Cheap airfare tips?

[Montanablue]

I am trying to fly out to see my grandparents at Christmas and I'm looking for a less expensive venue for tickets. I've tried cheaptickets, hotwire, priceline, cheapoair, bing, and kayak - and I'm still getting very expensive prices. Has anyone else had luck with other sites?

 

[jwithnell]

I've generally had the best success checking the discounters, then comparing that to the airline prices. The prices are generally lowest midweek. Does Southwest make the flight you want? In the past, their prices didn't show up on the discount sites.

I wish I could give you more help, but the airlines have tacked surcharges onto the holiday tickets, and that's going to show up everywhere. (And if you're flying out of Montana, the "small market" costs can really add up.)

 

[Berean]

I don't fly, but have you tried the airlines' own site? Orbitz Travel: Airline Tickets, Cheap Hotels, Car Rentals, Vacations & Cruises

Maybe that's like buying a PC from Bill Gates.

 

[toddpedlar]

Kathleen -

The difficulty for you is you're flying out of a tiny market, which has already been said. You're really not going to get much better prices than you've already found, I fear. It might pay for you to drive to a larger airport, and fly from there. I can't imagine anything will be cheaper than Great Falls through Salt Lake to Cincinnati... but maybe there are other options. Anyway, you're doing the best thing - Orbitz, or Kayak, etc, and then going to the airline sites for comparison.

Holiday travel isn't helping either - the prices are highly jacked at that time of year. If you're able to do better than $500 I'll be very surprised.

 

[toddpedlar]

a quick check from Orbitz shows flights in the low 400's from Helena, depending on departure day... it's a drive for you, but much cheaper than Great Falls.

 

[Edward]

Unless you HAVE to be there on a certain day, you'll find it much cheaper to go in early December or mid January than over the peak holiday travel times. (If school is in session, tickets are going to be much cheaper).

If you MUST travel during the late December period, look for flights on December 25 - usually a very light travel day, and possibly on Jan 1 (particularly morning flights).

Because you are going out of a small market, it's proabably always going to be more expensive for you.

And if you fly, remember to wear thick socks and slip on shoes (and use 3 bins for the xray, putting your valuables in the middle one, shoes in the last, and other stuff in the first.)