When to Starting Bidding?

[stopleinad88]

My wife and I are planning on going to Ireland. I had read that Priceline could be better for International Flights. We would be flying out of California. I was wondering if it is to early to start bidding? The Plan is for November. Also should I just start lets say 50% and go up $ by $.

Any advice would be great.

[thereuare]

You should start bidding once your plans are firm.

Domestic or International, getting great deals on airfare is tough in the current environment (capacity is down and occupancy on flights is high). What is the best rate you're able to find for this route thru conventional booking channels, broken down by base fare and taxes/fees? How much would you need to save to make an 'opaque' booking worthwhile?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[stopleinad88]

I was wondering if any experienced bidders could help me with a strategy. I have never bid on plane tickets before and I want to save as much money as I can.

(Side question is there plane ticket insurance when bidding on the plane tickets? If so is there any catches behind it and what does it cover?)

Here are the details

My wife and I want to travel to Ireland (Does not matter where we fly in to). I don

[thereuare]

Please keep all posts for the same stay/trip in the same thread.

For the fare(s) above what is the breakdown of base fare and taxes/fees?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[stopleinad88]

If I went with the cheapest flight as of today on Orbitz they run as listed below.

Central Valley, CA (Between LA and San Francisco) -

$689 base fare per person + $111 in taxes/fees for a total of $800.

San Francisco Area -

$580 base fare per person + $104 in taxes/fees for a total of $684.

Los Angeles Area

$631 base fare per person + $100 in taxes/fee for a total of $735.

[thereuare]

Following the strategy in this Priceline Airfare Re-Bidding thread you can get an almost unlimited number of re-bids... i'd start somewhere around a $275 bid price an increase $10-$25 per bid until you reach your maximum bid where an opaque purchase doesn't make sense any longer.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

Any questions feel free to ask.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[stopleinad88]

Since I have three places that I could fly out of should I start with (in order of what is most convenient)

$275 from the Cental Valley to Ireland then try

$275 from San Francisco to Ireland then try

$275 from Los Angeles Area to Ireland

then come back to the Cental Valley with an increase bid, to San Francisco and then Los Angeles Area?

Second question would be is it like bidding on hotels where in 24 hours you can make all the bids again?

If so should I start my bid for the second day where I left off from the first day?

[SocialAdept]

I can't source this, but I remember reading in a newspaper article one day (just recently) how travel prices (ie plane tickets not neccesarily hotels) drop linearily until two weeks before the aimed date.

I would appreciate if someone recogniced this model and could source it.

[Romelle]

I can't source this, but I remember reading in a newspaper article one day (just recently) how travel prices (ie plane tickets not neccesarily hotels) drop linearily until two weeks before the aimed date.

I would appreciate if someone recogniced this model and could source it.

I haven't seen the model of which you speak. I have though read of a "sweet spot" for airline tickets that is about 2-3 months out. And my experience has tended to bear this out.

Before that they are higher, they dip, and then toward the fly date they start going back up again. Unlike hotels, airlines have a little control on capacity in that they can keep larger planes on the ground and fly the smaller less-fuel-hungry ones when business is down.

Of course within this larger pattern is a continual fluttering. The fares I follow (MSP origins) seem lower during the week, and then run up a bit on weekends. Other people, watching different flights, insist they've seen the reverse.

Romelle