Rant on Airline Prices

I just need to rant-

I'm trying to book my mom and my Fall trip to Dublin.  I accidentally ran a search on priceline for one ticket,and got $386 as a price on air france.  I re-started my search and put in for 2 tickets, and the price suddenly jumped to $441! 

WHY?! 

So I'm back to the drawing board because we're trying to get tickets for under $400 each (preferably closer to $350) and the money hasn't yet cleared int omy account anyway to actually make the purchases. GRRRR

Has anyone used the priceline name your own fare?  I was thinking of trying that out, since they give you an answer in 60 seconds....but then they also willbook whatever they come up with and I don't want to wind up on a crappy airline or having tl eave at like 6 in the morning with a 10 hour layover in Newark!

I assume that it's because they have some single seats available so they'll try to sell those off cheap

try using www.sidestep.com

I assume that it's because they have some single seats available so they'll try to sell those off cheap

I'll buy that, but then why not sell the $386 separate seats to 2 people with the stipulation that the seats aren't together?   I'd not sit with my mom to save $60!

try using www.sidestep.com

Looksl ike the same people who run Kayak, which I've been using. 

I've heard it's worth clearing your cookies when doing multiple searches for flights.

I've heard it's worth clearing your cookies when doing multiple searches for flights.

Tried that, and all it's done is given me the same prices AND deleted all my saved passwords!

I've heard it's worth clearing your cookies when doing multiple searches for flights.

I don't know why and I dn't know if your trick worked, but the SECOND time I searched, I got the $380 something flights for two again.

*Score*

I'm overjoyed at having finally booekd my mom and my holiday to Ireland, but sad that I had to give up $736!

congrats!   

I wish I could get as cheap prices...the cheapest I can find is $453 from DC -> London or Dublin.  (And even then I'd have to trek to DC first.)

Congrats on <$400 fares.

I had the same problem with flights inside the US. I could get the flight I wanted for $214 for one ticket but it went up to about $285 when I searched for 4.  Since I'm flying with my three children, I couldn't take a chance of 4 single bookings. I just kept trying new and different websites until I got the ones I wanted.

Well almost the one I wanted. There are a brief moment when I had the cheaper price for a later flight, but I couldn't get 4 of those. So now I have to leave on a 6am flight from the airport that is 1 hour away!

And then I get to pay for the privilege of checking a bag. We're all packing lightly. Except for our carryons which will be stuffed to the gills.

I wish I could get as cheap prices...the cheapest I can find is $453 from DC -> London or Dublin.  (And even then I'd have to trek to DC first.)

Congrats on <$400 fares.

Is this for a round trip?

I wish I could get as cheap prices...the cheapest I can find is $453 from DC -> London or Dublin.  (And even then I'd have to trek to DC first.)

Congrats on <$400 fares.

I booked through Priceline.com....they had some fares that Kayak didn't even have listed!

I was going to suggest www.aerlingus.com we just booked with them for next month and they have some good seat sales going.
Glad you got it sorted.

I was going to suggest www.aerlingus.com we just booked with them for next month and they have some good seat sales going.
Glad you got it sorted.

I originally checked with them, but could only find flights out of JFK at the time, so that's why I switched to other sites, because I totalyl agree with aerlingus being pretty inexpensive!

i've also found that waiting until the next day sometimes helps if clearing your cookies does not.  this happened to me once--the price went up literally between the time i selected the flight and the time i was about to confirm my credit card--so i waited until the next day and what do ya know, the price went back down.  i hate travel websites.