Where do you buy cheap flights in the USA?

[Pete]

Hi All,

Quick question for our US folks - where's the best place to buy discount airfare on your side of the pond? I have a friend flying over to Edinburgh in August from New York (leaving NYC on the 7th, returning around the 17th) - any suggestions to help her maximise her travel dollar?

Pete

Well - it all depends where she wants to go...

For general airfares, I would check Orbitz.com; I always find them to have great offers and fares. But, for particular routes, she could check JetBlue.com for example .. it's services aren't available through orbitz or any of the online travel agencies and they have a lot of services from New York...

Most people I know use orbitz.com for international airfares they are supposed to be cheap.

Wal Mart Travel are good!

[ChuckC]

Pete,
I recently discovered this site which surveys fares from many sites and then takes you to the site of your choice to book the fare you like.


Chuck-

[mcmbenjamin]

Kayak.com is good (mentioned the the thread Chuck refenced).
EWR-EDI-EWR non-stop on the mentioned dates is $845.50/GBP451.80. Not bad considering it is the summer, no London-Edinburgh shuttle (cheap but the taxes which are double my base fare), and it is simple (point to point). Lastly, she could earn VS miles/TPs on CO or DL, CO or NW miles/status miles. Also CO runs two 757 flights a day in the summer to Edinburgh.

Hope this help.

Orbitz is good for getting a sense of what the market looks like as is Travelocity. EDI tix are still premium at that time of year--she may do better flying into GLA or up from LON, although those shuttles are fairly packed during Fringe time as well. Often the airlines show the best prices (USAir website is almost always the cheapest way to go for them). Unfortunately the cheapest way to get to EDI (I am trying to book a ticket for a relative at that time as well) seems to be NW/KLM through AMS.

Priceline might also be a possibility if she isn't too choosy about flight time, otherwise yes to Kayak--it's excellent, EconomyTravel and Cheapseats are good. Let me know if you find something stellar! Last year we had colleagues who had to fly into and out of Dublin on Aer Lingus and then RyanAir to get to EDI cheaply. That's another option as is flying into Frankfurt.

RR

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by ChuckC
Pete,
I recently discovered this site which surveys fares from many sites and then takes you to the site of your choice to book the fare you like.


Chuck-

Also take a look at sidestep or just good old Yahoo/travelocity.

Just did a quick search...$826 on AI from sidestep...$735 on CO.com [y]

[mcmbenjamin]

Good find Dave but if I operated the site correctly, the CO fare of $735 is pre-tax. Seams to be $845.50 with taxes included. ISTBC as always.

[Scrooge]

Originally posted by mcmbenjamin
Good find Dave but if I operated the site correctly, the CO fare of $735 is pre-tax. Seams to be $845.50 with taxes included. ISTBC as always.

Crap,thought it came up inc. taxes..thanks for the spot Ben [y]