Get me the first cheap flight to anywhere!
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC P
Posts: 22
Get me the first cheap flight to anywhere!
Hey all,
I've searched around a bit without much success, so hopefully I'm not repeating something here.
I'm interested in what people can tell me about showing up at an airport without a planned destination and buying a cheap last-minute fare on the spot.
I suppose my questions are as follows:
- is this possible (does it depend on the airport)? is there some central location at an airport set up for things of this nature, or would I have to walk around to dozens of ticket counters?
- is this actually cheaper than booking online through a discount website?
Any thoughts or experiences that people have had with this would be greatly appreciated.
I've searched around a bit without much success, so hopefully I'm not repeating something here.
I'm interested in what people can tell me about showing up at an airport without a planned destination and buying a cheap last-minute fare on the spot.
I suppose my questions are as follows:
- is this possible (does it depend on the airport)? is there some central location at an airport set up for things of this nature, or would I have to walk around to dozens of ticket counters?
- is this actually cheaper than booking online through a discount website?
Any thoughts or experiences that people have had with this would be greatly appreciated.
#2
Flyertalk Evangelist and Moderator: Coupon Connection and Travel Products
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Milton, GA USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Hyatt Discoverist, Radisson Elite
Posts: 19,040
First, welcome to Flyertalk.
Second, the general airline model is that you pay more the closer to your flight you buy your ticket. So, in general, your idea will not work.
The exception... some airlines have weekend fares... but you have to book online... known as "e-fares".
William
Second, the general airline model is that you pay more the closer to your flight you buy your ticket. So, in general, your idea will not work.
The exception... some airlines have weekend fares... but you have to book online... known as "e-fares".
William
#4
Flyertalk Evangelist and Moderator: Coupon Connection and Travel Products
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Milton, GA USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Hyatt Discoverist, Radisson Elite
Posts: 19,040
Sorry...
You should venture over into the Mileage Run forum.... there people talk about and share cheap fares.
There is a new one on mileage runs within Canada....
While I did not get a sense you were doing it for the miles... you can get many good ideas there.
For example, it was possible to go the Australia for less than $500 USD over the past few months from the west coast.... and some booked that ticket on the day they traveled.
So, it is possible... but difficult to find those deals.... and I rarely see them posted with originations in Canada.
William
You should venture over into the Mileage Run forum.... there people talk about and share cheap fares.
There is a new one on mileage runs within Canada....
While I did not get a sense you were doing it for the miles... you can get many good ideas there.
For example, it was possible to go the Australia for less than $500 USD over the past few months from the west coast.... and some booked that ticket on the day they traveled.
So, it is possible... but difficult to find those deals.... and I rarely see them posted with originations in Canada.
William
#5
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
First, welcome to Flyertalk.
Second, the general airline model is that you pay more the closer to your flight you buy your ticket. So, in general, your idea will not work.
The exception... some airlines have weekend fares... but you have to book online... known as "e-fares".
William
Second, the general airline model is that you pay more the closer to your flight you buy your ticket. So, in general, your idea will not work.
The exception... some airlines have weekend fares... but you have to book online... known as "e-fares".
William
Afraid that wharvey is right
Asian airlines do not tend to do this, and IIRC you can buy last minute tickets on EVA Airlines, but all their flights from NA go to Taiwan. They don't fly from YYZ, but do so from YVR IIRC.
EmailKid
#6
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Malaga, Spain
Posts: 1,077
Hey all,
I've searched around a bit without much success, so hopefully I'm not repeating something here.
I'm interested in what people can tell me about showing up at an airport without a planned destination and buying a cheap last-minute fare on the spot.
I suppose my questions are as follows:
- is this possible (does it depend on the airport)? is there some central location at an airport set up for things of this nature, or would I have to walk around to dozens of ticket counters?
- is this actually cheaper than booking online through a discount website?
Any thoughts or experiences that people have had with this would be greatly appreciated.
I've searched around a bit without much success, so hopefully I'm not repeating something here.
I'm interested in what people can tell me about showing up at an airport without a planned destination and buying a cheap last-minute fare on the spot.
I suppose my questions are as follows:
- is this possible (does it depend on the airport)? is there some central location at an airport set up for things of this nature, or would I have to walk around to dozens of ticket counters?
- is this actually cheaper than booking online through a discount website?
Any thoughts or experiences that people have had with this would be greatly appreciated.
