How do you shop for air fares?

[Pablo]

I need to fly from Bellingham to Orange County (John Wayne) in March. (solo)

How do you high flying geniuses do this?

I usually just go to Alaska.com and pick dates and times. I mean that is what I always do and wife says I get taken to the cleaners. I guess I was spoiled in my previous life because the boss would hand me tickets and tell me to GO. At home wife does it, but the complaining is constant until next travel session, so don't go there.

What about this William Shatner garbage??

 

[SC Maintenance]

Google flights and find what I like, then I book directly on the airlines site. But I am not looking for lowest fare - most convenient / most on time is my concern.

I don't mix carriers on one trip if I can help it.

 

[harbor]

We only fly Delta, so wife watches fares and picks the lowest.
I also miss the corporate days when my admin got my tickets without worrying about cost.

 

[dogememe]

Google Flights. AI (Grok, ChatGPT, Gemini) can also be helpful if you don't want to search manually.

 

[Leo99]

I start with Kayak.com.

 

[oilboy123]

I'm in the same boat for a flight around mid May. Seattle to probably LAX. I also see Paine field Everett, WA has some flights. Paine field would be closer for me.
I'm flailing around right now.

I had a flight that came back to Bellingham from Orange county back in the late 80s. Everything else I ever did was Seattle airport.

Expedia, Alaska, Kayak, Southwest is where I'm looking so far. I don't want a stop over in San Francisco........

 

[bdcardinal]

American flies out of SBA so I just go direct through AA.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Looks like Allegiant Air has best pricing on Kayak. Allegiant Air pricing also has add-on fees for nearly everything, so you are not close to your real final cost.

 

[ripcord]

Since you're wife is an expert, tell her the parameters that are acceptable to you, ie. times, dates, etc, and have her find tickets for you.

 

[MNgopher]

Kayak or Google Flights to search and then book direct with whichever airline...

In the last year, I've flown with Delta (mainly), Southwest (used to be our preferred airline, but why bother now that they are the same as everyone else), American, Sun Country, and United. Not buying the cheapest fares either - usually Delta Main Classic as an example.

 

[supton]

Since you're wife is an expert, tell her the parameters that are acceptable to you, ie. times, dates, etc, and have her find tickets for you.

That's what I'd do. My wife loves to do this sort of thing. Only drawback is, not taking her, as she's a whiz at navigating the airport--I'm usually hanging on for dear life as she has us fast marching through the terminal.

 

[Pablo]

Since you're wife is an expert, tell her the parameters that are acceptable to you, ie. times, dates, etc, and have her find tickets for you.

"At home wife does it, but the complaining is constant until next travel session, so don't go there."

That's what I'd do. My wife loves to do this sort of thing. Only drawback is, not taking her, as she's a whiz at navigating the airport--I'm usually hanging on for dear life as she has us fast marching through the terminal.

"At home wife does it, but the complaining is constant until next travel session, so don't go there."

I might just go there. I hate this sheet that much.

 

[Dave Hess]

Only at airline will I purchase tickets.

 

[supton]

"At home wife does it, but the complaining is constant until next travel session, so don't go there."

Oops, missed that in the OP. Sorry.

 

[Hall]

I usually just go to Alaska.com and pick dates and times. I mean that is what I always do and wife says I get taken to the cleaners.

That's simply not true. You can sometimes save a little going through sites like Kayak, Expedia, etc but if you run into a hiccup with flights, you normally have to resolve it through them as well vs dealing directly with the airline. Good luck when it comes to that ! A site that shall not be named says Allegient is the only airline that offers direct flights between those two points. I've flown with them and yeah, they're bare bones, but depending on the length, who cares. For a 2-ish hour flight, I don't need snacks, drinks, even a pillow (I can't really sleep on airplanes anyway).

 

[Wylie6G72]

I start on Expedia.com and make a note of what I like there, swing by Southwest if they service my destination, and then go to the actual website of the airline(s) I liked on Expedia If Southwest doesn't work out.

 

[Leo99]

Kayak or Google Flights to search and then book direct with whichever airline...

In the last year, I've flown with Delta (mainly), Southwest (used to be our preferred airline, but why bother now that they are the same as everyone else), American, Sun Country, and United. Not buying the cheapest fares either - usually Delta Main Classic as an example.

Years ago it seems there were deals to be had at Expedia or Travelocity and the like. I flew to Europe with Cheapotickets.com. Today it seems the deals aren't there and it is easiest and cheaper and better to book directly with the airlines.

 

[The_Jeff]

If you do it, commit. Wife keeps searching then going back next day and they jack up the rates.

Surely they track via cookies and IP addresses, but they're better at it than you are, so just click "buy" when ready.

 

[Kestas]

I was told to shop for tickets online using incognito mode, because each time you check, they jack up the rates scaring you into a panic buy.

 

[Dave Hess]

We only fly Delta, so wife watches fares and picks the lowest.
I also miss the corporate days when my admin got my tickets without worrying about cost.

Why only Delta ?