Archive through October 06, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: archives: Last Minute Airline Tickets...: Archive through October 06, 2003

Spygirl

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 08:38 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Got a question...

My brother wants to fly me out to Toledo this Friday for the weekend because they are doing a live performance recording.

Anyone have any suggestions for how to get a really really cheap ticket?

Tabbyking

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 08:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
did you try expedia? sometimes the 'last minute' seats are available for big time discounts.
where are you flying from?

Spygirl

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 08:48 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I'd be flying from Wichita, KS into either Toledo or Detroit.

The cheapest I can find on expedia is $467.

Imbewitched

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 08:48 am EditMoveDeleteIP
you might also check travelocity. they too have the "last minute" cheap deals from time to time.

Halfunit

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 09:08 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Not sure about ground transportation - if it's available, try Cleveland too.

Spy - if you are able to make it and have free time, let me know.

Tabbyking

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 09:12 am EditMoveDeleteIP
try priceline.com. there is a section where you name your own price and they accept or decline that amount. i have had no luck (they wouldn't accept even 25 dollars less than a posted fare!) but friends have gone round-trip from san fran to denver for 150 bucks. anyway, let's say you are willing to pay 299 for the round trip price. put that in and see if it's accepted. sometimes, this close to departure, there are a number of seats open. good luck!

Lucy

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 09:26 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Spy-Travelocity-Wichita to Toledo $457 on Delta Airlines. Delta and United seem to have the lowest prices.

Tabbyking

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 09:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
my husband went round-trip from san jose to orlando, florida for $486 only 2 weeks ago...that's a lot farther than wichita to toledo. however, it cost $1286 to go round-trip to maryland only 3 weeks before that. (luckily, it was for business so his company paid....) you just never know what you are going to find out there! hopefully, you can find something lower than the $457. that's the lowest i saw on any of the expedia, travelocity, etc, pages, too. that's why i think maybe trying to name your own price on priceline might get something lower. it just seems like an awful lot of money....

Aus10

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 09:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow...saw this thread and it reminded me...I was supposed to book flight home for son at Thanksgiving....Thank you! Thank you! Thank You! :) *bops self on head*

Marysafan

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 10:09 am EditMoveDeleteIP
If it's possible to fly out of Kansas City....I have found that there is a substantial difference in airfares. I usually fly out of Omaha or DesMoines...but I have checked and if I flew out Kansas City...I would save a lot of money....it's just that Kansas City is three hours away. So I pay for the convenience.

Spygirl

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 11:45 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Flying out of KC isn't a possibility with this trip. I'm only going to go if I can fly out locally because I'm really burned out on road travel.

It looks like the ticket for $467 is what we're looking at cost-wise. That is about $200 more than what he wanted to pay, so I'm gonna sit tight and see what happens. He has a free flight voucher for Southwest, but I don't really want to drive to OKC to fly out. If I can't fly out of ICT, I won't be able to go.

Tabbyking

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 11:48 am EditMoveDeleteIP
did you try priceline? did they shoot you down? even getting a ticket for 375 would beat the 467...how frustrating to have it cost so much.

Spygirl

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 11:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Right now, I'm still waiting to hear back from my doggy-sitter to see if she is free this weekend. When I hear from her, I'm gonna try priceline.

Bastable

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 12:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
My favorite spot to get the airfare sales (you can thank me later)

http://www.digitalcity.com/travel

Click on the airport you'd leave from, and on the next page (this is important), click on "See All Travel Bargains."

..although I don't think Wichita is one of the origin cities, Spygirl. Though many of the rest of us can use it...

Ocean_Islands

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 01:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Try airlines sites for efares: Delta, American, etc.

Tabbyking

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 01:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
i looked at american's site and one fare was 1,800 bucks! virtually all of the low fares had to be purchased at least 30 days in advance. for that much money, i would hire a limo :)

Halfunit

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 04:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Spy - Using Bastable's link, I found an outbound flight from Akron/Canton (CAK) to Wichita, one way, for $84. I would assume that the same would apply in reverse? It's on Air Tran Airways.

Can someone drive to Akron to pick you up? Pfft... it's only 170 miles from Toledo.

Depending on what time you are arriving, and if my Dad is already married and on his way home, I'll pick you up in Canton and take you to Toledo.

PS - Anyone try Detroit as a destination? It's only an hour from Toledo.

Hamsterlady

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 04:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Spy - Also using Bastable's link, I found the same thing Halfunit found above but FROM Wichita to Akron/Canton also on Air Tran Airways for $84 One Way.

That would put your total at $168 for both tickets not counting the other charges.

Here's a link to the From Wichita: http://www.digitalcity.com/wichitaks/travel/details.adp?deal=3f7995d2-000d3-036b3-cdbcda6d

How about renting a car? 170 miles isn't really that far and even buying the tickets & renting the car will put you under the $467 easily.

Halfunit

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 04:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Woohoo Hamsterlady! Thanks for having my back and completing the loop! :)

Bastable

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 05:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Isn't that an amazing site? I love it! Yay!

Not1worry

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 06:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow, I won't ever bother with a travel agent when you guys are around! You're amazing.

Zachsmom

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 06:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Does that link also work for international flights? I am going to South Africa next April and would like to find cheap airline tickets.

Hamsterlady

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 06:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't know about South Africa but I see I can take a roundtrip to Barbados for $372 on American. Woohoo!

Or a roundtrip to Acapulco for $218 on Continental.

Or a roundtrip to London for $324 on Lufthansa.

Or a roundtrip to Panama City for $279 on Delta.

I'll have to bookmark this site.

Juju2bigdog

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 07:14 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
<makes a note to have Hamsterlady book all her future flights>

I am resisting looking at the site. That's all I need is another travel website to lure me places when I am already backed up on places to go.

Spygirl, I think that is a weekend. Sometimes Enterprise has $9.99 weekend car rental specials. Yay!!!

Bastable

Monday, October 06, 2003 - 07:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Zachsmom, call a company called 2Afrika (www.2afrika.com) or a company called Magical Holidays (800-228-2208). They buy airfare in bulk and can get the lowest deals that I know of (around $1000 RT from the East Coast to Joburg, but I've seen them do it cheaper during sales). They are the best.

BTW, I used to live in Cape Town. Let me know if you need any advice.

(Subscribe to Budget Travel! The magazine rules!)