Questions about buying airline tickets
Jul 16, 2013, 3:07 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2013
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Questions about buying airline tickets
Hello, I looked through all the forums and didn't see a thread about this, or a better place to put it. I have a few questions about airline travel. I currently prefer to fly United and have been traveling frequently (my boyfriend uses his points for my tickets at times).
My boyfriend is very travel saavy, usually organizes the trips when I visit him and has a United credit card but I don't. I want to pay for the ticket myself this time but I want to see what is the best way to pay for the airline ticket? How would I go about finding the best price? I'm going from San Antonio, TX to Ontario, CA about the 20th through the 29th of August, less time is okay and dates are flexible. I've looked through expedia, etc as well as the United site.
Also, I'd like to try and travel first class if possible. Any help is very appreciated.
My boyfriend is very travel saavy, usually organizes the trips when I visit him and has a United credit card but I don't. I want to pay for the ticket myself this time but I want to see what is the best way to pay for the airline ticket? How would I go about finding the best price? I'm going from San Antonio, TX to Ontario, CA about the 20th through the 29th of August, less time is okay and dates are flexible. I've looked through expedia, etc as well as the United site.
Also, I'd like to try and travel first class if possible. Any help is very appreciated.
Jul 16, 2013, 3:38 pm
#4
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I like Kayak and Orbitz to get a general feel for airfares by airline and by airport.
Even when I favor one airline, I always like to look at the whole field and see what (if anything) I'm paying extra to fly them or their alliance partner. On SAT-ONT, I'd also include all nearby airports just to see what, if anything, I'm paying extra for those specific airports (vs., say, AUS-LAX).
The best way to pay for a United flight is with a United credit card. But since you are booking near-term and probably don't want to apply and wait for a United credit card to arrive, use any other credit card you have. Your best existing rewards card...for example, I'd probably use my SPG Amex for a United flight since I dumped my United CC a couple years ago.
Basic point is to use a credit card, even if you don't carry rewards credit cards yet. Not a debit card, not Paypal, not some other random form of payment. MC, Visa, Amex, or Diner's Club.
Even when I favor one airline, I always like to look at the whole field and see what (if anything) I'm paying extra to fly them or their alliance partner. On SAT-ONT, I'd also include all nearby airports just to see what, if anything, I'm paying extra for those specific airports (vs., say, AUS-LAX).
The best way to pay for a United flight is with a United credit card. But since you are booking near-term and probably don't want to apply and wait for a United credit card to arrive, use any other credit card you have. Your best existing rewards card...for example, I'd probably use my SPG Amex for a United flight since I dumped my United CC a couple years ago.
Basic point is to use a credit card, even if you don't carry rewards credit cards yet. Not a debit card, not Paypal, not some other random form of payment. MC, Visa, Amex, or Diner's Club.
Jul 16, 2013, 4:15 pm
#7
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F for under $600 R/T as well.
Pretty reasonable fare if one is inclined to consider paid F. Especially if you hold no elite status, were planning on checking a bag or two, would otherwise be in the non-elite security and boarding groups, etc.
Pretty reasonable fare if one is inclined to consider paid F. Especially if you hold no elite status, were planning on checking a bag or two, would otherwise be in the non-elite security and boarding groups, etc.
Jul 16, 2013, 4:41 pm
#8
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ITA Matrix will show you the absolute best fares, but you will likely have to get a travel agent to book it as most, if not all, airline or third-party booking engines will not permit you to enter the specific fare codes.
Jul 16, 2013, 6:09 pm
#9
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adurarox, welcome to FlyerTalk!
I travel United almost exclusively and enjoy upgraded travel on the longer routes. But frankly, on this trip, I'd consider going for a nonstop on coach mainline jet service and would look at Southwest (San Antonio to LAX) for about $420.
Most trips either to Ontario or LAX via legacy carriers, will require a regional jet and/or connections and your first class experience -- if any -- won't be worth the price difference.
I travel United almost exclusively and enjoy upgraded travel on the longer routes. But frankly, on this trip, I'd consider going for a nonstop on coach mainline jet service and would look at Southwest (San Antonio to LAX) for about $420.
Most trips either to Ontario or LAX via legacy carriers, will require a regional jet and/or connections and your first class experience -- if any -- won't be worth the price difference.