My question is - why would you even want to? You obviously have a computer and internet connection and (at least here in UK) it's easy to sign up online to deals for next day travel. Airports were never vacation spots even pre 9/11 and credit crunch. Now they're just very expensive retail malls as the ticket price is just an entry fee to conspicuous consumption.
If you want a magical mystery tour, just take Ryanair to Paris, Frankfurt or Oslo all of whose landing strips are 100+km from where you think you're going
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC P
Posts: 22
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses. I will indeed check out the Mileage Run forum.
A couple of reasons. I do actually like airports, strangely enough. That's not primarily why I was interested in doing this, though. The idea of getting up in the morning and heading to the airport without knowing where I'll end up seems exciting; tangibly different than booking a last minute flight on my computer the day before. I also figured (wrongly, it appears) that a flight otherwise flying with empty seats could/would sell them off last-minute at next to nothing.
A couple of reasons. I do actually like airports, strangely enough. That's not primarily why I was interested in doing this, though. The idea of getting up in the morning and heading to the airport without knowing where I'll end up seems exciting; tangibly different than booking a last minute flight on my computer the day before. I also figured (wrongly, it appears) that a flight otherwise flying with empty seats could/would sell them off last-minute at next to nothing.
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,194
A couple of reasons. I do actually like airports, strangely enough. That's not primarily why I was interested in doing this, though. The idea of getting up in the morning and heading to the airport without knowing where I'll end up seems exciting; tangibly different than booking a last minute flight on my computer the day before. I also figured (wrongly, it appears) that a flight otherwise flying with empty seats could/would sell them off last-minute at next to nothing.
Seriously, I like your thinking and have even brought your same point up before. I would be quite happy to plop down a reasonable amount for a standby ticket to some random destination and wait around at the airport for a day. If at the end of the day no flights were available, you'd turn your standby ticket back in and get a refund or hold it and try again the next day. I think airlines would make a killing. (Well, maybe not, but I'd have fun.) Actually, I think something like this actually used to exist in the old days when airfares were regulated, but it's long gone. Too bad...
But think again about that non-rev thing...now that there are empty seats on planes again, it's probably not quite as hard for non-revvers as it was even just a few months ago!
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC P
Posts: 22
Yeah, if only they extended this to the general public. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to get an airline job, so I guess this is out of the question.
#10
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: DFW/SEA
Programs: *A Silver, AA Gold + Miles Scattered Everywhere.
Posts: 2,045
#11
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Homebase: CAE - Formerly, YUL
Programs: US CP, UA, HH Gold, Marriott Plat, DL, AA, CO, ++
Posts: 2,187
I'd think it would be possible to show up at the airport, with carry-on in hand, and look at e-fares from a laptop or other internet device... and just pick a destination that appeals to you right then and there.
HTSC
HTSC
#12
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 6
I have often thought that this would be "fun" to do...just show up at the airport, look at the screen of flights departing, pick somewhere, and GO!
I have told my kids I want to do this someday, especially when they are screaming and fighting in the car.
I have told my kids I want to do this someday, especially when they are screaming and fighting in the car.
#13
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,855
Don't blame us when you end up in Fresno!
#14
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Arlington, VA
Programs: Delta-Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, *wood-Plat, Hyatt-Plat, HH-Silver, Frontier-Ascent, Hertz-Prez0
Posts: 147
Virgin America has some insanely low fares lately, I booked a flight from IAD to LAX 10 hours before takeoff for 210 bucks.
#15
Join Date: May 2009
Location: AVP, PHL
Programs: US Airways Gold
Posts: 46
I am totally with you hack4good, I have wanted to do this for as long as I can remember. And the idea of getting a decent fare only enhances the adventure, no matter where you end up...even fresno.
I have seen posted here on FT where a group of friends do a version of this where one person buys the tickets and everyone else finds out where they are going when they get to the airport. Maybe you can have a friend purchase the ticket for you in advance, (you set the budget/date) and then he/she tells you the airline only. Then you get the reasonable price and the surprise adventure. It's not exactly the same, but with the current pricing models I think it as close as you can get.
I have seen posted here on FT where a group of friends do a version of this where one person buys the tickets and everyone else finds out where they are going when they get to the airport. Maybe you can have a friend purchase the ticket for you in advance, (you set the budget/date) and then he/she tells you the airline only. Then you get the reasonable price and the surprise adventure. It's not exactly the same, but with the current pricing models I think it as close as you can get.