward effect that low-cost airlines have had on fares.

    But Steven Morrison of the Journal of Transport Economics and Policy says the difference between traditional and low-cost airlines has eroded. "The effect of Southwest on fares today is less than it used to be," he says.

    The discounters still have some of their charm: Most cap their highest fares, meaning you'll never be fleeced for $1,200 even if you book a ticket at the last minute, and they have newer planes and fewer restrictions.

    So if you want to change your flight, you'll pay nothing on Southwest and $25 on JetBlue. Most major carriers charge $50 to $100. Still, now that finding a cheap fare requires more than just a quick check of one or two discount airlines' Web sites, how do you find the best rate?

    Go to the source Airlines save the best deals for people who go directly to their sites. Southwest, for example, reserves some of its lowest fares for its Ding program, which alerts you to a discount with a noise on your computer that sounds like the signal heard when the captain turns off the seat-belt sign.

    And all the major airlines offer weekly Web specials. If you buy directly, they don't charge a booking fee or prevent you from earning frequent-flier miles, as some third-party sites do.

    Time it right Fares are loaded into reservation systems three times daily but only once a day on weekends. Many airlines sneak in sales on Friday nights, so Saturday is a good time to shop, says George Hobica, who runs AirfareWatchdog.com, which scours airline sites for hidden deals.

    Plan ahead Though many airlines offer low fares for last-minute trips, they are often on unpopular routes and at inconvenient times. The best way to save is to buy ahead - remember that most seats go on sale nearly a year in advance. How does Florida next November sound? Book now.


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    More Cheap Tickets Tips

    Some excellent comments here:

    Download the software “DING” from Southwest. I live in Portland, OR and I travel to the east coast every month. I just booked my trip for Feb. and I paid $49 each way to Manchester, NH. I have never paid more than $99 each way using the DING software. The deals you can get are unbelievable. You just have to wait until the month before you travel to book.

    One of the best tips we’ve found lately is that increasingly, airlines are saving their best fares for their own Web sites. Not just Southwest, which doesn’t file fares with Travelocity et al, but Alaska, which has frequent 20% off sales; Spirit (which just had a site-only $24 off sale); USA3000 which has frequent coupon sales, Frontier, which only sells its weekend sales on site; and many international airlines such as SAS, Qantas, and Singapore to name a few.

    I’m suspicious of aggregators after a bad experience with FareCompare:

    They showed a ridiculously good fare for one that was horribly expensive everywhere else. Being an aggregator, they wouldn’t actually book it for me. Their FAQ claimed that they had access to flight information hours before the other travel sites, so I should wait a few hours and then book it. Well, I waited…and waited…and waited…and fares only went up.

    I sent them an email asking how to actually get their fares…no reply.

    So maybe they really did a great ticket price, availability was limited, and someone else beat me to it. Maybe they had a database error. Maybe they were lying to me. It doesn’t really matter…whatever the reason, their data can’t be trusted. If you wait as they say, you’ll just give prices a chance to go up more.

    Now I only believe ticket prices listed on sites that sell tickets. The aggregator can be useful to tell you what other website to go look on first, but if that second website doesn’t list Kayak’s price, the aggregator is wrong. Don’t wait, look elsewhere.

    I also have learned not to book through Travelocity after a bad experience with them a year ago. I cancelled the second half of a ticket when work sent me from Christmas vacation onto a business trip. They told me I could call them and claim the credit when I next booked through them with the same airline (United). I did so. They told me the ticket number wasn’t in their system (or some any other information I gave them - I had the original confirmation email and everything they’d told me when I called them to cancel) and transferred my call to United. United told me that my ticket number didn’t start with the right prefix to be one that they issued and couldn’t help me either. Lesson learned: just book with the airline directly and skip the run-around if something goes wrong.

    Summary: window-shop with the aggregators or conventional travel sites. Go book with the airline. If the airline doesn’t actually have the same price, use a different aggregator.

    For hotels I usually use a combination of Farechase and TripAdvisor. Farechase is nice because you can search by location on a map (which is killer) and TripAdvisor is great for gathering opinions of hotels as well as checking prices from Expedia.com, Orbitz.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, and Accorhotels.com all with a single search box.

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