How to Use Priceline for Airfare

Name your price with Priceline.

Booking airfare online has become a popular way for pleasure travelers to choose their own flights. With the large variety of price-comparison websites on the Internet, it is easy to be confused about where to look. In addition to a price-comparison option, Priceline.com offers a service that allows customers to bid any price on travel dates and locations without choosing the airline. If an airline accepts the bid, Priceline automatically purchases the ticket for the passenger, without any other confirmation. The system is dynamic, but slightly confusing.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Credit card

Instructions

Bidding on Travel

1. Enter the dates and places you want to travel to and from and click the "next" button.

2. Choose from the list of airlines and prices available, which will usually be similar to prices at other airline price-comparison websites. Click on "Name Your Own Price" to use the Priceline bidding system.

3. Select airports from a list of local and regional airports near the departure and arrival cities you have specified. You can choose more than one airport to and from which you are willing to travel to increase your chances of getting an accepted bid.

4. Enter the price you are willing to pay in dollars for your airfare along with the traveler's name and click "next."

5. Check the information on the next page, which will reiterate your chosen travel dates and airports, the total cost of the ticket, including fees and taxes, and options to include trip insurance, rental cars and hotels. Skip past this if you just want the airfare and click "next."

6. Enter your credit card information on the next page to secure your bid. Once you complete this information and submit the page, you have authorized Priceline to charge your card for the stated amount if the bid is accepted by any airline.

7. Read and initial the terms and conditions and "Important Information" before you finally click "buy my tickets now." In 60 seconds, you will be informed whether or not the bid was accepted. If accepted, your credit card will be charged; if rejected, your card will not be charged and you will have to wait 24 hours to try another bid for the same ticket.

Airline Price Comparison

1. Enter your departure and arrival locations and dates on Priceline's home page and click "search now."

2. Select fare, airline and schedule for departure from the list displayed and click "choose departure."

3. Select fare, airline and schedule for return travel from the list displayed and click "choose return."

4. Review your chosen itinerary on the next page and then complete the traveler information. Click "next" when you are fnished.

5. Initial the indicated box after reading the "Important Information" section.

6. Fill in your billing information below the box and click "buy my tickets now."

Tips & Warnings

• Choosing to bid on airfare and name your own price on Priceline requires you to submit your credit card information and a bid without choosing departure and arrival times or the airline. Priceline chooses these for you if your bid is accepted, and only then will these details be released to you. Priceline flights for which you choose your own price are also usually not eligible for frequent flyer miles.

References

• Priceline.com: Two Great Ways to Save