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Re: WISH I'D DISCOVERED THIS BEFORE... (Reply to this comment)
by mrkstvns
Ahhhh yessss....I've also used Travelaxe a few times. Next time I update this review, I'll try to mention a couple more aggregator sites.
Thanks for the feedback!
Mark
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Feb 02 '06
9:35 am PST
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Re: I've read a lot of your reviews, but (Reply to this comment)
by mrkstvns
Thanks, Dave!
Yes, I should have mentioned the "after midnight" trick because it does work. Personally, I'm too lazy to stay up all night trying to book airfare, but I will jump online when I first get up in the morning --- I'm also aware that human nature being what it is, *most* folks are also too lazy to wake up at 2am just to try to save a few bucks, so 90% of the time, the seats that are released at midnight are still there for the early birds to snag.
Why this works: I think we all know that airlines, by convention, hold reservations til midnight the next day. If you didn't pony up the bucks, the seats become available again.
Why this isn't *as good* a strategy any more: Just recently the airlines have started eliminating their "24-hour hold" policies. Some require full-payment at time of booking with *no* ability on the web sites to hold a reservation. Others are requiring the full-payment, but promising to give you 24-hours to think about it and request a refund if your travel needs change (this is *DEFINITELY NOT AS GOOD AS A 24-HOUR HOLD*). A *couple* airlines still seem to be honoring the time-honored 24-hour hold period (American Airlines got my last trip reservation *SOLELY* because Continental wouldn't let me hold a few hours til I knew I could line up other trip details).
Buen viaje!
M
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Feb 02 '06
9:34 am PST
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Re: I've read a lot of your reviews, but (Reply to this comment)
by mrkstvns
Thanks, Dave!
Yes, I should have mentioned the "after midnight" trick because it does work. Personally, I'm too lazy to stay up all night trying to book airfare, but I will jump online when I first get up in the morning --- I'm also aware that human nature being what it is, *most* folks are also too lazy to wake up at 2am just to try to save a few bucks, so 90% of the time, the seats that are released at midnight are still there for the early birds to snag.
Why this works: I think we all know that airlines, by convention, hold reservations til midnight the next day. If you didn't pony up the bucks, the seats become available again.
Why this isn't *as good* a strategy any more: Just recently the airlines have started eliminating their "24-hour hold" policies. Some require full-payment at time of booking with *no* ability on the web sites to hold a reservation. Others are requiring the full-payment, but promising to give you 24-hours to think about it and request a refund if your travel needs change (this is *DEFINITELY NOT AS GOOD AS A 24-HOUR HOLD*). A *couple* airlines still seem to be honoring the time-honored 24-hour hold period (American Airlines got my last trip reservation *SOLELY* because Continental wouldn't let me hold a few hours til I knew I could line up other trip details).
Buen viaje!
M
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Feb 02 '06
9:34 am PST
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WISH I'D DISCOVERED THIS BEFORE... (Reply to this comment)
by lammet
Great piece Mark, well laid out, thorough and wittingly written. Wish I had discovered it before I spent COUNTLESS hours online discovering through trial (and error!) the basics of finding cheap travel online… Oh, well :o) If I may contribute through my experiences, TRAVELAXE is a great aggregator site for Hotel accommodation. It came up with the lowest rate for our upcoming New York and Las Vegas stays – and I did try the big three, and then some! For Amsterdam though cheapest accommodation was unearthed by OCTOPUSTRAVEL, a UK-based site. In all cases, we had already decided on which Hotel we want to stay at (Trip Advisor reviews were a big help there, I had not discovered Epinions yet), and it was a question of finding the lowest rate for it.
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May 13 '05
9:54 pm PDT
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Interesting (Reply to this comment)
by buzzard_cad
A well written piece. I've been booking my holidays on the web for the last four years and I always like to think that I get the best deal. Now I'm not so sure, I'll have to search around a bit more as I tend to use the UK version of Expedia. Thanks Martin.
