never used them -is there adifference?
Mar 1st, 2003, 11:05 AM
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never used them -is there adifference?
greetings -i have never used Expedia.com or Travelocity .com to book flights . is there any difference? is there any pitfalls i should be aware of when booking flights this way--many thanks in advance
Mar 1st, 2003, 11:33 AM
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I would say that the majority of "regulars" here (I include myself under such a designation) look at these two - - and www.orbitz.com - - as the place to start, to buy air travel. I have almost forgotten to think of any other way (though I do occasionally use phone and other ways).<BR><BR>I understand that such online bookings are still NO more than 10-20% of all airline tickets sold (surprising to me). I really think there are no such "pitfalls".<BR><BR>If you see a booking fee (for example all tickets on orbitz have a bokking fee), you may be able to avoid it by using the website of the airline itself, or one of the other services.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>[email protected]<BR>
Mar 1st, 2003, 11:39 AM
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I use Expedia to figure out my flights because they give a good overview of any and all flights, times, connections, routes available.<BR><BR>When I find the one I want, then I go to the airlines website (i.e., British Air) and purchase direct with them.
Mar 1st, 2003, 01:16 PM
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Hi Calvo,<BR> There are discount sites (Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity, etc) and there are consolidators (people who purchase blocks of tickets and resell them).<BR> I have succesfully used apps.flights.com (a consolidator).<BR> In all cases it is useful to check the airline web site. Sometimes they have specials that are better than anywhere else.
Mar 2nd, 2003, 04:52 PM
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Try www.lowestravel.com .
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Mar 2nd, 2003, 05:12 PM
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When I do use one of these, I use Travelocity because I've used them for many years and like their service. I wouldn't call these discount sites as someone above does, they are mainly standard ticket prices. I think Expedia and Travelocity do occasionally have some fares that might be discounted (or so I've read) that they negotiate, but that isn't the norm in my experience. They are just a convenient way to search and find options, and buy tickets. I often will book through the carrier itself, if not Travelocity. I have never found Expedia to have an advantage, and I don't care for Orbitz at all. For one reason, they restrict searches, and the results have been very unpredictable in my experience. That may be random luck, but Orbitz is the one that most often does not show the best options or even claims flights do not exist that the others show.<BR><BR>Lots of people use Expedia and Travelocity for airfare, and they've been around a long time, so they are certainly legitimate businesses. My one piece of advice is never take one of these sites as the last word, be sure to check several sources, at least a couple.
Mar 2nd, 2003, 05:21 PM
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I've also used both services to purchase tickets without any problems. When I find a flight that I like, I do go to the airline's website to see if I can get the same fare through them. This is because some airlines give additional frequent flyer bonus miles if you book your flight through their site, so it's always worth checking.
Mar 2nd, 2003, 05:25 PM
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I often use Yahoo Travel (which is really just a variation of Travelocity). I prefer it because you don't have to sign in to check out flights. I like the "search cheapest flights" feature, which can help find the cheapest days to fly when you are flexible (though once in a while it will bring up junk).
Mar 2nd, 2003, 06:51 PM
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I have noticed that all of them definitely lean toward certain airlines. I don't know if they are getting paid by the airlines to give them preference but they definitely are. For example Orbits is giving preference to United, even thought I found cheaper flights on a couple of other airlines.
Mar 3rd, 2003, 04:10 AM
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Hi,<BR><BR>I've used all three major ones mentioned - Expedia, travelocity, and orbitz. I have found that depending on when and where you are traveling, each one is better than the others at different times. I have gotten great prices on Orbitz that the others didn't have (unlike some of the other posters), but sometimes the others are better. It can depend on your route and other details.<BR><BR>I always check all 3 before buying anything (as well as the airlines' sites for special discounts). Regardless of where I buy, I have never had a problem with any of my ticket purchases.
Mar 3rd, 2003, 11:05 AM
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I think Expedia provides the most info in a user friendly format, but doesn't always have the best prices. Orbitz seems to be consistently lower. Also, recently learned of a site that has the unfortunate name of "911 Fly," (www.911fly.com). I found flights to Madrid priced significantly lower than any of the other sites, but I don't have personal experience purchasing through them. Learned about it from the MadridMan site, so it should be a reputable recommendation. Also, regardless of who you use, always read the fine print & figure service charges into the ticket cost.
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