Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - New to Priceline - do you recommend it?

Hi!

I have never used Priceline for online-bookings so far, but I'm curious ;) Sometimes you can read about really amazing prices from the "name your own price"-section, so I'd like to ask you if you recommend this function. Does it also work with German address & credit card?
As far as I understood they charge the CC immediately if there is a match for your own price and you have to stay in that hotel then, more or less (if you don't want to waste the money :D ). Right?

Thanks! :)

Hi!

Does it also work with German address & credit card?
As far as I understood they charge the CC immediately if there is a match for your own price and you have to stay in that hotel then, more or less (if you don't want to waste the money :D ). Right?

Thanks! :)

There are sites devoted to details of bidding on Priceline, most notably Bidding for Travel and Better Bidding. At one time, bidding through the US site from Germany meant creating an address from a drop-down menu of states, which meant Germany became Delaware (DE). Whether this is the case will be a matter of your own experiment. If you make an offer, you are buying whatever you get on the spot - same for Hotwire. Priceline may allow for purchase of cancellation insurance but there has to be a medically certified reason. Priceline has high standards in hotels and car rentals. But remember that they add on their own fee and taxes. So when you create your bid, look at what the total bill will be before you click to go to the next step. Also, for hotels you can only bid for a particular set of parameters once every 24 hours. You must change a parameter other than price to bid again within 24 hours. A field of scholarship on how to get around this has developed (called permutational bidding) and it is discussed in the boards devoted to the subject.

Hi Amaran,
Is that you from vielfliegerforum??

There is no problem using a german address or credit card. You just have to pick a zipcode (Postleitzahl) that would work for the USA - most people simply use 99999. And, choose a state -- my priceline address is Hannover, Virginia, Germany 23229 (I picked the state and zipcode simply because my sister lives there). The address just has to match your credit card (all except for the state). No worries about getting any snail mail from Priceline.

I've gotten great priceline winning bids -- from Sydney, AUS to Hamburg, GERMANY and lots more in between (California, Florida, Switzerland). Just remember -- there are (almost) NO cancellations or refunds. You win it, you've got it. It's important to do your homework at www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com

I use them all the time for Airport Hotels, after all unless you want the Hotel that is connected to The Terminal and usually charges double everybody else, Priceline is great.

After all 3 star Airport hotels are very similar. My latest recent example got the Hilton LAX for $60 and thanks to my status was upgraded to Club Room and Lounge. Next week I am staying at the Hyatt Regency ORD for $65..rack rate $189^

DON'T USE PRICELINE UNLESS:

(1) You are willing to do your homework on biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com

(2) You are willing to give up hotel points in return for saving 50-75% per night off the lowest hotel prices

(3) You are willing to accept the fact that you won't be able to choose your hotel

(4) Your heart can handle the excitement of waiting while priceline decides whether to accept your bid

I have used Priceline for years and have always been pleased with the rooms or rental cars that I "won".Always do your homework (biddingfortravel)

I've been using Priceline for hotel rooms on and off for eight years and have only been really disappointed once -- the hotel was a dump. But that's not a bad batting average. I will say that these days I think you stand less chance of getting a screaming, jaw-dropping steal, like the $28 Hyatt stays I was getting a couple of years ago.

I've been looking on Priceline for a friend who's trying to find a cheap fare to Vegas in a few weeks. I've seen several people biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com but neither site seems to have much traffic on them. Any other good sites for getting help with bid amounts?

I've been looking on Priceline for a friend who's trying to find a cheap fare to Vegas in a few weeks. I've seen several people biddingfortravel.com or betterbidding.com but neither site seems to have much traffic on them. Any other good sites for getting help with bid amounts?

If you're talking about airfare, I never use priceline for airfare (and I suspect most FT-ers would say the same?). If you check some of the other forums, there are good suggestions for finding cheap fares. You can try airfare consolidators (cheaptickets.com) or, maybe check farecast.com to see when he should be buying. There are lots of suggestions in the forums.