Jul 16, 2013, 6:19 pm
#10
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 6
Thanks for all the advice guys, the lowest fair I found would be with United but coach (I guess I'm not a ...... to get first class LOL) and it would be 292 nonstop from austin to lax, which is not what I prefer because I wanted to fly into Ontario to make life easier for my bf and save money.
Scenario 1:
Drive into Austin the night before, stay at a hotel for the night and take off at 5am nonstop which would have me there too at like 6:30am. I work for a hotel and the night before is no problem, would cost me $35 to stay the night, shuttle to the airport in the morning and leave my car on the property (park and fly). Once in LA, make my boyfriend drive like an hour or an hour and half out to get me.
Scenario 2:
Just pay the extra 200 dollars and get to where i normally would and not inconvenience him.
Booo, neither option has first class LOL I guess I was looking for a miracle lol. I appreciate all the help guys! Thank you for the welcome!
Scenario 1:
Drive into Austin the night before, stay at a hotel for the night and take off at 5am nonstop which would have me there too at like 6:30am. I work for a hotel and the night before is no problem, would cost me $35 to stay the night, shuttle to the airport in the morning and leave my car on the property (park and fly). Once in LA, make my boyfriend drive like an hour or an hour and half out to get me.
Scenario 2:
Just pay the extra 200 dollars and get to where i normally would and not inconvenience him.
Booo, neither option has first class LOL I guess I was looking for a miracle lol. I appreciate all the help guys! Thank you for the welcome!
Jul 16, 2013, 8:50 pm
#11
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Do an ITA search: you'll find better options than both of those.
If AUS and LAX are both a bit of a pain, do SAT-LGB on US, one stop through PHX (total durations under 5 hours both ways) for $330. Earn United miles while you do it. You avoid the need for an overnight stay; BF drives maybe 45 minutes instead of 1.5h (well, depending on what direction he from ONT).
If AUS is okay but you really want ONT, there seem to be a variety of $275-300-ish options using US or UA.
Looks like most of these fares are bookable as one-ways. You do not need to fly the same airline both ways or into or out of the same airports.
Cheapest possible route looks like it's AUS-LAX as low as $208. Most expensive is unfortunately your desired SAT-ONT. But there's a wide range of options in between...
If AUS and LAX are both a bit of a pain, do SAT-LGB on US, one stop through PHX (total durations under 5 hours both ways) for $330. Earn United miles while you do it. You avoid the need for an overnight stay; BF drives maybe 45 minutes instead of 1.5h (well, depending on what direction he from ONT).
If AUS is okay but you really want ONT, there seem to be a variety of $275-300-ish options using US or UA.
Looks like most of these fares are bookable as one-ways. You do not need to fly the same airline both ways or into or out of the same airports.
Cheapest possible route looks like it's AUS-LAX as low as $208. Most expensive is unfortunately your desired SAT-ONT. But there's a wide range of options in between...
Jul 17, 2013, 1:09 am
#12
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Jul 17, 2013, 12:59 pm
#14
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It will be torture. Hours of torture. I'd rather rent a car, have the BF fetch me, or just pay extra to fly to LGB, SNA, or ONT.
Supershuttle and anything else of that ilk will make you want to punch somebody in the face before it's all done. Your boyfriend will be a *much* happier boyfriend if he just drives to get you.
Supershuttle and anything else of that ilk will make you want to punch somebody in the face before it's all done. Your boyfriend will be a *much* happier boyfriend if he just drives to get you.
Jul 17, 2013, 2:04 pm
#15
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It will be torture. Hours of torture. I'd rather rent a car, have the BF fetch me, or just pay extra to fly to LGB, SNA, or ONT.
Supershuttle and anything else of that ilk will make you want to punch somebody in the face before it's all done. Your boyfriend will be a *much* happier boyfriend if he just drives to get you.
Supershuttle and anything else of that ilk will make you want to punch somebody in the face before it's all done. Your boyfriend will be a *much* happier boyfriend if he just drives to get you.
I probably would just rent a car in that case then for the day and turn it in at a location in Ontario if the shuttle is really going to be that much of a pain. Then I would just stay at a hotel in Ontario that I would pay an associate rate for instead of the free nights at multiple locations (only select locations have the free nights). My boyfriend is just used to paying extra for convenience in general.