I found this site three days ago from airliners.net, and I have been ruthlessly hooked since. I've been spending all free moments at work trolling the site for information. I've finally managed to book my first MR! Not incredible for a first run, but not too bad, either, I thought.

Before I blather on with the details, however, I'd like to reiterate what a fantastic community FlyerTalk features. Everyone with whom I have communicated has been exceptionally generous with time and advice, some have even contacted me with tidbits of information personally. Thanks again.

So, my first MR will take me from SFO - SAN - ORD - STL - ORD - SFO, for 140 dollars RT. The totals weigh in at 5370 miles, at 2.87 c/m. I used ITA to find the routes, but had some trouble securing the fares. Both booking through the UAL website and calling the reservations desk yielded only 300+ fares, as opposed to ITA's listed 145. Attempting some travel smarts, I finally managed to book the SFO - SAT - ORD - STL portion as a multicity with a one-way of STL - SFO with a stop in ORD on the way home for 70 dollars each on the UAL website. Such might constitute a potential piece of advice for someone looking for that somewhat elusive STL fare.

I'll have to figure out how to kill the wee hours of the morning in St. Louis without being killed, but I have a friend who lives there and she should be able to post some recommendations. I'm guessing a bar somewhere.

On another note, does ITA often list fares that are difficult to find through the airline website or by calling the reservations number? I had never booked the pieces of this trip in separate bits before . . .

Again, thanks for everyone's assistance!

--gray

Here's a first tip, because you've already made a huge mistake and committed a cardinal sin: NEVER, but EVER call a real human being to book any dirt-cheap fares listed on the Mileage Run Deals forum. Period. End of sentence.

If it's a mistake fare, you'll tip the airline off by telling their agents that they're selling at the wrong price, and thus set in motion the process of yanking the fare - which can take just minutes. You'll kill a deal long before its time.

Congratulations on your first MR and welcome to Flyertalk.

You might want to read the stickies at the top of the forum to understand better what the purpose of the MR Deals forum is. It's never a place for these types of discussion posts. It's exclusively for announcing MR deals for those who wish to book them. Your type of post belongs in the Mileage Run Discussion forum.

Again, welcome, and have fun on FT.

If it's a mistake fare, you'll tip the airline off by telling their agents that they're selling at the wrong price, and thus set in motion the process of yanking the fare - which can take just minutes. You'll kill a deal long before its time.

Actually for a published fare, the yanking will typically take hours to remove from most channels (although it may happen instantly on the carrier's own website). It is far more important to be careful on mistake hotel rates.

That said it is probably never a good idea to talk to a human before the fare is gone. Additionally it is usually a bad idea to post "creative routings" as deals will come and go, but non-intuitive routings disappear forever - and some have already.

I found this site three days ago from airliners.net, and I have been ruthlessly hooked since. I've been spending all free moments at work trolling the site for information. I've finally managed to book my first MR! Not incredible for a first run, but not too bad, either, I thought.

Before I blather on with the details, however, I'd like to reiterate what a fantastic community FlyerTalk features. Everyone with whom I have communicated has been exceptionally generous with time and advice, some have even contacted me with tidbits of information personally. Thanks again.

So, my first MR will take me from SFO - SAN - ORD - STL - ORD - SFO, for 140 dollars RT. The totals weigh in at 5370 miles, at 2.87 c/m. I used ITA to find the routes, but had some trouble securing the fares. Both booking through the UAL website and calling the reservations desk yielded only 300+ fares, as opposed to ITA's listed 145. Attempting some travel smarts, I finally managed to book the SFO - SAT - ORD - STL portion as a multicity with a one-way of STL - SFO with a stop in ORD on the way home for 70 dollars each on the UAL website. Such might constitute a potential piece of advice for someone looking for that somewhat elusive STL fare.

I'll have to figure out how to kill the wee hours of the morning in St. Louis without being killed, but I have a friend who lives there and she should be able to post some recommendations. I'm guessing a bar somewhere.

On another note, does ITA often list fares that are difficult to find through the airline website or by calling the reservations number? I had never booked the pieces of this trip in separate bits before . . .

Again, thanks for everyone's assistance!

--gray

How do you even begin to find that there are fares like that? That is a GREAT find.

Thanks for the response. I pledge I will never call a human again to book. I will finagle my way through various websites only in order to book. :D

As well, I thought that this should go on the MR Discussion forum, but, I thought because I had potential assistance with the SFO - STL fare it belonged here. My mistake, tho.