Priceline is great for Hotels. The savings usually outweigh the points you miss out on.

I read from a fellow Flyer Talker the best summary I ever heard about Priceline. "It's great when alone, but when your significant other is with you think twice."

I've never had a bad experience, but even if you get a less than stellar hotel, the savings is well worth it. As earlier mentioned, airport hotels are the best bet. I have saved a few hundred at MIA alone, and only used it 3 times!!!

I use Priceline alot for hotels. For San Diego, We can get a $150-200 room for about $50/night. Since these trips are discretionary, we go when we get an inexpensive room at a decent hotel. (usually Sunday nites on non holiday weekends). Why pay more for an inferior room at Motel 6 when we get the right hotel, we get free breakfast out of it too! ^:)

I have used PL twice for car rentals. When my assortment of coupons, discounts, etc. don't work well, I may use PL. Usually I may use PL when my trip includes one or two non weekend days and less than 5 days. (say Sun to Wed).

For air, I used them in early 2001 when PL had a $50 off coupon for air bids. I bought two tickets (LAX-SFO & LAX-PHX) for $100 all in total. I took a $600 bump on the LAX-PHX and used that for 4 more tickets which earned loads of miles because of my knowledge gained on FT. Loads more bumps from the later tickets also resulted which I used for my sub $500 SIN trips in 2002. :D All said & done, the air don't make sense unless it is last minute and PL comes out ALOT cheaper. Otherwise, using their bidding for air don't make sense to me.

Im from Australia and used Priceline succesfully for London and New York, saved a packet !

As stated above, if your willing to do your research, Priceline can be excellent

You can't go wrong using Priceline for 4* and 5* hotels. Almost impossible to end up in a bad property, and the savings can be tremendous.

Ditto all that's been said. I too am from Australia and Priceline has saved me a small fortune - not once disappointed in the hotel/room/location - nor have I been treated as 'second class' because I've booked through Priceline.

As your German colleague suggested, I use my own street address but insteady of sunny Sydney, I selected a US city/state/zipcode.

Good hunting on Priceline ... and reiterating all others ... don't forget to do your homework first!

I've used them for personal car rentals in the past and I started using them for business rentals a couple months ago. Saving about 50% off our corporate rate.

Really can't imgaine not using them for car rentals. Recently got Vegas for $12/day and DFW for $19. Hard to beat those prices.

Really can't imgaine not using them for car rentals. Recently got Vegas for $12/day and DFW for $19. Hard to beat those prices.

I will usually use Priceline for rental cars but lately I've had some trips with tight schedules and ended up booking from companies like National and Hertz where I can bypass the counter and head straight to a car.

I have used Priceline for 4 years, hotels only, and typically save more than 50% off the best rack rate or corporate rate. I give up points and don't find out the name of the hotel until my bid is accepted, but this is fine for me as I am travelling alone. Haven't bid for family trips as Priceline only guarantees bedding for 2, so I have used Hotwire which allows you to request quad occupancy. Also, when travelling with kids, we need a pool, so Priceline is out as well. I just bid for a compact car for the first time and got a Prius in ATL for $9 or $21 with all taxes and fees through Hertz. The days of getting the Jersey City Hyatt for $37 are over, now its about $75, still a great deal when you find out that the guy ahead of you in the check in line is paying about $250 or so for the same room.

I will usually use Priceline for rental cars but lately I've had some trips with tight schedules and ended up booking from companies like National and Hertz where I can bypass the counter and head straight to a car.

Ditto. Sometimes it is worth paying a few $ more so that I can use Hertz #1 Gold and bypass all lines. With priceline it is luck of the draw as to whether you will end up waiting 20 min. but you are guaranteed to spend more time at the counter as none of the rental companies will transfer info from your #1 or wizard membership to a priceline rez.

Really can't imgaine not using them for car rentals. Recently got Vegas for $12/day and DFW for $19. Hard to beat those prices.

