# I haven't booked a flight since 2010--what should I use? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938 "2016-12-05T16:43:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/1 "2016-12-05T16:43:09Z")
Yeah, not much air travel in the past 7 years. I was last on a commercial flight on January 3, 2011. Though I actually flew on a Lear jet for work in 2013 (that was awesome!). Indy to Philly in January FWIW. I want to book and pay in December to get my Chase card credit before the end of the calendar year. Thanks for your advice on what websites, etc., to use. The cutting edge of today! ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/2 "2016-12-05T16:48:14Z")
Check out the Southwest website… [Book a Flight | Southwest Airlines](https://www.southwest.com/flight/) Apparently they don’t give their info to the all-in-one compare sites, and they often have really great rates. Used them to get to Taos for my summer trip last year. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/3 "2016-12-05T17:17:13Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Check out the Southwest website… [Book a Flight | Southwest Airlines](https://www.southwest.com/flight/) > > Apparently they don’t give their info to the all-in-one compare sites, and they often have really great rates. Used them to get to Taos for my summer trip last year. Good tip! I created an account on there. Easy-to-use site. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/4 "2016-12-05T17:19:12Z")
[www.kayak.com](http://www.kayak.com) is another good site. It scans many sites at once and has good search tools. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/5 "2016-12-05T17:44:08Z")
[Tavelocity.com](http://Tavelocity.com) or [orbitz.com](http://orbitz.com) will give you pretty much all your options except for the airlines like Southwest that don’t use them. Honestly, you’re not going to get many real deals out there beyond what is being offered through the big players. You should spend a little time to figure out what your variables are (dates, nearby airports, time of day, stops) and do searches on all the acceptable flights. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/6 "2016-12-05T17:47:43Z")
I’d recommend booking direct with whatever airline you choose. I’ve seen too many stories of people having issues when a problem (weather, mechanical issues, etc.) arises and the person has booked through a third-party site. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/7 "2016-12-05T18:01:37Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I’d recommend booking direct with whatever airline you choose. I’ve seen too many stories of people having issues when a problem (weather, mechanical issues, etc.) arises and the person has booked through a third-party site. Yes, I just read that tip in an article. Looks like American has the best flights from Indy to Philly… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/8 "2016-12-05T18:05:17Z")
Southwest is still famous for low fares. Low fares they by and large don’t actually have any more. But the fame continues. As said above, Southwest does keep their info off everybody else’s website so you do have to check them out separately. Someplace like kayak or [expedia.com](http://expedia.com) works well for all the rest of the industry. American (the part that used to be USAir then US Airways) is the only major hub carrier at PHL. As such they (or their express carrier) has by far the most direct service in and out of there. You may be able to save a few bucks taking another carrier with a stop along the way. Whether the time and hassle spent is worth the money saved is your call. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/9 "2016-12-05T18:09:54Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > I’d recommend booking direct with whatever airline you choose. I’ve seen too many stories of people having issues when a problem (weather, mechanical issues, etc.) arises and the person has booked through a third-party site. Oh hell yes. I use Kayak to find my flights and then go book with the airline. I learned this the hard way when my mom passed away right as a major storm just happened to hit Seattle. I was in the airport for close to 30 hours, and at no time was Expedia able to help me at all. And the airline couldn’t do much since they didn’t sell me the ticket and didn’t hold the credit, or something to that effect. There was a several hour stretch where Expedia wouldn’t even answer the phone. That was no fun… ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/10 "2016-12-05T19:29:48Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > [www.kayak.com](http://www.kayak.com) is another good site. It scans many sites at once and has good search tools. I don’t know about domestics, but Kayak will list a very low fare on rinkydink airlines, which you have to contact directly in order to book. I found great fares on Cebu Pacific that way, for example. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/11 "2016-12-05T19:44:20Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Oh hell yes. I use Kayak to find my flights and then go book with the airline. I learned this the hard way when my mom passed away right as a major storm just happened to hit Seattle. I was in the airport for close to 30 hours, and at no time was Expedia able to help me at all. And the airline couldn’t do much since they didn’t sell me the ticket and didn’t hold the credit, or something to that effect. > > There was a several hour stretch where Expedia wouldn’t even answer the phone. That was no fun… I had a similar issue with Travelocity, and, so, I do the same as you do…shop for flights / fares on an aggregator site, then book directly with the airline, if I can get the same / similar fare. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/12 "2016-12-05T19:57:21Z")
I would check [southwest.com](http://southwest.com), [kayak.com](http://kayak.com), [momondo.com](http://momondo.com), and [google.com/flights](http://google.com/flights) for the best deal and then book directly through the airline once you’ve found the flight you want. (google flights does occasionally give very low fares that the airlines won’t even come close to honoring - but go through the airline to book, do not book through some other weird or aggregator.) ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/13 "2016-12-05T19:57:35Z")
[flights.google.com](http://flights.google.com) has the best tools I’ve seen for trying out different dates and airports to find the cheapest options. I’ve heard they don’t have every airline, but once you figure out where and when you want to travel you can use other sites to find the best fare and book with the airline. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/14 "2016-12-05T21:55:53Z")
Another endorser for Southwest. Southwest also has free wifi that features TV and Movies that you can play on your laptop/phone/tablet. This makes flaying WAY easier. If you go the non-direct route. Make a formal profile on Expedia and tell it where you like to sit (Aisle/middle/window). Every time I’ve done this I have gotten my preference. Every. Single. Time. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/15 "2016-12-05T22:12:27Z")
Keep in mind that if you check bags, Southwest is still free, whereas most airline charge. So if Delta advertises $300 and Southwest $330, the Southwest flight is still cheaper by $20 if you check 1 bag, or $90 cheaper with 2 bags. Other than that, Alaska sometimes had free beer and wine, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/16 "2016-12-05T22:55:00Z")
[ITA FlightMatrix](http://matrix.itasoftware.com/) for searching. Most other websites you’re just shelling to ITA anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-havent-booked-a-flight-since-2010-what-should-i-use/773938/17 "2016-12-06T00:52:09Z")
> [@leahcim](#): > > [ITA FlightMatrix](http://matrix.itasoftware.com/) for searching. Most other websites you’re just shelling to ITA anyway. Ooh, that’s neat!