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Apr 29 '05
12:36 am PDT
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I've read a lot of your reviews, but (Reply to this comment)
by krus54
Mark,
I've read a LOT of your reviews. You always do a great job...but this one...is one for me to bookmark. I wish I could rate it MH.
I think this is one of your best. One thing I have also read about getting cheap fares is to check airlines right after midnight because many times very cheap seats they are holding are released at midnight and they go quickly. I heard about this on the radio on NPR from a "Road Warrior" who has written a several books on travel. Have you heard about this?
Also, several airlines such as Jet Blue, Southwest won't sell tickets through the online sales sites like Orbitz. Delta and others also offer discounts or extra FF miles when booked directly from them.
I used to be a road warrior when I was a consultant for the company I work for. For three years I was on the road 5-6 days a week all year until my twins were born. Then my wife, with twin newborns and a 3 yr old, gave me the ultimatum: Get another job where I don't travel or...well, I didn't like the alternative!!! I didn't worry too much about finding cheap travel back then because the company billed my expenses to the client. :-)
Dave
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Apr 14 '05
6:37 am PDT
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Nice overview (Reply to this comment)
by gdinero
Nice overview. I also use Travel Axe, although a download is required. And I like to check Generous Adventures, which due to its low profile, offers for auction some truly remarkable deals (http://www.generousadventures.com/).
You'll also find that as more airlines implement the same booking technology as Orbitz, you can get the same deals direct through airline sites and pickup the 1,000 miles bonus for booking on the sites directly. I know that America West and American Airlines have implemented this technology.
G$
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Apr 04 '05
10:25 pm PDT
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Great advise (Reply to this comment)
by bbbradk
I have bookmarked this for all of the great links you have shared
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Mar 08 '05
11:29 am PST
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I am (Reply to this comment)
by ifif1938
bookmarking this review for future reference...What a wonderful source of information, especially since I'm from the old school of wanting to talk to person on the phone when booking a flight or hotel room...Though I did get a fantastic deal in Oct with a hotel booking service...:)
Thanks so much,
Barbara
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Mar 07 '05
8:20 am PST
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I wish I knew (Reply to this comment)
by ddustyrose
how y'all did this as I can't seem to get a CHEAP seat from Nashville to Roanoke VA for less than $300! It really bums me out!
Dusty
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Mar 06 '05
2:17 pm PST
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Excellent, most excellent... (Reply to this comment)
by nvherron
Although, I use most of the resources and methods you outline, I was still able to get some very helpful information. Like I've never heard of TravelZoo, so you can guarantee it will hit my Favorites List.
I've had extraordinary success with Priceline for hotels. However, I either know the market well, as you mention, or do extensive research on biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com.
I'm less impressed with Hotwire. Though a much better concept, their star rating system is less accurate. If you subtract 1 star from all their ratings, though, you'd be OK. But they are being sued on this problem as I type this...
Thanks for this most excellent review. It will be paying Travel dividends in the very near future!
Robert Herron
Fernley, Nevada
robert@hoteldork.com
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Mar 06 '05
7:11 am PST
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Gracias (Reply to this comment)
by chad8246
You put some great stuff in your piece. Thanks a lot.
I'm also happy to hear that Travelzoo is a quality site. I actually have shares in the company for free via some sort of internet give away several years ago. That reminds me, I need to sell those shares pronto.
-Chad
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Mar 05 '05
7:50 pm PST
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Does the word TIGHTWAD mean anything to you? (Reply to this comment)
by JAGUARDOG
Well that's one of my many nicknames so I'm glad I'm not alone in the boat. "Cheap is for Me, Expensive is for the other guy".
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Mar 05 '05
7:03 pm PST
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You and I could write a book... (Reply to this comment)
by Bryan_Carey
..on this subject. In fact, I just wrote a review of a place I stayed at for a very cheap price- zero dollars, in fact, for a three day weekend.
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Mar 05 '05
6:26 pm PST
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