When it comes to planning a trip, where can I find the cheapest flights? I need someplace where I can bid on airline tickets, and maybe booking hotels too. A system that allows me to name my own price. I do not want to spend tons just to get to my vacation, and then have to pinch every penny and be miserable while I am there. What can I do?
Sounds familiar, right? It is the plight of anyone traveling anywhere. Plane tickets can get expensive, unless you book them a year in advance, for the middle of the week, to be flown at night. But it is not always that easy. There are times when you need that last minute flight, or you need to fly in at noon on a Saturday. If you go right through the airline,that ticket may be astronomical. Not the case if you consider Priceline airfare.
Priceline airfare runs on the Name Your Own Price system. No, you cannot just say that you only want to pay five dollars. Travelers get to name what they want to pay for car rentals, vacation packages, hotel rooms and Priceline airfare. The buyer gets to set a budget and say how much they are willing to pay, and then Priceline finds them the deals that correspond to that price range.
The traveler can pick a general location, service level and price, but they do not know the exact airline, hotel, car service, or other specifics such as the location of the hotel or the flight itinerary, until the purchase is processed, and then they have no rights to cancel.
While some people may balk at this, it really is worth it. It gets you the cheapest price that you want to pay for the services being offered, and even if you need to fly in at four in the morning, or have a hotel off the beaten path, so be it. When you are trying to vacation on a budget, you know that you will not be able to fly first class on Saturday, and be within walking distance of Universal Studios.
Priceline is the pinnacle example of “You get what you pay for”. If you are looking for cushy travel and living arrangements, be prepared to pay for them. But, if the travel and stay are not as important as the vacation experience itself, then get the cheapest you can find. After all, the vacation makes the memories. The plane just gets you there.