Tone

Anybody used these to gey a flight, especially the name your own price option. How exactly does it work??

Dimsie

I used Priceline and will fly tomorrow to Manchester from Oklahoma City. I chose not to do the "name your own price" thing because I understand that if you do they will choose which connecting flights to use, and I didn't want to risk either too short or too long a wait in Chicago. I still got a better price than any of their competitors were offering, even so. There is a good explanation of how to use the name your own price system on their web site, with FAQs etc .
Ann

Tone

Thanks, so if they find a flight at your price are you obliged to take it and do you still have to option to say no?

ScousePete

Use them all the time. Check out this website for insider type info http://www.biddingfortravel.com

Dimsie

I'm not certain - I had another look at their site but it's not clear. I'd send
them an e-mail query or call them before giving your credit card details!
It does state that they need your details before they will check for flights at your price.

anotherlimey

I'm pretty sure that's the case with Priceline, it's their business model.

-tom

KarnalEcho

Tried it out once. Like it ok but sometimes you just have to be at a certain place at a certain time and this might not always happen w/ Priceline. You choose your flight, date, time and amount you are willing to pay. Give them your CC # and with in the hour you will get a confirming email if they will allow it, if not you may spend a few hrs. literally waiting for confirmation after choosing a higher price you are willing to pay...You might get a red eye flight, just never know.

cindyabs

The perils of booking online-not sour grapes because I am a travel agent, but the truth-sometimes we've had people call us to try and bail 'em out of something they've gotten themselves into online through either carelessness or confusion.
Caveat Emptor-read the fine print.

Bob

Or if in doubt, don't....travel agents are normally pretty good if your able to show them what you found online anyway...

silvermine

price is going up here. BOS-LHR now up to US$450 .. about ..return for November departure.. AA or BA non-stop day flights

actually Air Canada seems to be a bit cheaper but need to switch planes in Montreal

anyone ever try Air India thru JFK? :scared:

cindyabs

Blame fuel surcharges on that one and the taxes-outrageous for transatlantic

Englishmum

Yes, my sister and her husband flew with Air India from LHR to JFK (even though I live 15 mins from Newark airport and had to drive past it to get to JFK!). The fare was much cheaper than anything else they could find and booked through Travelselect.co.uk about three days before they flew out to visit us.

They said their flight was fine - had a great curry for lunch! - and definitely value for money.

(Right now I've got my two cousins from Wales sleeping in. They arrived last night and flew with BA to Newark....thought it was superb and enjoyed their meals. They had been watching the fares for a while and booked on Xmas Eve directly with BA.com. I guess I'll be paying yet another visit to the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty today....)

PS: The only airlines I wouldn't choose to fly on are Aeroflot, Garuda Indonesia and Air China due to their poor safety records and service...but they don't fly directly from the US to the UK anyway.

Tone

I flew Air India from Heathrow to Bombay and they were pretty good, better than some of US carriers I could mention

ash2005

You can also use www.hotwire.com
and if wish to choose from the exact time frame flights ,then go to www.expedia.com

all the sites are good

we almost use them every week

britchicknyc

I have used Priceline but only for hotels in big cities. They are great for that. NYC - $105 for the Hyatt by Grand Central - half the cost of their web rate - which I thought was great!

I have never dared use them for flights because:

1) They chose the airline, and the connections
2) you have to travel any time within a 24 hr period
3) locked in tight - no changes or refunds at all!

You have to be v. flexible (student perhaps!) to deal with all this.

My experience with them for hotels has been great though.

For those interested in the going rates for priceline - you can find these on www.biddingfortravel.com