# Anyone ever used/had good luck with Priceline? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 18, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476 "2003-09-18T22:07:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/1 "2003-09-18T22:07:46Z")
I consider myself to be pretty savvy when it comes to finding plane tickets online. That being said, I have a last-minute trip to CA coming up and I need to get the cheapest price possible. Thus far, the best deals I’m finding are just over $300. I know I paid $100 less than that every time I flew from the bay area to Denver before I moved here. Has something changed? Did fares go way up in the last 9 months? Anyhow, I have always been leery of priceline. I’ve used hotwire successfully before, but even hotwire seems to be failing me now. Has anyone had good luck with Priceline? I have to be back on a certain day and I prefer to fly out after work on Friday next week. I think this is what’s keeping my flights so high _sigh_. just looking for stories, I guess. needing a cheap flight to SF, mle ---
**Author:** ![Amberlei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Amberlei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amberlei)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/2 "2003-09-18T22:19:56Z")
I’ve used priceline a few times. First two times, I saved quite a bit, but the last time, I paid almost $400 to fly from Boston to Washington and back. Saved a little bit, but not as much as usual. The one problem with Priceline is that you have to be a bit flexible to really get a good deal usually. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Amundsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@Brad\_Amundsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Amundsen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/3 "2003-09-18T22:25:18Z")
This is an awsome search engine and always finds the lowest rate for me. It requires a small downloaded program that is spyware free and very clean .Don’t be afraid to use it!!! It searches many different search engines like orbits,cheaptickets etc. It’s the best around!! [http://traveldeals.sidestep.com](http://traveldeals.sidestep.com) ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Amundsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@Brad\_Amundsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Amundsen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/4 "2003-09-18T22:29:22Z")
I found one on Side step for $253 departing 17th returning 20th.This is a weekend rate which is usually the highest. ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Amundsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@Brad\_Amundsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Amundsen)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/5 "2003-09-18T22:34:41Z")
253.00 /person Depart Arrive Stops From To Dates 8:50P 10:25P 0 DEN SFO 10/17 7:10P 10:35P 0 SFO DEN 10/21 frontier air ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/6 "2003-09-18T22:58:00Z")
I’ve only had luck with Priceline for getting hotel rooms. For plane tickets I’ve had better luck with Hotwire and Orbitz. Before you buy on Hotwire, check out Orbitz. I know they’re the same company. Some times Hotwire can beat out Orbitz price, sometimes it can’t. It doesn’t hurt to put in a bid through Priceline. Just remember that it doesn’t include the taxes, which tend to rack up. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/7 "2003-09-19T00:21:36Z")
I’ve had great luck on Priceline for car rentals. A little less luck with them for airline tickets, but still not bad…went from New York to San Francisco at $94.00 each way last January. ---
**Author:** ![Kieras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a87d85/32.png) [@Kieras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kieras)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/8 "2003-09-19T05:19:21Z")
I always use [www.expedia.com](http://www.expedia.com) But when I travel I usually get a hotel/air package. I am sure that make a big difference. Never used priceline sorry ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/9 "2003-09-19T06:24:47Z")
Another decent-but-not-great engine is at [qixo.com](http://qixo.com). They allow you to enable an agent that searches against trip parameters and reports back after a period of time you specify. Problem is, none of the typical internet sites is going to give you a good deal at the last minute; it’s just the way airlines structure their fares. And yes, the prices have gone up a _lot_ in the last year, and many of the incentives and special deals have been cut back. **Kieras** is correct, though, about the package option. Expedia (for example) offers combinations that, under certain circumstances, save you quite a bit of money if you buy air plus hotel versus what they’d cost if you bought them separately. You might check into that. ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/10 "2003-09-19T16:54:20Z")
Thanks for your input, everyone. I think I’m going to wait and get Frontier’s deal for the weekend (I’m going next weekend). I’m just wary of being stuck paying for something that I don’t have any control over–I do have some restraints for times, which is why I didn’t go with hotwire. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/11 "2003-09-19T17:25:03Z")
I also believe that with Priceline, for air tickets, you only get to choose the _day_ of your departure, and have no control over the **time**. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/12 "2003-09-19T18:29:47Z")
I used them to fly from Austin to London last year. A bargain at $200 +tax. That was a two way fare 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-ever-used-had-good-luck-with-priceline/202476/13 "2003-09-20T02:43:38Z")
Try [southwest.com](http://southwest.com) - all the times I’ve flown recently, they were cheaper than any of the “discount” services. Then again, I never bought last-minute tickets.