Air Fare from LAX to MQT

[Sideband Samurai]

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the priceline bidding, and want to make sure I have maximum success. I have taken the time to read some of the forum posts but I feel to keep things alive I thought I would ask for some help.

first I am traveling from LAX (Los Angeles) to MQT (Marquette MI) on May 17, and returning on May 31. My dates are some what flexible but not much. the sooner I get home to see my grandmother who is sick the better for me. Now I will not be able to leave earlier than May 17th though.

Here is what I found on Orbits: Price with out Tax: $378.00 With Fees and Taxes: $413.00

Pricing update: I just did a retail price scan today and the prices have gone up New prices are as follows: Price with out tax: $428.00 with Fees and Taxes $463, this is in just 24 hours!

Here is an example itinerary: This trip will always result in changing planes as I have to use a regional jet to get to the Upper Peninsula

Leave Mon, May 17

Delta Air Lines 244
Delta Air Lines 	

Depart:	 10:30am
Arrive:	  4:02pm

Los Angeles, CA (LAX)
Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
1 stop  

Change planes. Time between flights: 2hr 58min


Delta Air Lines 3323
operated by MESABA DBA DELTA CONNECTION
Delta Air Lines 	

Depart:	 7:00pm
Arrive:	  9:15pm

Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Marquette, MI (MQT)

Total duration: 7hr 45min

Return: 

Mon, May 31

Delta Air Lines 3332
operated by MESABA DBA DELTA CONNECTION
Delta Air Lines 	

Depart:	 5:20pm
Arrive:	  6:45pm

Marquette, MI (MQT)
Detroit, MI (DTW)
1 stop  

Change planes. Time between flights: 0hr 35min

Delta Air Lines 1819
Delta Air Lines 	

Depart:	 7:20pm
Arrive:	  9:23pm

Detroit, MI (DTW)
Los Angeles, CA (LAX)


Total duration: 7hr 3min[/code]

I will not bother to list the others as they are all exactly the same price. Hotwire, priceline, [url=http://www.jdoqocy.com/click-1492259-10515014]Expedia[/url]. Some obscure "discount" sites were even more expensive than this price. (for the lowest that is).

First question: I would like to know what everyone thought about these suggestions and weather or not in today's market if its worth starting at 50%.

Second, i see a lot of suggestions about instant rebidding. Do the suggestion in this forum still work?

For example. I live in Los Angeles so I have LGB; LAX; SNA; BUR; ONT airports. My destination really only has two; Marquette (MQT) and Escanaba (ESC) can I use the methods described (mind you this post was from 2007 on this forum) in this forum to make multiple bids? in this example, I would choose LAX and MQT on the first page, priceline suggest surrounding airports, but I only check the place I really want to go (LAX to MQT) and bid. if it fails, then select SNA to MQT on the first page but on the bid page only check LAX and MQT and submit a higher bid. Does that still work?

Third would you suggest a higher or lower incremental level when bidding for airfare? For example, using percentage instead of dollar amounts to increment the price. First 50% then 45% then 40% etc.

Fourth, how do you get to the Hotwire site that shows you the prices but not the carrier. I only see "retail prices" not the discounted hotwire prices. I guess this is similar to priceline's bidding system but actually showed you the price. In some of the forums I have read, they suggest using this site when you are ready to purchase the tickets, Hotwire gives you a 2 hour windows to buy the tickets and if you can't get tickets through priceline, you could go with the hotwire price which was usually lower than retail anyway.

Please forgive the length of the post and all my mis-spellings, but its late at night, or early in the morning depending on how you look at things. (its 3:33am)

Thanks for all your help.

Sincerely,

Sideband Samurai