Best way to get cheap flights? (purchase, prices, airport)

[adele115]

I will be traveling (flying) more this coming fall and I am interested in best ways to get the best airfares from O'Hare. The typical internet sites (Kayak, Orbitz, CheapAir, etc) all seem to drum up the same numbers. Am I missing something? Are there better internet sites or does the old fashioned travel agency still exist? Thanks in advance!

[Ace Rothstein]

If you are flying domestically, you shouldn't rule out flying Southwest out of Midway. Midway is a much nicer airport than O'Hare is.

In regards to the cheap flights, check early and often.

[Freefall18]

Yeah, you have to keep in mind that Southwest won't be listed on sites like Kayak. You have to actually go to Southwest.com and look it up. If it's a little more expensive on SW, I always go that route because I get the equivalent of like 10% back in their RapidRewards points, and their cancellation policy is very generous.

[Longford]

I have never, ever, found one of the online travel agents (Orbitz, etc.) which has offered a fare lower than what I've been able to purchase a ticket for on the website of an airline. Frequently, the fares on the airline websites are less cost than the online travel agents, because they don't share those prices with the online agencies - they're available only at the airline website itself. I use some of those online travel agent sites to locate fares generally, then book with the airline directly.

[adele115]

Ok that's good to know. I have flown southwest and will look at options out of midway…

Those online sites are crap.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Longford

I have never, ever, found one of the online travel agents (Orbitz, etc.) which has offered a fare lower than what I've been able to purchase a ticket for on the website of an airline.

Really depends on the airline, your luck, and what not. I've learned you should never rule out these deal sites even if you think this. My experience with that came last year. Turkish Airlines has a round trip deal to Istanbul every year from O'Hare for only $525 after tax. Usually for January through early March and I have used it before. I was looking for late March departures with mid April arrival for the same flight, but couldn't find it on Turkishairlines.com. Regular fare really at $1000+. I actually found one for exactly one day that Orbitz.com had that Turkishairlines.com didn't even have listed on their site.


Anyway for the OP, I agree with others that if they're flying domestically to not rule out Midway. However, airlines are very competitive with price no matter which airport it's going out of. I've flown a few times between O'Hare and Des Moines for $420 round trip. Last year, Southwest started flying to Des Moines out of Midway for $200. United and American quickly dropped the same flight to $200 out of O'Hare at the same time due to competition.