<p>You can try cheaptickets.com or kayak.com, but oncce the airlines get their new fares to these sites, you’ll miss your window and willpay $60 more.</p>
<p>Try this:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.hotwire.com%5B/url%5D”>www.hotwire.com</a></p>
<p>if you notice the prices jump in a short time - try clearing the cookies for that site!!</p>
<p>Airfares generally go up on April 1, so the OP may have been caught in that problem.</p>
<p>Two suggestions for the future:
- when you’re a college student next year, try <a href=“http://www.studentuniverse.com%5B/url%5D”>www.studentuniverse.com</a> for cheap flights. You need a valid college email address to make reservations, though you can use your parnet’s credit card to make purchases. My d has used this.
- On their website, the magazine realsimple.com suggests the best time for airline reservations is on early, early Wednesday,(that’s right after midnight on Tuesday) and 2AM. Airlines update their reservations thousands of times a day, and many discount fares flood back into the system then. If you call, make sure you’re calling the right time zone for the airline’s base operations.</p>
<p>Southwest airlines is the best when it comes to buying online (I use Travelocity & Expedia too).</p>
<p>I like Southwest because they give you a calendar that’s color coded with their fares. So at a glance you can find the best prices.</p>
<p>Also with Southwest (unlike any others) with their tickets there are zero penalties for changing dates/times/travel plans. They give you a credit (number) which you may use to apply to any future travel plans with them. </p>
<p>Right now, depending on your travel dates (I haven’t read this entire thread) the least expensive one way (Philly to Pitts) on Southwest is $59 - $72 (“fun fares”).</p>
<p>Their site is user friendly. Even my 85 year old grandmother uses it!</p>
<p>USAir and United have some working agreement where they are listed as different flight numbers leaving at the same time on each airline’s website, but they are actually the same plane. Makes no difference which one you book with.</p>
<p>just in time for booking of tickets for the summer and fall…</p>
<p>What a coincidence- my son is flying out Sunday the 9th and coming back the 10th, Phil. to Pitt. He’s going to visit Allegheny. I booked his flight on Southwest a week or so ago and got the $142 inclusive price. Southwest is my favorite airline but as you found out, you have to look for it directly, and the earlier you book, the cheaper the fare. Hope you both have uneventful safe flights.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.statravel.com%5B/url%5D”>www.statravel.com</a></p>
<p>Great student flights, one-way, and flights overseas as well.</p>
<p>
Yup, I mentioned this in post # 12</p>
<p>
Yup, I mentioned this in post # 23.</p>
<p>I am sorry if I sound cranky, but one of my pet peeves is people posting without reading the previous posts. I know you are new to CC Spinner, and despite my sounding critical (I dont mean to) I welcome you. Can I please encourage you to read the posts in the thread? thanks.</p>
<p>b u m p</p>
<p>Krabble, you say in your original post that it’s a 5-6 hour drive. If it were me, I wouldn’t bother with the hassle of flying; I’d just drive it. A lot more flexibility and you don’t have to worry about ground transporation at both ends (and should be cheaper - hopefully!).</p>
<p>SUCCESS!</p>
<p>I finally bought my e-ticket online and I’m told that I can “check in electronically” 1 to 24 hours before my flight (as someone already mentioned). When I check-in electronically, can I register my luggage and print my boarding pass? Is there anything else I’ll need to do? Also, when I get to the actual airport (hopefully after I check-in electronically), what should I do? Should I talk to the teller at the desk or can I go directly to the security guards, etc.? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Yay for KRabble!!</p>
<p>You check in electronically and print your boarding pass at that time. I would hope that you have a small rolling suitcase/duffle that you can carry on with you; this requires no baggage check-in. Go right into the airport (make sure you know the Gate# and terminal #) directly through security and board your flight when announced.</p>
<p>If you feel the need to bring 50 lbs on a 2-day trip, you will have to go to the airline counter inside the airport to check your luggage in before going through security.</p>
<p>Will I be allowed to bring a bookbag onboard? I will try to bring a bag to bring my sleeping bag as well, but I’m afraid it might be too bulky. The only things inside my bookbag will be a day’s worth of clothes, and my other piece of luggage would be the sleeping bag, but should I just check my luggage in or bring it as a carry-on?</p>
<p>Just to double check, when I leave to go to the airport, I should have:</p>
<p>1) Printed receipt
2) Photo ID
3) Printed Boarding Pass</p>
<p>Do I need any other papers? Thanks again!!</p>
<p>Some airlines are more lax than others with carry-ons. Usually you can carry a small personal bag on your shoulder, and a small suitcase (about 18" to 20 ") also, that will fit in the overhead compartment above your seat. If you have such a suitcase, you may want to stuff your sleeping bag and your clothes in it, and carry it on board.</p>
<p>The only items you NEED are:
- photo I.D.
- reservation #, even handwritten will do, but then you have to go to
a counter for them to print your B/P - If you have a printed boarding pass, ignore my #2 item</p>
<p>No printed receipt required.</p>
<p>Enjoy the visit!!</p>
<p>Not having checked baggage just makes travel easier as you don’t have to wait at the baggage carousel at your destination, nor deal with lost luggage.</p>
<p>Would a blanket or sleeping bag fit in a suitcase small enough to carry on board? I need to look for my sleeping bag, but in case it’s not in the house (and I have to take a blanket instead), I’m wondering whether it would fit.</p>