Anyone know anything about this service, it's products, results of using it, worth the price, etc.????

FEEDBACK, PLEASE!

I have not used it, but they are apparently very tight with TWA. Most of the "member's only" specials (i.e. 298r/t anywhere with a 3day advance and a friday night stay) are with TWA.

In addition, they offer 25-50% off full fare tickets on TWA. For discount fares, they can usually waive the advance purchase requirement. I believe full Aviators benefits apply with these special fares.

That's about all I know. I haven't been desparate enough to fly TWA yet.

I was a member and dissatisfied. As SDFlyer mentioned, it seems that most of the 'special' discounts they offer are either for their hometown Dallas or on TWA. The print magazine had very few articles not online during the whole year I was subscribed (and no special discounts, etc). And they never discounted USAirways flights, so for me it was a waste of $60 for the year. Customer service is also extremely slow -- I sent four emails (all with the standard confirmation they received them) about a topic, with no reply, and a couple of phone calls with no real action. Overall not that great. The good stuff is online to the public anyway. But YMMV.

I was a member for one year and didn't feel it was worth it. You can get the same info from WebFlyer and other travel sites for free.
I think the deal with the TWA fares was that Carl Icahn, in his deal to get out of TWA, received a couple million worth of tickets. He is selling these via Best Fares, thus the TWA connection.
The only good piece of advice I got from Best Fares was to joint the Delta Airlines Women's Connection. You can join even if you're a man and you do get one coupon for a one-way upgrade (between certain dates) and a couple of car coupons on National. I used my National coupon last month at LAX and got the car for free for 3 days--just had to pay the taxes. You can join via Delta's website.

I agree wholeheartedly. I will be cancelling my membership shortly. I've paid for two years and not used any of the "proprietary" benefits at all. I tried to price a cruise once, but found better deals elsewhere on the internet. I check the public newsdesk daily, and have booked PUBLISHED fares that were announced there (SnoozeAlarm stuff).

I think the magazine is really basic and suited to those who know nothing. Actually, FTers should be embarassed to subscribe. Most of the stuff is "ongoing" and relates to coupon books, senior discounts, new service, etc. Even the "NewsDesk" posts are usually taken off of PR Newswire and are stale by the time BestFares posts them.

WE are the best source for information that WE find useful. Period.


Nanook: Acutually Ichan is selling his TWA tickets through his own Global Discount Travel, which does business on the web as Lowestfare.com. No memberships are necessary to get 20% any TWA tickets (excluding those orginating/terminating in STL)

[This message has been edited by SD Flyer (edited 10-12-1999).]

Thank you, good people, for your quick and candid feedback.

I too feel that the information posted here on FT is very fresh, mostly highly accurate and timely, and always a joy to read.

I was just curious if the site offered anything more than WE could do on our own, and it is now obvious to me that they do not.

'Nuff said.

I agree that most of the stuff on Bestfares.com is not a good deal.One must always check multiple sites when making plans for a trip. That being said, the one thing that makes Bestfares worth the $60 and then some, are the Snooze Alarm listings. This is the only site I am aware of that lists all the airfare uploads as they happen 3 times every weekday, twice on Saturday, and Once on Sunday. One does see a lot of errors and ridiculosly low fares because of entry errors. These fares are bookable if you catch them before the next upload and the airline pulls them. I have personally booked several. Yes, you will probably get the same fares displayed if you happen to check travelocity, or ItN etc, during the small window they are available, but on Bestfares they are all arranged together. Also, if you live in a location where you can get to more than one airport,as I do(EWR/PHL), I can and do change plans when I see a real low ball price at one or the other airport. The key is to have the time to check back 3 times a day. If you do, you will see some amazing prices with only a short window to act.

Vulcan, you don't have to pay one dime to see the "Snooze Alarm" listings. The "Newsdesk" is free to the public. If you didn't know that already, I'll split the $60 I just saved you 50/50 :-).

[This message has been edited by SD Flyer (edited 10-12-1999).]

I agree with what has been said, *but* if you are a dedicated NW flyer, there is one rather solid perk to membership.

Best Fares includes free membership in Quest. Besides hotel discounts similar to the Entertainment card, Quest supplies $$$ off coupons for NW flights. $35 of flights of $175-274, $60 off $275-374 and $100 off flights of $375 and higher. (Saturday night required - 14 day advance required)

One could opt to join Quest and skip Best Fares involvement - but Quest membership carries a $99 pricetage - substanatially higher than Best Fares.

(BTW, I'm still on the fence as to renewal)

tolax12, I think you can also get the quest book from Chevron Travel Club (free with the Premier Chevron Card) I think the annual fee is $49? Also includes roadside assistance.

That is a very interesting "perk" for the Best Fares membership.

Since I live in Dubuque, Iowa, my only flight choices are American, United, and Northwest (also Continental codeshares).

So...maybe it would be worth joining to get the NW discount fares coupons...anything else juicy for NW flyers from this Best Fares membership?

SD Flyer:
Your right. I could swear in the past that non-members only got a delayed sample of snooze alarm information and "members" got it real time. The in formation on the site is real time to all. I guess my mind slipped a gear (nothing new).
Thanks

Here is the link to the Best Fares Newsdesk mentioned above. Check it daily for all the deals.
http://www.bestfares.com/travel_cent...s/newsdesk.asp


Also the link to "Lowestfares". This where you can book the discounted TWA fares.
http://www.lowestfare.com/cgi-bin/gx...fare.home.Home

I won't join Best Fares, but I read the NewsDesk almost daily. They generally don't tell you who the specials are with, but you can usually figure it out. Last winter they posted $80 return SJC-YVR, but didn't say the carrier. Well, it wasn't too hard to figure it out and book it myself.

They appear to have a deal with Southwest too, because everytime Southwest does their $99 or less one-way fares, Best Fares posts $164 return on all their routes.

evenjill - NW has a strong presence in my town, too -- so I can feel your pain. I'm elite with them, but it's by necessity rather than choice. To answer your question: didn't note any other NW related items.

SD Flyer - Interesting news about the Chevron card. Do they have a web area?