Learned a lesson, the easy way
 

So I learned a lesson today. Fortunately, it wasn't the hard which is the norm. The lesson? Always check other sources ...

So here's the deal ... I learned today that tomorrow I need to fly from PDX to CLT, then on Thursday go from CLT to ALB, then return from ALB to PDX on Friday, getting back to PDX before my fiance does, who is visiting this weekend from MSP.

So I did a quick search on travelocity and orbitz, and the best fares that came up were a little over $1900 (minus the taxes of course). Well, it's a business trip, so its not like it matters that much, but I'm always trying to save my client a penny when I can. So I put a similar search through on nwa and it spit out a fare of $1850, which had a indicating a promo fare. Cool! Then, for kicks, I called NW Reservations, and she repeated the same search, came up with the exact same routes, and she quoted me at $1802!!! Booked right then and there with her. The best part of the deal? I'm on the same flight as my fiance from MSP to PDX.

Remember: regardless of your preferred metal, always check multiple sources, you just never know. :)

psubrianm,

I'm not really sure what this has to do with miles or points, so I'm going to move it over to TravelBuzz!

Regards,

Flipside

Sorry. The nice folks in the chat room suggested I posted there.

Always makes sense to check more than one source, particularly if you're looking for a sale fare. I checked London fares in September for a friend that wants to vacation over there, and found fares in the low $700 range which sounded decent. I went to the AA site to see what was offered there, and the cheapest fare was over $5,000RT. It's not always the best site to check for sales.

I agree with the above. I always fly UK to YVR during my February Break to ski for a week. I start checking fares around about june/july time and find fares vary from 260 to 600 pounds for a restricted economy ticket.

Keep checking from as early as possible, know what you would expect to pay and when it gets close snap it up.

There have been quite a few threads about this. My own experience was a fare of $1,046 BOS-SIN on NW I found on Expedia a couple of years back. The best AA, my preferred airline, could do was $4,100. The best NW itself could do, either on the Web or by phone call when given the exact itinerary, was over $3,000. By the time I got back to Expedia to book the ticket it had gone to $1,246, but I took it anyway.

Anyone who looks for logic in air fare pricing is in for a long day.