# GDG Airline Tickets GDG....HELP!!!! GDG



## BMay (Mar 3, 2003)

Has anyone done business with www.cheapairlinetickets.com"? I need to fly down to Tallahassee, FL for a judging assignment in March. Local travel agent quoted me a price of $857...cheaper's quote was less than $550. I don't want to wipe out the THRC club treasury using the travel agents quote, so I'm thinking about using the cheap air line tickets by way of their Internet web site. Can anyone help me out with some info, please? 
Thanks, Bob


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## Zman1001 (Oct 15, 2009)

Never used that one, but orbitz.com should give you some comparisons also


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## win2run (Mar 16, 2009)

If you know someone who works at a major airline,they can ship at a discount price.


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## savage25xtreme (Dec 4, 2009)

Bob, I have used http://www.orbitz.com/ and http://www.travelocity.com/ for several years with no problems.


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## EdA (May 13, 2003)

Also Expedia or go to the website of the individual airline


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## Good Dogs (Nov 1, 2005)

Never had a problem w/ orbitz or travelocity. I use them to check schedule and best rates and then book directly through the airline. Less hassle if I have to change. Fares are usually the same, sometimes lower. Cheaptickets may have more restricted travel times and watch out for extended layovers. Travel agent will add their fees on top of the ticket so you're not likely to get the best deal through an agent.


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## Billie (Sep 19, 2004)

I always use :www.cheaptickets.com
Have used them three or four times w/o hassle . Seems most of all of those discount ones, have about the same price within a few bucks.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

I travel a lot for business and always book directly through the airlines for a number of reasons. I do use orbits or Travelocity to search the best price, but they do not always include all airline like Southwest, Spirit and Jet Blue so you may want to check those. 
Talahasse is a hard and expensive airport to get too. You may consider Jacksonville and drive from there, a little over two hours. The cost difference could be worth it. I do this often when flying into small airports with limited service. 
The cost of tickets has gone way up since about November so there is little in the way of cheap flights any more. My flight to Vegas a couple weeks ago was $700 round trip where I had been paying $400ish for the same flight previously. I paid $1000 round trip for a first class flight to California in October and the coach cost was $500. Just looked to book the same trip and first class is $1600 and coach is almost $800. Not sure what happened, but prices are redicilous.


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## badbullgator (Dec 20, 2004)

Billie said:


> I always use :www.cheaptickets.com
> Have used them three or four times w/o hassle . Seems most of all of those discount ones, have about the same price within a few bucks.


The cost is no different than you get directly from the airlines. If everything goes right you will have no hassles, but miss a flight, change a flight, get bumped from a flight and the airlines will treat you like a second class citizen. Same thing with hotels. I can't tell you how many times I have checked into a hotel and seen someone having problems because they booked through a service. You also do not get the best selection of rooms that way. Hotels just like the airlines offer the same rates on room with the exception of the bidding sites. 
If you are taking even 3-4 flights a year book with the same airline and join their mileage programs, they pay off pretty quickly.


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## DoubleHaul (Jul 22, 2008)

For the most part, almost all airlines will sell tickets directly from their site at the same or better price than anyone else can get. However, with their yield management systems these prices are always changing and the resellers like cheap ticket can sometimes lock in lower prices than you could get today, for example. I would trust them on a plane ticket but won't use them on hotels. However if something goes wrong, like you miss a flight or one is cancelled, it can make things more difficult.

We have a travel agent who books almost everyone's flights. I tend to make my travel plans late at night or early am so I usually go directly with the airline. With my status if something goes wrong, I can get it sorted myself pretty quickly but for the folks without elite status are usually not in the same boat and the travel agent can sort it for them pretty well. We pay the fees on top of the tickets, but it isn't much and only takes one or two cancelled or changed flights to make it worth having someone take care of it for you


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## FOM (Jan 17, 2003)

badbullgator said:


> The cost is no different than you get directly from the airlines. If everything goes right you will have no hassles, but miss a flight, change a flight, get bumped from a flight and the airlines will treat you like a second class citizen. Same thing with hotels. I can't tell you how many times I have checked into a hotel and seen someone having problems because they booked through a service. You also do not get the best selection of rooms that way. Hotels just like the airlines offer the same rates on room with the exception of the bidding sites.
> If you are taking even 3-4 flights a year book with the same airline and join their mileage programs, they pay off pretty quickly.


And you are the person I want to stand behind in the security line or customer service - seasoned travelers are a blessing....and your advice is spot on.


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## kjrice (May 19, 2003)

I look for the cheap tickets via Travelocity, Expedia, etc...and book through the airline directly. If you book through a third party, you are at their mercy and the airline will tell you to deal with them.


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## gdgnyc (May 4, 2009)

kjrice

Is this really you? LESS THAN BIZARRE AVATAR?


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## Lady Hunter (Mar 13, 2003)

Check directly with Delta into Tallahassee. Any other airport will be at least 2 hours away.


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## BMay (Mar 3, 2003)

Thanks to all!!! I booked with USAirways...directly! Good price compared to the travel agent...like $300 less. STL to CLT...CLT to TLH and reverse it on the way back. Great times...no long layovers


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## Dman (Feb 26, 2003)

BMay said:


> Thanks to all!!! I booked with USAirways...directly! Good price compared to the travel agent...like $300 less. STL to CLT...CLT to TLH and reverse it on the way back. Great times...no long layovers


That's nearly always the best thing to do. Most airlines guarantee the lowest prices on their tickets.


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