Expedia

[CookieGVB]

Anyone have any experience using Expedia to book your airline tickets?

Good? Bad? Indifferent?

Thanks!

 

[RoutemanDan]

Always good Cookie,I have been using them for years.

 

[TreeOfLife]

Not bad but you get better prices booking through the airline website directly. Expedia, Orbitz and all those sites always rack up the price of your tickets plus a non refundable fee, and you end up paying more than you would had you booked through the airline's website first.

 

[Badger Brent]

I used Expedia in Nov. and got a rate of $191 from Madison, WI. to orlando. Pretty hassle free. I just booked on Orbitz for our August trip and got Milwaukee to Orlando non stop for $165.00. I'm really happy with the ease of it all.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

UGH.
Now you tell me.
LOL
My flight this Sunday is one I booked through expedia.com.

Well darn... I couldn't find a cheaper flight anywhere else online. I never dreamed it would be cheaper just to call the airline itself!!
Live and learn.

 

[The Sybah Shelstah]

*phew*
I feel a little better about it now. I paid through expedia.com $273.50 for the flight for my upcoming trip just the other day. Booking it through the actual airline (online) -which is Delta btw- it was coming up $488.50 for the exact same flight time/#.

So now I don't feel bad about it (like I lost money). Now you'll tell me that's just online and if I'd CALLED it would be cheaper, right? Man I hate to waste money.... I hope I got it the cheapest I could!

 

[TreeOfLife]

Well, you can search flights in those engines and then either call or visit the airline's websites. Each time I did it, I found their tickets to be at least $10 cheaper. And then they add about $15 or so more for your reservation...

But of course, if you wait days or even hours you don't know what the price of your fare will be. So it is very likely that you bought it cheaper but as time approached you see higher prices.

Overall, booking directly is always the best deal. How else do you think middlemen make a buck?

 

[RoutemanDan]

Originally posted by TreeOfLife
Well, you can search flights in those engines and then either call or visit the airline's websites. Each time I did it, I found their tickets to be at least $10 cheaper. And then they add about $15 or so more for your reservation...

But of course, if you wait days or even hours you don't know what the price of your fare will be. So it is very likely that you bought it cheaper but as time approached you see higher prices.

Overall, booking directly is always the best deal. How else do you think middlemen make a buck?

Expedias prices have never been higher than the airline.For me it has always been the opposite,I get better deals through them than direct from the airline.

 

[TreeOfLife]

Well it has always been the other way around for me. I used Expedia, Flifo, Orbitz, Sidestep, you name it. Then each time I was curious about the airline's direct fare, I found it to be lower.

So, since we are reporting different experiences, it may really pay to take time to re-check the information that Expedia and all those travel sites give you against the same flight information in the airline's website, as soon as possible.

Don't forget to find out what the non-refundable fee the service charges, however. That could be over and beyond airline fees such as the Sept 11 security fee, etc... Add up your numbers and if you get lower fees through one of those services than you would booking directly through the airline site, you'd be a fool not to take it.

Another thing, several airline websites are now allowing you to print your boarding pass from your computer or use an airport kiosk, which could save you a lot of time. I am not sure travel services match or beat that, as of this date. I know some do allow you to select your plane seat just like you would through the airline websites, which is always nice.

 

[Nik's Mom]

At first I was reluctant to use Expedia. But I could not find a cheaper flight, even directly through the airline. Even when I added Expedia's fee, it was still a good deal. The airfare for each of us was $376 round trip with American from Los Angeles. The booking fee was $30 total (not per ticket). After all the fees were added, I think it came to $391 per person. If I went through American airlines, they would have charged $422 per person, not including the 911 fees. Not too bad. And, I reserved my airfare on Sunday and received them in the mail today. And yes, you can choose your seats on-line. It is a non-refundable ticket though, but it would have been with the airline anyway. I would have to say that Expedia worked for me. Thanks to those of you who brought Expedia to my attention!

 

[Badger Brent]

I really checked almost daily for flights and the best I came up with was with the oribitz. I guess it just depends how much you want to dig into things. The internet worked better for me personally.

 

[nancyj]

I just purchased our airline tickets yesterday using Expedia. This is the first time I've used them. I checked Orbitz, Travelocity and the airline's direct website. I did not try to call the airline directly. Expedia gave me the best fare, even including their service fee and the additional $20 they charge for paper tickets (now that is a rip-off). Bottom line (including fees) was $184 per person for nonstop flight from Atlantic City to MCO (on Spirit Airlines). On the other sites, the same flights were coming up anywhere from $211 to $219. Nonstop flights from the "big" airports, e.g., Newark or Philly, were significantly higher.

 

[CookieGVB]

I'm planning on flying out of Atlantic City, and the Expedia fare was coming up less than Spirit's own website. A month or so ago, when I first checked, Spirit had a lower fare. Their prices went up, but Expedia's hasn't yet.

Just wondered if there was anything I should watch out for before I use 'em. And of course I can't buy yet, since our companions aren't sure they can make it on the dates I've picked...

Thanks for your input!

 

[April in Disney]

NancyJ , The price went up since yesterday. This afternoon Spirit prices showes everywhere at $312 for the same flight and class that it was yesterday at $181

 

[nancyj]

I guess it depends on when you're going. I just checked the spiritair.com site and expedia for the dates we're going (late June). Expedia still shows $178.95 per ticket (then you have to add on the additional fee for paper tickets) for the flights I booked. The spiritair site is showing $219 for the exact same flights.

I'm glad I booked when I did - I keep tormenting myself by continuing to check the prices for flights from the other airports in the area (e.g., Newark, Philly). So far, I haven't seen fares better than what I got for nonstop flights.

When it gets closer to June I may try Priceline for a hotel in Atlantic City for the night before we leave.

 

[JalensMom]

I just booked a flight through expedia from NY to Ft. Lauderdale, Memorial day weekend, flying with American. I got it for 240.00rt incl srchgs, txs. The same flights were 285.00rt on Americans website.

My experience has been that expedia & travelocity are cheaper than going direct through the airline.

Also, if for some reason you're unable to request your seat assignment through the site, rest assured, the airline gets your info within a couple of minutes of you pressing enter.

Have a great trip!!!

Cara.