Orbitz Deal Detector lets you plug in a target price for a flight and will alert you via e-mail when that price, or a ballpark figure, is available.
DEEP DISCOUNTS
You’ve probably heard of friends or co-workers getting tickets to some fabulous destination for hundreds less than you thought possible. Not everyone is related to an airline employee, so there must be a way. There is. Ticket consolidators, such as Priceline and Hotwire, also have deals with the airlines. However, these sites have access to unpublished fares -typically made up of unsold flight inventory that is purchased wholesale. These fares usually have more restrictions on travel dates, cancellations, rebooking fees, upgrades, etc.
To protect their airline partners’ fare structures, both Hotwire and Priceline obscure some, or all, of the flight information until the purchase is made.
With both Hotwire and Priceline, you’re locked in to buying once you accept the deal or name your price for a flight so be sure it’s the best option. If you still can’t find a price that you’re willing to pay then you’ll at least know how low to bid to get the best deal available. All of this can be achieved in less than an hour in front of your computer. And isn’t that a small price to pay for the best price you can find?
YOU’D BETTER SHOP AROUND
Want to get the best deals on flying the friendly skies? Here’s how and where to start:
1. Check the cost of your trip on a few major airline sites to get a good sense of the price range.
2. Head to an online hub such as FareReport.com and the Airfare Checker at BetterBidding.com (www.betterbidding.com/airfarechecker).
3. Consider ticket consolidators such as Hotwire.com and Priceline.com.
4. Book your fare, pack your bags, and head out.