Hertz is currently running a 50% off weekends promo, which basically means I am paying $50 for 3 days in both LAS and LAX. So the rate actually beat priceline when you throw in priceline's fee and taxes. :cool:

Ditto. Sometimes it is worth paying a few $ more so that I can use Hertz #1 Gold and bypass all lines. With priceline it is luck of the draw as to whether you will end up waiting 20 min. but you are guaranteed to spend more time at the counter as none of the rental companies will transfer info from your #1 or wizard membership to a priceline rez.

Hertz is currently running a 50% off weekends promo, which basically means I am paying $50 for 3 days in both LAS and LAX. So the rate actually beat priceline when you throw in priceline's fee and taxes. :cool:

I dont mind doing the wait if the savings will be substanial. However I never found that to be the case, except in Florida Winter time.

Do keep in mind that most Credit Cards wont cover the CDW since you will be paying PL and not the Rental Car Company. So if like me you dont have car ins that will cover a rental, know you are playing Russian Roulette.

have done Hotels only in Europe for an Airport location. Here in the States I usually have some code that will get my room at a rate I dont mind paying, since I wish to maintain my status with some of the Chains, at least till Ive used up all the pts I accumulated. Once that happens Ill do alot more PLIng as Im tired of being Lied to at checkin about no Upgradable rooms being available only to check online and see that everything is available if I wanted to pay for it.

lastly Air-fares never have, never will! Its not simply the Miles but a car is a car, a 4* or 5* Hotel cant be too bad , but getting the wrong Carrier or type of plane, would HATE to have won say CO EWR-MSP on a RJ or at times or with connections that wont work. Just too much that can go wrong

I can't really amplify much on the excellent input upthread re: hotel rooms. For some reason, I'm really stingy on shelling out $$ for hotels so am fine about not chasing hotel status.

The advice about getting schooled at betterbidding.com or biddingfortravel.com is worth repeating. Once you get the hang of the bidding lingo/strategy, the details don't change much over the years.

FWIW, I haven't been able to afford much travel for the last ~5 years or so, but just in the past month have made three bids on PL with confidence that I'm not overpaying. Moral: Learn the ins and outs now -- it's not hard -- and you'll reap the educational benefits for years to come.

(And the more you "save," the more travel you can do. ^ *Flyertalk Economics 101*)

I will usually use Priceline for rental cars but lately I've had some trips with tight schedules and ended up booking from companies like National and Hertz where I can bypass the counter and head straight to a car.

Except in MCO [Your Home Location] Where you have a lengthy Bus Ride especially from B Side to The Hertz Off-Site lot, whereas, Priceline's main Orlando supplier is Avis just a few steps from the Terminal Counter to the Avis on-site Garage.

I was definitely skeptical when i first heard of Priceline

I've just finished an around the world trip and used priceline for hotels in London and New York. Had no problems at all, if you do your homework, you get some killer deals. At my hotel in London, i was paying a third per night that the couple next door to me were paying (got chatting to them in the lift), you can't beat that.

I did not and would not use Priceline for Vegas, there are too many good deals to be had direct from the hotels, plus in Vegas, you really want to be able to choose a specific hotel.

It's worth noting that non-US citizens may not really benefit from priceline car rates. They don't include insurance, and while that is fine for those with Amex coverage or whatever, so to buy those at the counter can seriously bump up the rates.

That said, i've used priceline for many hotels, and only skipped a booking once when the tripadvisor reviews were bad.

"Haven't bid for family trips as Priceline only guarantees bedding for 2, so I have used Hotwire which allows you to request quad occupancy."

Good and important point regarding 2 person occupancy. I wish that I had read the fine print prior to bidding on Priceline. I went on a cruise 2 weeks leaving from San Juan, Puerto Rico and needed 2 rooms that could take 3 people. I successly bid on PL and got the Normandie hotel (which I had no complaints whatsoever regarding the accomodation), however I was charged an extra $30 per room for the extra person. Manager insisted that priceline was only for 2/room so no choice but to pay. I ended up saving only $20 per room over the internet rate for same hotel. Better than nothing I guess.