What websites do you use to buy your plane tickets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - the problem I'm running into with kayak, is that it's automatically filtering out some flights that I know exist.

I'm trying to plan a "multi-city" trip. DC-Verona (requires one connection). The return flight (Rome-DC) has direct options, but they are not showing up. They show up in round trip searches, however.

But for multi-city, it's only showing me options for connections, since that's the only option for my outbound leg. And yes, I scrolled alllllll the way through all the "more options." The direct return flight isn't in the results!

Not sure about Kayak, but Google Flights will show you all options for a search like that if you search multi-city.

And yes, as others said, use Google Flights to search, then book direct from the airline. For this routing it's almost certainly going to be United, with a short hop from Frankfurt or Munich on Lufthansa to get to Verona.

That's because ITA Airways (former Alitalia) and United fly the nonstop Rome-Dulles, but Alitalia does not offer connections to Verona. So the only way to book this as a single ticket (for reasonable fares) with one stop to Verona, and a nonstop back from Rome to Dulles, will be through United.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - the problem I'm running into with kayak, is that it's automatically filtering out some flights that I know exist.

I'm trying to plan a "multi-city" trip. DC-Verona (requires one connection). The return flight (Rome-DC) has direct options, but they are not showing up. They show up in round trip searches, however.

But for multi-city, it's only showing me options for connections, since that's the only option for my outbound leg. And yes, I scrolled alllllll the way through all the "more options." The direct return flight isn't in the results!

That's because they're selling you a series of one-way tickets. They're not on the same itinerary than an airline will honor if something goes wrong.

So, for example, you miss you get to Verona but then your return flight has an issue -- you're screwed. And the airline is unlikely to help you.

Buy directly from the airlines. It's much safer.

But I could complete all legs on the same airline! They do show up on United/Lufthansa, but not on Kayak. I still don't get why they can't all be purchased together on Kayak. But yeah, maybe I should just go through the airline.

It doesn't matter. They won't all be on the same itinerary as far as the airline is concerned. You will have four one-way tickets.

[Anonymous]

I use Expedia to find my desired routing and airline, then check on AmEx Travel if I'm flying business international, as they have special discoujnted tickets for platinum card holders (International Airline Program they call it). I usually save a few thousand a year that way.

[Anonymous]

Priceline. But, they are really all the same! I've tried many ways.

[Anonymous]

I've gotten used to the Google Flights platform. It's not always accurate, but it's a good place to start. And they're saved searches send you emails so that you can hopefully snag a lower fare.

The challenge is when you want main economy. It doesn't distinguish between basic and main economy until you click flights. Do any of the search engines let you search only main economy?

[Anonymous]

I search Kayak or Google, then buy through the airline's website. I got horribly burned by Orbitz once, many years ago, and won't buy through an aggregator again.

[Anonymous]

Google flights, always. It then takes you directly to the airline website to buy the tix. I travel almost every week so use it a lot.

[Anonymous]

Only directly with the airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Other than directly through the airline, what websites do you use to check fares and purchase tickets? I'm still living in 2004, when Kayak was all the rage. Help bring me into the modern air ticket buying era, please!

Then stop living in 2004.
Search on Google, then buy direct from the airlines, as others have said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use google explore to find the flights, then book direct on the website.

This is what we do. I am willing to risk 3rd party for hotels, sometimes, but not for airlines.

[Anonymous]

Search on Kayak or google then book direct with airline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I use google explore to find the flights, then book direct on the website.

+1

[Anonymous]

I buy direct. More protection.

[Anonymous]

Kayak is owned by Booking.com.

I use Google and the find the flights I want, then book directly with the carrier. There’s several reasons for this, but basically you’ll have more power if the flight gets canceled or delayed, which is very common.