JFK - SXM in December (15-23) Priceline

[Sobotta]

I've been trying to bid for a single ticket from JFK to SXM in December (15th - 23rd).

The thing is... when I try to perform a regular Priceline search for the ticket, many options with extremely long layovers appear.

Does this mean I will most likely get one of these if my bid (in the "name your own price" section) is successful since there is no choice for non-stop nor total travel time.

Are tickets with long layovers (16 plus hours) commonplace for winning bids?

Thanks

[Romelle]

On the Priceline site it states the maximum connection hours for domestic and international flights. I don't recall them exactly, but know they are actually quite reasonable. Definitely not 16 hours.

I think you can find them with a search, or by looking in the Help area.

Romelle

[thereuare]

Here is a link to Priceline INTERNATIONAL Airfare Layovers (shows both average and longest possible)

For anyone else reading this thread in the future, here is a link to the Priceline Airfare Longest Layovers for DOMESTIC Travel

If you decide you'd like to move forward by bidding for airfare, let us know your maximum bid and we'll advise accordingly.

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

PS- if you do make this trip an afternoon at the Sunset Bar at Maho Bay is a must do

[Sobotta]

Thank y'all.

Going thru the links you've sent me I could find the following info applicable to my JFK-SXM (Caribbean) trip:

Avg.* connection times booked by priceline (hours): 1.5

Longest* connection times booked by priceline(hours): 4

So I will go ahead and say that my maximum bid for the roundtrip is: USD 350. Please, I need advice on how to do it properly.

A couple of weeks ago I was getting a regular JetBlue fare from Kayak at 370. Now everything (JetBlue and AA especially) is showing on the upside of 550.

I will also need advice on getting a hotel room for NY after my return flight, so I will open a new post on that.

Thank you.

PS - thanks for the tip concerning the Sunset Bar. Checked the website. Looks like loads of fun.

[thereuare]

Start with this Priceline Airfare Re-Bidding thread (especially) the second post as you can get an almost unlimited number of re-bid zones when bidding on airfare.

I'd start at $200 and then increase $10-$25 per re-bid (more at the lower bid amount when you have a lower chance of winning and less at the higher amounts where your odds of a successful bid increase)

Any questions feel free to ask.

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

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Sobotta]

Hi.

No luck... Read the second post (great thread btw) and tried a number of times, from usd 200 up to 380 in increments of usd 10.

Will rethink my trip now and will update my NYC hotel post as well (you were right...).

Thank you.

[Romelle]

If you still are interested in going, it wouldn't hurt to run through the bidding range every once in a while. Maybe once a week or every 4 or 5 days. It is possible the airlines won't give seats to Priceline until closer to the dates.

I searched on + or - a couple days, and did turn up a Jet Blue $449. Not a good as you found earlier, but a little.

Sales come and go, but there is some consensus that more of them start on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It is actually a little early for sales, although they can happen any time.

You could set some of those "fare alerts". Lots of different sites available to do it. Kayak, Expedia and other similar ones. You put in your planned trip, and you get an email when there is a rate drop. There are links to quite a few of the sites on the Support Page (above).

Romelle

[Sobotta]

Thank you. I will do that. Will run it again next Tuesday and keep posting.

[Sobotta]

Change of plans. Bought JFK-SXM and back at aa.com directly. Direct flight. 464 usd.

Did not want to bid due to the possibility of a non-direct flight.

Will now conclude my hotel post and make a new one.

Thanks, this closes this thread.

[thereuare]

Glad to see you found a direct flight that works within your budget and thank you for closing this thread with your decision.

Have a great time in St. Maarten... Maho Bay is one of my favorite beaches as i love to sit and watch the planes come in.