Need advice on buying airline tickets

[Larry_OHF]

I have to fly my family of four out to Hawaii to see my sister get married out there. We can stay and eat virtually free...so the only cost problem is the tickets.

Currently, the best price I have seen is $590 a person, and that includes the taxes. I cannot afford $2400 in ticket costs.

I have been shopping online, where I hear that the prices are always better.

[ 05-16-2005, 06:20 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[Timber Loftis]

Search the smaller airlines. Ones that you won't find listed on Orbitz. JetBlue, Spirit, Southwest. They may not even go where you're headed, though.

Another one I've had success with is Ted, the cheap version of United.

Oh, and arrange your itenerary to fly on off days. A Friday flight out with a Sunday return trip is horribly expensive. Try rearranging your flight to leave on Thursday and return Monday or Tues -- it *is* Hawaii, after all. Enjoy it.

[ 05-16-2005, 06:28 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

[shamrock_uk]

If you could tell us what airports you are considering leaving from that would help [img]smile.gif[/img]

I got massive savings going to Egypt using a chartered flight (you can just get the flight without the package) - you'll be restricted in the length of your stay (ie. exactly 7 days, or 14 days) but its well worth it. I saved hundreds, so definitely keep your eyes peeled for charter flights [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 05-16-2005, 06:30 PM: Message edited by: shamrock_uk ]

[johnny]

Well, there's always Onur Air, just ignore the occasional wing or landinggear falling off underway, and you're in for really cheap tickets. You can't come here though, because their landingrights were taken away from them.

[Timber Loftis]

As a last resort, I understand that if you can make it on a plane with a plastic knife or a pair of nail clippers, you can make it go basically anywhere you want.

[Lady Sedai]

Something to consider (but with a family of four, I don't know how feasible it will be) is to combine TL's advice to fly on off days with some I'd been given which is to purchase one way tickets.

You buy what you need as a one way to leave on, say, Thursday.

Then you check to see what it would cost for coming back on, say, Monday.

Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's worth checking out. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[johnny]

Yeah, and don't forget to grow a beard, that helps as well. You can hide stuff inthere.

[Lady Sedai]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: As a last resort, I understand that if you can make it on a plane with a plastic knife or a pair of nail clippers, you can make it go basically anywhere you want.

LMAO!

[Larry_OHF]

Since I was asked, I want to leave from Greensboro, NC and will leave on Wednesday the 17th, and have to return before Tuesday, since I have classes. So Sunday or Monday.

Thanks for the ideas and help, thus offered.

[Bungleau]

To minimize your costs, Larry, go to Orbitz (or someplace like that) and select airports within 100 miles (or as many as they allow you) as well as the "one day before or after" feature. That will show you the cheapest possible ways to get there.

if you want to fly specific dates and times, your costs will generally be higher. Off days are always better, as Timber mentioned; Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday seem to be good travel days.

I've got to tell you that $590 is not a bad fare to Hawaii. It can get far, far worse.

Hmmm... on a second thought, you might try breaking it into chunks. Greensboro to LA, say, and LA to Hawaii.

You might also seriously look at flying out of Charlotte. Since it's a hub city, you might get better options from there.

You might also look at Roanoke, too.