# How do I get the best deal on airline tickets? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 5, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049 "2003-08-05T06:25:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/1 "2003-08-05T06:25:22Z")
Watch out for those hampsters! I’m not sure, but you’re probably wanting to know what website has cheap tickets or something? I don’t know about that though. I do know that the tickets are cheaper if you order them at least 21 days before your flight. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/2 "2003-08-05T06:35:25Z")
Buy them well in advance. Get nonrefundable tickets. Stay over a weekend. Haj ---
**Author:** ![SkyBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@SkyBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkyBum)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/3 "2003-08-05T07:25:45Z")
Well if you are looking for the BEST deal, a gun may help you negotiate a better price…be sure not to take it on your flight though. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SuperNova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNova)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/4 "2003-08-05T15:23:48Z")
Also travel during non-peak hours. And while you should buy them far in advance, sometimes if you do the last minute thing you can get a great deal. And check if an “economy” type airline (like Southwest) is flying where you want to go. I know in my case they usually have tickets far less than the cheapest by other bigger airlines. ---
**Author:** ![Isabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5a626/32.png) [@Isabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isabelle)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/5 "2003-08-05T15:24:28Z")
1)You can book online right with the airlines pretty cheap 2)You could use [Orbitz.com](http://Orbitz.com) (they charge $5) 3)Buy in advance 4)Get e-tickets (they are cheaper then paper tickets) ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/6 "2003-08-05T22:58:50Z")
Ooooooooooh! Those frickin’ hamsters! I shoulda known something was up when it timed out, but I figured since the thread showed up, it must be okay. _sigh_ Okay, to reiterate: I want to fly from San Diego to Dallas/Ft. Worth over Thanksgiving. Timing’s not great, of course, but it’s my one chance to see my bro and my best friend. I’ve checked expedia, hottickets, orbitz, and cheaptickets, and the prices are running around $100 more expensive than March. Ideally, I would like to get to DFW in time for Thanksgiving dinner and return to San Diego by sometime Sunday noonish. I’m willing to drive up to an LA airport. A redeye flight would be fine. Any other advice? ---
**Author:** ![herownself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@herownself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herownself)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/7 "2003-08-05T23:42:19Z")
Try qixo dot com; keep looking for a week or two to see if fares go down, try the individual airline web sites to see if they have internet specials, then just bite the bullet and buy the tickets. There don’t seem to be a lot of cheap fares right now, probably because the airlines are mostly going broke. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/8 "2003-08-06T00:19:49Z")
I second checking out airline websites for specials. I got me a cheap $360 fare for a Thanksgiving flight to Honolulu that way. Saved about $200. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/9 "2003-08-06T00:29:18Z")
Check the travel section of your local Sunday paper. You can get some good deals from consolidators if you call around. ---
**Author:** ![jdc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@jdc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jdc)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/10 "2003-08-06T01:44:41Z")
US Air tip. Plan and price over the web. Call reservation number during busy time (prob 9-5 ET). They will sometimes give you a link or coupon number to get additional 5% off if you book via their web site when the call queue is long. The recorded message will give you the details. ---
**Author:** ![bubba\_jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@bubba\_jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba_jr)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/11 "2003-08-06T06:55:05Z")
Travelocity and some others have “fare watchers” and they will e-mail you when prices go up or down by X amount. I got an extrememly cheap fare $219 from El Paso to Hartford, round trip by keeping an eye out. My sad story is that I had to move it ahead a week due to work crap and that cost me an additional $504. Now I’m flying all over hell and creation, including flying through Dallas twice in one day. Moral of the story, KNOW when you going to fly and keep looking. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/12 "2003-08-06T07:20:25Z")
Tip from Frommer’s: > **[Feeling Domestic? Major Airlines Unleash U.S. Sales | Frommer's](https://www.frommers.com/tips/airfare/feeling-domestic-major-airlines-unleash-u-s-sales)** > >   >   > > August 6, 2003 -- Fall sales for U.S. routes are in full swing, and now that discount air ---
**Author:** ![RAWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@RAWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RAWDuke)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-best-deal-on-airline-tickets/193049/13 "2003-08-06T16:24:14Z")
I haven’t actually tried this, but friends have. Go to [http://hotwire.com](http://hotwire.com) Punch in your dates and get a price. You’ll know the days of travel, but not the times or airlines. Now, go to [http://priceline.com](http://priceline.com) Enter a price about 10% less than Hotwire quoted, and see what happens.