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January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | What is the deal with the online airline ticket services like Expedia, etc.? Are they reliable about getting you the best prices?
Since moving to GA, I really don't know any reliable travel agents and tend to be a do-it-yourself-er anyway.
Opinions? Other options? Crappy jokes? |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Don't you mean '07? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | To get to the "'05 Factory Blowout" your going to need an agent with a time machine.
Try the '07 Factory Blowout. It will be cheaper and the songs played in the lobby will be more current.
(file this under the "crappy joke" section) |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Brad...you and I are in the same zone at the same time. |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Good mornin' John! |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | HotLine, Travelocity, Expedia, LowestFare... are good reliable ways to get low fare tikets. I like Hotline these days... |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Originally posted by Goober:
What is the deal with the online airline ticket services like Expedia, etc.? Are they reliable about getting you the best prices?
Since moving to GA, I really don't know any reliable travel agents and tend to be a do-it-yourself-er anyway.
Opinions? Other options? Crappy jokes? YES I MEANT '07! I really set myself up for the crappy jokes. I don't usually get up this early, but I have a Dr.'s appt. today. Zzzzzzzzz.... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | I've found the best way is to check the cheap ticket sites (cheapies) - then armed with that knowledge go to the airlines' site and check the direct purchase price. I've always gotten the same flights for less that way.
These days it seems rare for one airline to be way cheaper then the rest. For instance, it was $387 for a ticket to CT from PDX for weeks on several airlines. It was $397 on the cheapies. Then suddenly Delta was $219. None of the cheapies showed this, though I could have paid $240 through Expedia.
The cheapies aren't ever going to be less than buying direct from the airlines. Sometimes that means you have to watch the prices for a while if you want the best price. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | A convenient thing about the cheapies is that you can compare prices and departure/arrival info from multiple Airlines at once...
Buying direct from the airlines can be cheaper, however, you can't easily compare flights/info/offerings from one Airline to another at the same time... |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | these guys can help
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | That takes me "wayback"
AND.... Please note: In my above posts "HotLine" should read "HotWIRE". My appy-polly-logies. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Time travel is cheaper, unless you take JetBlue. (Actually, JetBlue is my favorite airline. I always could get my guitar onboard, and was on time, in a clean airplane. I have no idea what happened.) |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 799
Location: Athens, GA & Gnashville | Originally posted by an4340:
Time travel is cheaper, unless you take JetBlue. (Actually, JetBlue is my favorite airline. I always could get my guitar onboard, and was on time, in a clean airplane. I have no idea what happened.) JetBlue sounds kind of...well...um...not that there's anything wrong with that. |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Stuff Happens!
I'm sure JetBlue is still a good airline. and they will probably try harder now.
Not that I care... But if ya gotta travel, I would keep that option open. |
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January 2006
Posts: 1486
Location: Michigan | I found out that Orbiz is owned by a bunch of airlines . I agree with Jeff W, use the cheapie sites to find out which airlines flys to where you are going and then book it direct.If your in GA. its most likely gonna be Delta.Good Luck.GWB |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Having recently worked with the airline business you need to keep in mind their motto, "Time to spare, Go by air"
Goob, the rest of this here is good info, just keep looking till you find one that fits your pocket and book it. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | I just recently discovered http://www.sidestep.com .. they've got a great search engine that breaks down the prices into arrival and departure times, so you can play with scheduling to get the best fare, etc. It searches multiple sites, similar to kayak.com. Like Waskel, I use these sites to zero in on the best flights, and then go direct to the airlines to book. |
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December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Of course, all that being said, I got screwed on my tickets to BDL. Wait too long and the flight you want gets booked up. Don't wait long enough and you may miss out on a cheaper fare. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Don't be so hard on yourself, David. I was checking prices daily, and almost pulled the trigger a couple times flying out on Delta and back on AA because it was cheapest and had the best schedule. When Delta's price dropped I went round trip with them even though it means I have to be at BDL about 4:30 am Sunday... :eek: |
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July 2005
Posts: 3411
Location: GA USA | Goob, you might be just the dude to round out a foursome of tour hopefuls who have been thinking about driving. Philmax and I would leave from Atlanta and maybe swing by Knoxville to p/u BluesSailor. I guess we'd need a van or something. This is not any kind of concrete plan yet.
Heck, if anyone has a flatbed we could turn it into a 16 hour hayride. 4 guys = 4 hours driving each. We could work on our doo-wops for backing up Phil on "Bellbottom Blues" at the jam.
I'm looking to cut cost any way I can. Share a room... I'm open. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 1889
Location: Central Massachusetts | Youch, that's a time I would pay extra to not have to set my alarm clock for! Might as well check out Saturday and camp at the airport! I'm satisfied with the fare I ended up with, mostly because I ended up with exactly the schedule I was looking for.
I kinda wish the NYC/Amtrak option had worked out to be the cheapest.. never seen NYC and riding the train would have been fun. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by dvd:
I'm satisfied with the fare I ended up with, mostly because I ended up with exactly the schedule I was looking for. Then you got the right one!
Judging by last year (about 8 hours sleep from Weds morning till Sunday morning...) I'll probably still be up from Saturday night... |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | We all thought Waskel was on a MethBender last tour |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | A little finely ground coffee (taken nasally) can help one to keep the edge for quite a while.
Not to mention the ringing sound left after Keller's Hamer solos in Ed's living room... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Some of that Mexican HomeGrown (coffee) of Russ' worked QUITE well.
Whenever the droning in the wireless headphones at the Factory got a bit tedious, I'd just crunch on one or two of those beans, and then Rick Hall became downright "fascinating" . . . |
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Getting To The '05 Factory Blowout
