Who Do You Use for Airline Tickets?

[gooselover]

What is your favorite website, etc., to get your best deal on your airline tickets for your cruise? We live in Oklahoma and seems like there is nothing cheap going to Miami. So, teach me how to get low cost airline tickets.

 

Also, how far in advance to you book your airline????

 

Thanks!

[SingingPixie]

Generally I'll use either Kayak or Bing to search all of the major airlines at once- then I check Southwest separately, since they don't participate in the big consolidator websites. One thing that worked for me last time I had trouble getting an acceptably-priced flight was to search one-way fares separately for both the general sites, and southwest. It turned out flying one-day on Delta and one-way on Southwest was my best option. Also, look at alternate airports- for Miami, Fort Lauderdale is a good second-choice. I don't know if there's an alternate in your home area as well. Since airlines are cutting their number of flights, it seems like we all have to be more flexible about specifics in order to get a price we're comfortable with.

[Pat.bz]

We use the new microsoft site that is designed to compete with Google.

[Morecruisesplz]

Kayak and we set it up to notify us of price drops for various choices. But then we also check SW separately. (We live near DC so have 3 airports we can fly out of so it makes it worth checking the options.)

[rummenroman]

I search using kayak or bing, but then i book directly with the airline. Usually you can get them 5 buck per ticket cheaper doing it that way.

[printingchick]

Usually I compare prices at several sites, then book directly with the airline. This last time, I booked with Orbitz to get the price assurance guarantee. That worked out well for me as I did catch a price drop.

[SamFritz]

When comparing fares you should also remember that Southwest has no bag fees. If you are going to be checking any bags don't forget to add that expense in. I'm starting to look at fares for my April cruise. Right now Jet Blue has the lowest Buffalo to Tampa fare that I can find. Southwest is about $25pp more. Continental looks lower, but if DW and I even share one checked bag it will be more. We're looking in the neighborhood of $650 for the two of us round trip.

[waterbugohio]

I search using kayak or bing, but then i book directly with the airline. Usually you can get them 5 buck per ticket cheaper doing it that way.

 

 

this is also what i do. Especially if I find it on a travel site that I have never used before. I always feel better going directly with the airlines.

[cruiseguy1016]

In the past I have always found the cheaper prices were available by booking directly with the airline's web site. For my upcoming cruise next March, I booked through Orbitz. For some reason their price was cheaper to start with and they have the price guarantee. I booked four and a half months in advance and I am finding that the prices are starting to come down for flights that are now three and half months away.

[cb at sea]

I always book directly with the airline, too. I'll search several and pick the cheapest/best route.

I've found that prices start to drop about 3 months out, and then start to rise again about 4-6 weeks out!

[luckyprincess]

I start out with Kayak or Sidestep to narrow down the general prices offered then I book with the airline. I find that JetBlue, Spirit and Airtran are cheapest for me to Florida, but I'm in NJ...

[silentbob007]

As with others, I start with fare aggregators (Kayak, etc) for roundtrip, check on one-way costs, and then look at Southwest. Unfortunately there's not really a magic way to get cheaper flights ... the airlines themselves tend to offer the cheapest prices available and if another site actually is offering a cheaper price, I usually worry why. Many times on the large travel sites I've been offered a lower fare, but once I've clicked on it, I'm told inventory has changed and those flight are now X$ more expensive.

[parody]

According to market research studies performed by the Cruise Lines International Association (p. 26), cruisers ON AVERAGE booked their cruise 3.7 months in advance as of 2008. They give no data on this, but one must assume that accompanying flights were purchased soon thereafter. In addition to the very useful advice given by SingingPixie, sign up for a fare alert of the exact flights that you are interested in at yapta.com. You do not need to have booked your flights before doing this, but be prepared to act quickly as, I believe, yapta checks fares 4 times a day and will send you an email if fares go below your stated threshold. Sometimes an attractive fare will last less than 1 day.

[Ashland]

I start looking at about 8 months out..book through the carriers website and check out seat info on www.seatguru.com Good luck..

[MSMcDuffy]

I usually compare prices on Kayak or Orbitz first and then I always purchase directly from the airline's website. I've never found a flight on a travel website that is less pricey than the airline's unless it involved multiple carriers, which I think should be avoided whenever possible. If there are ever any problems it's also easier to deal with the airline directly.

 

I book about 2-3 months out unless I find something earlier for a good price, which is usually not the case.

[azalice]

We get quite caught up in the planning and booking and tend to book airfare early - maybe too early. We are booked from Arizona to Copenhagen already for Aug.2010.

 

P.S. Hello Pat.bz We spend our summers in Show Low.

 

Alice

[Ashland]

We get quite caught up in the planning and booking and tend to book airfare early - maybe too early. We are booked from Arizona to Copenhagen already for Aug.2010.

 

P.S. Hello Pat.bz We spend our summers in Show Low.

 

Alice

Do you think you got a good price ? I have been looking at LAX-LHR for our Baltic cruise Aug. 2010 approx. $1100-1200 pp.:eek: Sticker Shock ! Am I wrong...thought air might come down after the 1st. of the year. :confused:

[fbgd]

Do you think you got a good price ? I have been looking at LAX-LHR for our Baltic cruise Aug. 2010 approx. $1100-1200 pp.:eek: Sticker Shock ! Am I wrong...thought air might come down after the 1st. of the year. :confused:

 

Bear in mind the taxes for flights departing the UK are much higher than you're used to if you don't travel much out of the US. I go to the UK several times per year and the taxes and fuel surcharges (that some airlines levy) are the best part of $600 return by themselves.

 

You're also flying in high season too. You're somewhat in luck as LAX-LHR has a decent number of carriers flying non-stop; AA, United, British Airways, Virgin and Air New Zealand so there is some competition.

 

$1100 though isn't a horrible price, I'd say there is room to go a touch lower, maybe to $800 or so for that time of year but there's certainly more upside potential. You have to figure out if you want to risk holding out for $300 p.p. savings but potentially end up paying closer to $2000 p.p.

[azalice]

We did find one time we missed a lower price by booking very early. But we are satisfied with our price, so that will have to be good enough for us. We feel better by getting everything in place early - cabins, hotels, flights. And summer is usually high season in Europe and other places, so I don't believe you can expect marvelous pricing.

 

Alice

[janetz]

We use travelzoo, and compare different sites there. I have always found flights cheaper than listed on Kayak. Almost always when we see what we want, the airline we want has the flights listed lower on their own site. :)