Online Travel Booking and Bidding Agencies - Priceline.com, is it true?

Hi everyone, this is my first post here. I'm looking at airline tickets that are in the 1000's of dollars on airline websites. Priceline.com apparently looks like will sell tickets on the same datesfor less than $100? Is this true? Does it work? If so, how can they make money? Thanks!

GFKFlyer, welcome to FlyerTalk. While I can't confirm the exact spread you cite, so-called "opaque" websites do sell certain seats at much less than priced at the airline websites. These opaque websites do not give the traveler a choice of brand and departure time (only date). The opaque sites make money by adding a mark-up to the price agreed to between the carrier(s) and the opaque site(s). Also the price agreed to is not disclosed to the consumer who is invited to "bid" on the seat. The higher the bid, the more likely it'll be accepted and the more $$$ the opaque site makes. As we have a particular forum on On-line travel/bidding sites, please follow this discussion there for more input from members. Ocn Vw 1K, moderator, TravelBuzz.

Take a look at the airfare sections on biddingfortravel.com and betterbidding.com and you'll get an idea what people are winning. I've only used PL for hotels.

Tom in Honolulu

I know air tickets from Priceline can depart anywhere between 6 am and 10 pm.

Read all the fine print for any add-ons like fuel charges so you will know the total of your package before you commit.

Your credit card is charged right away when you bid successfully.

Getting miles is iffy.

And there are no refunds.

Romelle

Don't use PL for airline tickets (your time is valuable). Always use PL for hotels and rent-a-cars (use the Name Your Own Price feature and check with the bidding sites).

Might be true, but you also might end up with a triple connection over 3 days and end up spending 14 hours sitting around an airport.

Might be true, but you also might end up with a triple connection over 3 days and end up spending 14 hours sitting around an airport.

The Priceline tickets have clearly stated maximums for layovers and number of connections, so unless you agree to this, it won't happen. At least no more than would happen with a regular ticket subject to irregular operations.

And even with rental cars, the added fees are sometimes more than getting a last-minute directly from the rental company. [That's been my personal experience anyways]

JP
Don't use PL for airline tickets (your time is valuable). Always use PL for hotels and rent-a-cars (use the Name Your Own Price feature and check with the bidding sites).

I've actually used Priceline for airline tickets twice in the past, and have been reasonably pleased with the results. Both times I knew I was taking a risk, but in those particular circumstances the risk was acceptable. (Mind you, that was only two times out of I don't know how many plane trips.) I ended up with what I considered reasonable itineraries. In fact, on one of the trips I actually got nonstop flights both ways.

The reason I could use it those times was because my travel plans were unusually flexible. I didn't care what time I arrived at my destination as long as I got there, and the same for my return trip.

As WillTravel mentioned, they can't stick you with an arbitrarily bad itinerary. They specify between what hours the flight might depart, how many connections it might have, etc. Still, there are few circumstances where most people can be so flexible. It worked for me a couple of times, but I wouldn't use it as a matter of course.

For hotels and rental cars it's a different story -- I use Priceline all the time.

Ed

And even with rental cars, the added fees are sometimes more than getting a last-minute directly from the rental company. [That's been my personal experience anyways]

JP

The all in total (added fees) comes up before you confirm your bid. I've found no where that can touch their rates on rental cars.

I've yet to pay more then $24/day (and usually a lot less like $12/day) mid-week in many different cities.

If someone knows of better rates I'd love to hear.