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A Winning Ticket Strategy
The Travel Tightwad · June 18, 2002

Finding an airfare at the last minute may seem simple for Enda Carey, a computer systems analyst for a brokerage firm in New York. But the actual process is far from it.

"In order to plan trips based on what's available at the last minute, I use a variety of sources," he says.

Such as? Carey starts at Orbitz to find the cheapest published fare for his dates and times. Next, he hits Travelocity, but he tells the site that his travel times are flexible, ensuring a lower fare. Then he surfs over to Cheaptickets.com and uses its power-search option to find the lowest fare. He compares the results.

After that, Carey fires up his Web browser again and clicks over to Expedia, Hotwire, Bestfares, and Qixo, a site that collects fare information from various travel websites. Then he calls his travel agent (just in case something is available off-line) and runs a search on Digital City and SmarterLiving.com.

You get the idea. Carey cuts a wide swath through the jungle of last-minute Internet specials-a necessary strategy if you want to catch the lowest possible fare, as we discovered last week. Which sites should you hit in your quest for the lowest price on a plane ticket? Here are a few of my favorite sites for buying tickets on short notice:

Bestfares.com may not offer the most last-minute airfares-about seven million itineraries are available on any given day in roughly 180 markets-but its search technology makes the most of it. Tom Parsons, the entrepreneur behind the site, designed software to let travelers look for the lowest published fare while taking into account alternate airport options. I like the fact that you don't have to re-enter data over and over, which can save a bargain-hunter hours. A seven-day advance purchase fare from San Diego to Washington prices at $258, compared with $1,326 through a full-service travel agency. There's a catch, though. In order to book through Bestfares.com, you have to pony up a $59.95 membership fee.

Cheaptickets.com has an inventory of about one million negotiated airfares on 60 major airlines, plus an extensive selection of car rental and hotel inventory. The site is relatively easy to use, but I found that if you want to access most of its deals, you have to create a profile. That may deter some bargain-shoppers who prefer anonymity.

Orbitz claims to offer the most last-minute airfares, the easiest-to-use interface and the lowest fares. At least some of the hype is true. Its Web fare selection is extensive-often overwhelming-offering ticket inventory from over 450 airlines and scanning more than two billion possible fare combinations. In side-by-side comparisons with its competitors for low-fare searches, Orbitz generally scores very high. And its cleverly-designed site is capable of displaying price search results in a way that's easy to understand. The fare selection can be overwhelming. And watch out for the $5 per ticket booking fee.

Priceline.com is a powerhouse of distressed inventory, offering one of the most comprehensive collections of cheap airline seats (30 airlines), hotels (more than 8,000), and car rental agencies (five). There's just one catch: You have to "guess" the price under its name-your-own price scheme, which compels you to bid for the ticket or room. Guess right and you could save more than 40 percent; guess wrong and you could pay too much. In a departure from its old ways, Priceline.com's new name-your-own price vacation package feature lets you pick the length of your vacation, your hotel (but not the carrier), and your travel dates. That could land you a cheaper airfare, but you have to do your homework.

Travelocity is another worthwhile stop for last-minute fares. The site offers an impressive range of fare choices, from "opaque" fares that conceal the airline brand to special negotiated "Good Buy" tickets. The site's useful "dream map" lets you specify a desired destination and price and then suggests an itinerary that meets your criteria. Best of all, it allows you to access all of Travelocity's airline seat inventory from the map-even the "last minute" variety. (Sample fares: Dallas to San Francisco, $243 on National Airlines; Dallas to Boston, $198 on American Airlines, which includes a One-Day Admirals Club Pass for Travelocity Preferred Elite Members).

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.