American has pulled out of Orbitz!

[Prop Joe]

Here is my understanding of what is going on...
AA is losing approximately $10-$20 on every ticket being booked on one of these online travel companies. That cost is right now being absorbed by the airline(s). AA wants you to book your ticket through AA.com. That way they make more money.
It's just like baggage fee's, that are now rammed down our throats, it is another way for AA (and others) to make money. I'm not sure why they started with Travelocity? I really like being able to go surf the net with Expedia, Travelocity, Sidestep, whatever.com, to check for best fares... Its real easy to find cheapest fares the way it is now. I also realize the airlines need to make money to survive. It will be interesting to see how this comes out.

 

[HowardE]

AA is still available from Kayak... and the fares at aa.com are the same as expedia or orbitz were. Trend? Southwest is only available at southwest.com big deal? Booking travel takes legwork. It's the way it is.

BTW - This was announced several months ago that AA would be pulling out of orbitz and expedia.

 

[pir8]

Somewhere I heard that for now the Airlines have to pay a fee to these type of companies to sell their flights but they want to reverse that practice so that they will get paid instead for an outside company to sell their flights.

 

[Prop Joe]

AA now out of Expedia. Too bad... Was nice to check prices on that site. I did it for years and not just for dive trips to Cozumel. Bummer!
Expedia Drops American Airlines — Civil Aviation Forum | Airliners.net

 

[Reef Tank]

Booking travel takes legwork. It's the way it is.

Matrix - ITA Software

 

[HowardE]

Matrix - ITA Software

And? It's just another search. The bottom line is... Fares change. Sometimes on a daily basis.

Just last week... I booked a flight from FLL to SAN for $200 that was $350 a week earlier. Patience, and awareness of the regular pricing is the most important thing to booking travel and getting a good deal.

 

[DandyDon]

Daily email alerts help some of us...

 

[sawyersdad]

Those prices from Lubbock are crazy!!! I just purchased airfare for June 2011 for $239/per on Continental.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Those prices from Lubbock are crazy!!! I just purchased airfare for June 2011 for $239/per on Continental.

Of course its cheaper, you flying directly out of Houston, not relaying through a regional puddle jumper to Lubbock in the middle of nowhere Texas.

 

[DandyDon]

Yep, flying from LBB to IAH alone starts at $226 in June. SWA a little higher, wrong airport. We like to think of SWA as the low cost fare airline others have to match, but on the other hand they dilute the market making it harder for real ailrines to put enough passengers on flights to make them worthwhile.

But distance is seldom important in how fares price out. I've seen time I could fly from LBB to Cozumel for less than the Houston customer, or LBB to Cozumel for virtually the same as flying to Houston. :silly:

Amarillo is not much further of a drive for me, and at times I do better there.

One thing to keep in mind always: Flying Continental Express is not the same as flying the real airline. It's a necessary evil rather than flying SWA via Dallas to Houston's wrong airport for a little more money.