what website has the cheapest tickets?

[commoncute1979 0]

I'm planning my next Pattaya trip next year...I normally book a flight from kayak.com. Does anybody know a really good website that u can buy CHEAP tickets from the US to Thailand?

[joekicker 53]

No magic, I'm afraid. If there was ONE website that always had the cheapest tickets, well, there would soon be only website selling cheap tickets.

 

Shop, shop and shop again - that's my experience and advice. Sites like Kayak are excellent in trying to track down deals of course, I like Kayak a lot. But I like Qixo, Cheapflights, Sidestep and others, too.

 

.

[commoncute1979 0]

No magic, I'm afraid. If there was ONE website that always had the cheapest tickets, well, there would soon be only website selling cheap tickets.

 

Shop, shop and shop again - that's my experience and advice. Sites like Kayak are excellent in trying to track down deals of course, I like Kayak a lot. But I like Qixo, Cheapflights, Sidestep and others, too.

 

.

 

 

thanx a lot joe...appreciate it

[BigDUSA 71]

I always check FlyerTalk.com for mistake fares and short airline sales. One time I scoured a fare from JFK-BKK for if I remember correctly was $88.USD plus tax.

[VPI78 11,487]

I've found that although sites like Kayak are good at comparing prices they don't always have the best price for an individual airline, and I'm referring to apples-to-apples comparisons, e.g., same flight checked at the same day/time.

 

I will start with Kayak and then if I find a flight on an airline at a time I like I go check the airline website. My experience has been that most of the time Kayak doesn't show the actual airline price at the time. It has paid to go directly to the airline site for me, not all of the time but many times.

[Skate 9]

Remember those cheap fares are also coming with very little mileage rewards if any..

 

Most US flights can earn almost 15,000 miles flying into Los.

[cannonball83204 78]

Remember those cheap fares are also coming with very little mileage rewards if any..

 

Most US flights can earn almost 15,000 miles flying into Los.

 

Very good point Skate.

 

CB

[jacko 8,813]

Many airlines these days only offer their best deals on their own web sites.

 

I couldn't beat the Qatar quote at any agents in LOS, so as Joe says, search search search. Then if you find a deal at a consolidater, try the airline direct. Mostly they charge a lot more, but now and again they guarantee best price.

Edited May 12, 2011 by jacko

[hkaussie 0]

I'm planning my next Pattaya trip next year...I normally book a flight from kayak.com. Does anybody know a really good website that u can buy CHEAP tickets from the US to Thailand?

Skyscanner is good

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Remember those cheap fares are also coming with very little mileage rewards if any..

 

Most US flights can earn almost 15,000 miles flying into Los.

 

Yes, FF points are a definite consideration if you fly to LOS three or four times a year. Every third or fourth flight could be paid for by FF miles. But if you only fly one or twice a year to LOS on that airline, and don't accumulate FF miles through other flights, it may make economic sense to forget about FF points and go for the savings you make with the heavily discounted tickets.

 

Also keep in mind that airlines will often the match the best published offer you find on a legit site. Whenever possible, it's best to have a ticket that is issued by the airline itself and not a consolidator.

 

Evil

[DP Gumbypgh 97]

http://www.cheapoair.com gave the cheapest flights from Pittsburgh to BKK last time i paid but are pretty restrictive on conditions ie almost impossible to change flights or get refunds.

[Ishtar2 3]

Try http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ as a good alternative to Kayak, great layout.

[Saddic 31]

I've found that although sites like Kayak are good at comparing prices they don't always have the best price for an individual airline, and I'm referring to apples-to-apples comparisons, e.g., same flight checked at the same day/time.

 

I will start with Kayak and then if I find a flight on an airline at a time I like I go check the airline website. My experience has been that most of the time Kayak doesn't show the actual airline price at the time. It has paid to go directly to the airline site for me, not all of the time but many times.

 

 

This is sage advice folks...

 

Remember: Comparison sites gotta make there money from somewhere...

