Recommended websites for booking travel within the US?

[Springthing]

Anyone care to recommend websites they've used to book cheap and reliable air travel within the US?

Are there certain web sites and companies to definitely stay clear of?

Mike

 

[schomers87]

After spending a lot of time in the states, I always use expedia/orbitz as it is easy and convenient. However, given that AA are no longer allowing them to sell flights- hotwire has become a great website now as well.

Note that LCC's such as SouthWest only sell on their own websites.

Hope this helps.

 

[Springthing]

Thanks, this is a great help. I read on tripadvisor that some US travel sites are really unreliable, and these mentioned below, don't get any major complaints at all.
I had seen some amazing prices on SouthWest's site, and wondered how reliable they are as an airline...

Thanks again

After spending a lot of time in the states, I always use expedia/orbitz as it is easy and convenient. However, given that AA are no longer allowing them to sell flights- hotwire has become a great website now as well.

Note that LCC's such as SouthWest only sell on their own websites.

Hope this helps.

 

[trooper]

Southwest is fine.... and has a more generous free baggage allowance than just about everyone else..

It is NOT always the cheapest though..... perhaps it was once.. but I always check US/UA/CO as well (as I have status with the Star Alliance that gets me free bags etc on those airlines)...

Lately I've been finding equal or better fares on those legacy carriers... It depends no doubt on where you are going...

I often book on Expedia.. but probably book equally on the airlines own websites...

 

[Springthing]

That's good to know about SouthWest. Was looking at them for an LAX-LAS RTN.

With Expedia, do you use the .com.au site or just the .com site? Not even sure if there is a difference, but being based here I thought it might matter which one gets the best rates, that's all

Southwest is fine.... and has a more generous free baggage allowance than just about everyone else..

It is NOT always the cheapest though..... perhaps it was once.. but I always check US/UA/CO as well (as I have status with the Star Alliance that gets me free bags etc on those airlines)...

Lately I've been finding equal or better fares on those legacy carriers... It depends no doubt on where you are going...

I often book on Expedia.. but probably book equally on the airlines own websites...

 

[UP4014]

I usually prefer to book direct with the airline, UA or AA mostly.

 

[GT351]

Expedia.com.au will give you same access to flights hotels and charge in AUS$ without conversion fee
.com is in US$

 

[mole]

I've used Southwest airlines frequently and never had a problem with them, the free baggage is good and the planes are quite new, sign up on there website for ding alerts for reduced fares although usually the further out you book the cheaper the fare with them.
I also prefer to book direct but usually check on kayak.com for comparisons (and travelzoo.com).

 

[Springthing]

Thanks, I'll stick with the local site then. Cheers

Expedia.com.au will give you same access to flights hotels and charge in AUS$ without conversion fee
.com is in US$

 

[Fantic125]

I've used Priceline.com a few times to book fights in the US without any issues.

Keep in mind some carriers specifically identify in their T&C's that some discount flights or flights purchased via specific websites/companies may be excluded from accruing miles. :-|

 

[Springthing]

So no probs with priceline.com, that's good to know as they've had a bad wrap on tripadvisor in the past. Will consider them as well. Cheers

I've used Priceline.com a few times to book fights in the US without any issues.

Keep in mind some carriers specifically identify in their T&C's that some discount flights or flights purchased via specific websites/companies may be excluded from accruing miles. :-|

 

[trooper]

Whatever you decide.. have a great trip!!!! :mrgreen:

Lucky me.. I fly out next Thursday..... SYD-AKL-LAX then drive to Phoenix...

Can't wait.. and IIRC this is USA trip number 28.... The attraction doesn't disappear.

 

[pshepvic]

I always check Expedia first, then book direct with whichever airline I find (unless it's a combined itinerary with a couple of different airlines).

The problem now is that AA don't have flights on Expedia anymore, and usually that is my preferred airline (for SC earn reasons only, and not for the service!)

I have booked several times with AA, plus also UA and VX, and you'll always get at least equal cheapest fares booking direct (and in the event you need to change the flights, it's cheaper booking direct so you don't have to pay an additional fee to change through a third party).

If you book direct with AA, use aa.com and NOT the Australian website - it's almost always cheaper on the US site (you have to be a little sneaky when you select your country of residence - at first on the website select the US to get the "local" fares, but then you should be able to put your Australian address in later in the booking). Plus the Australian version of the AA website is rubbish.

 

[drewbles]

If you book direct with AA, use aa.com and NOT the Australian website - it's almost always cheaper on the US site (you have to be a little sneaky when you select your country of residence - at first on the website select the US to get the "local" fares, but then you should be able to put your Australian address in later in the booking). Plus the Australian version of the AA website is rubbish.

Not always, it does pay to check the AA AU site. It has substantially less inventory than the US site, but i've found a lot of fares to be the same or a few dollars less.

You can't use your AU address to pay for flights using a credit card on aa.com though. There are ways, but just do a search around here to find out how (or you can put your bookings on hold, call the AA call centre in BNE (at 0900 else you'll wait forever) and mention you have a booking held that you could not pay for, and the flights were not available on the AU website, and usually they'll waive the phone booking fee). You can also book it thru the UK site and pay in GBP.

AA are one of the better airlines at keeping fares reasonably similar when converting currencies. I've booked on all three (AU/US/UK) sites and never had a problem with any of them

 

[pshepvic]

Not always, it does pay to check the AA AU site. It has substantially less inventory than the US site, but i've found a lot of fares to be the same or a few dollars less.

You can't use your AU address to pay for flights using a credit card on aa.com though. There are ways, but just do a search around here to find out how (or you can put your bookings on hold, call the AA call centre in BNE (at 0900 else you'll wait forever) and mention you have a booking held that you could not pay for, and the flights were not available on the AU website, and usually they'll waive the phone booking fee). You can also book it thru the UK site and pay in GBP.

AA are one of the better airlines at keeping fares reasonably similar when converting currencies. I've booked on all three (AU/US/UK) sites and never had a problem with any of them

My experience has been different, but I will check on both sites next time. The other issue is that on the AU site you have to select either Y or J/F, whereas on the US site it brings up all classes in the one search.

I've always managed to use an Australian credit card - when it hasn't accepted the Australian address, I just put a US address as the billing address. It doesn't do any validation of the address against the credit card, plus it's all electronic so it's not like they send anything to the address anyway. Strange thing is, there have been times when it has accepted an AU address anyway.

 

[straitman]

My experience has been different, but I will check on both sites next time. The other issue is that on the AU site you have to select either Y or J/F, whereas on the US site it brings up all classes in the one search.

I have to agree with drewbles on this one.

What you have said is correct but not always. If the Oz site shows what you are after and the price is right then it is a lot simpler going that route. I have even, on one occasion, found the Oz site to be slightly cheaper. :shock: