# Fly me to the moon! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon/20940 "2000-05-30T20:47:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon/20940/1 "2000-05-30T20:47:23Z")
OK guys…need some short term help. I’m looking to get some bargain basement airfare. I have these things working in my favor, flying alone, can leave at any time of day in any of the next few days, can return whenever in the following week. I have these things working against me, must fly American Airlines, must overcome current posted $2000 prices from ORD to SFO. The AA requirement makes using Priceline and uBid useless. I’m thinking I could fly stand by, and being alone it’d work nicely, but I’ve never tried booking a stand by ticket. How does one go about it, and how do you find prices for it? I’d like to know what I’d spend before driving to the airport and asking whats available. Anyone done a spur of the moment leisure trip? Whats the strategy people? ---
**Author:** ![Fillet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2acd7d/32.png) [@Fillet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fillet)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2000, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon/20940/2 "2000-05-30T21:18:10Z")
It has to be American Airlines? Too bad you couldn’t wait until after June 13 - there’s an advertised fare of $298 roundtrip between ORD & SFO after that date. If you have to travel now, & the choice is $2K on American vs. a cheaper flight on another airline, I’d book another flight & save the American ticket for later. (I’ve taken more than a year to use the credit for a cancelled trip, with no problem.) The cheapest fare that comes up through [flifo.com](http://flifo.com) is $351 roundtrip on American Trans Air, leaving 2 Jun & returning 7 June (just as an example). If you toy a bit with the dates & times you might do better yet. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon/20940/3 "2000-05-31T00:34:15Z")
another possibility is flexibility in the airports. Alternatives are often available nearby. In the Bay Area, there’s San Jose (SJC) and Oakland Int’l (OAK) to consider (check SJC first). You can easily get to SF (if that’s your destination) via public transit in an hour or less (visit [http://www.transitinfo.org](http://www.transitinfo.org) for details). Besides, SFO has a mess of construction going on in and around right now (it’s not delaying flights, just vehicle traffic). I’m guessing there’s also other options on the Chicago end. If you haven’t already, you can see what sites like [travelocity.com](http://travelocity.com) and [previewtravel.com](http://previewtravel.com) give you panama jack ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2000, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fly-me-to-the-moon/20940/4 "2000-05-31T05:28:14Z")
Come on people, I’m counting on you…are there no business travellers? Imepetuous people? I’d considered the just buying the cheapest fare, but I don’t travel that often and i want to use this credit up…less risk of losing it one day. Ah, maybe someone could just explain how stand by seating is arranged in general? I’ll take it from there…gimme something.