 

It also pays nowadays to join an airline FF club and use them consistantly... often airlines will run promotions only visible to members...

 

AND READ THE RULES of the flight... mileage (or reduced mileage) may be not be given on the cheaper flights...

 

AND LASTLY (and most importantly) READ THE Airline rules and final price... it may not be what you were expecting! Fricken airline are tacking on FEES for almost everything now... fuel surcharges, baggage fees, seating fees, shitting fees etc...

 

As an example, I fly an airline which charges a pretty low fare... but fees amount to about 2/3 of the final cost... so buyer beware...

 

Good luck out there...

[glynbuk 29]

One thing i have become more aware of is the cancellation fees charged if you cannot fly or need to change dates/times.

 

Most websites like expedia/ebookers etc who can give slightly lower prices have this rule

 

This is a restricted fare ticket.

Tickets are non transferable.

This fare is non-changeable and non-refundable.

 

This may not be a major problem if your paying 500 pounds for an economy flight but if your paying a couple of thousand

or more for a business class seat then it can be.

 

I use http://www.westeasttravel.com/ (in the UK) and for my trip again this Xmas the terms for westeast booking a Thai air business/first

class flight is

 

* TICKET VALIDITY: MIN STAY WAIVED/ MAX STAY 12 MONTHS

* DATE CHANGE BEFORE DEPARTURE: PERMITTED AT GBP25 FEE

* DATE CHANGE AFTER DEPARTURE: FREE OF CHARGE (AT DESTINATION)

* ANY TAX/FARE DIFFERENCE WILL BE COLLECTED AT TIME OF CHANGE

* CANCELLATION/REFUND:COMPLETELY UNUSED FARE PAID LESS GBP200

- PARTLY USED,CHARGE O/W FARE PLUS GBP150 FEE, REFUND BALANCE

* MILEAGE ACCRUAL: J = 125%/ P = 150%

 

A couple of years ago i flew with Emirates in premium class and their fee for complete cancellation unused was £100, no questions asked.

 

So that may be something to also keep an eye on when booking cheap.

[Mescalito 19]

Many airlines these days only offer their best deals on their own web sites.

 

I couldn't beat the Qatar quote at any agents in LOS, so as Joe says, search search search. Then if you find a deal at a consolidater, try the airline direct. Mostly they charge a lot more, but now and again they guarantee best price.

 

Agreed. I always start with Kayak, then when I find a decent fare I go to that airline's web site and see if I get an even better one; I almost always do. I'm in Thailand 2-3 times a year and with very rare exceptions have been on China Airlines or EVA. Their best rates on their own sites are better than their fares listed on 3rd-party sites like Kayak.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Mescalito

[Guest King_Midas]

One thing i have become more aware of is the cancellation fees charged if you cannot fly or need to change dates/times.

 

Most websites like expedia/ebookers etc who can give slightly lower prices have this rule

 

 

 

This may not be a major problem if your paying 500 pounds for an economy flight but if your paying a couple of thousand

or more for a business class seat then it can be.

 

I use http://www.westeasttravel.com/ (in the UK) and for my trip again this Xmas the terms for westeast booking a Thai air business/first

class flight is

 

 

 

A couple of years ago i flew with Emirates in premium class and their fee for complete cancellation unused was £100, no questions asked.

 

So that may be something to also keep an eye on when booking cheap.

Yes you try getting ANY sort of refund from Westeast for any reason, than you'll have done well !!

[glynbuk 29]

Yes you try getting ANY sort of refund from Westeast for any reason, than you'll have done well !!

 

When Suvarnabhumi airport was shut for the yellow shirt protest some years back, i was due to fly in on Thai

in first class(for xmas), i was worried about the airport being shut and westeast were very good in changing

my booking to Cathay Pacific flying via hong kong to Manila.

 

I had to change to Business class on Cathay and with the change fee of £150 they still owed me the difference

of about £125, it took me a couple of months but they did pay it to me.