best deals on airfare??

[Mike_D]

I've been playing the flight game for 30 years and the jumps recently are the worst I've seen. All airlines have taken the opportunity to stick it to us. I think your dreamin' if you thnk they're double.

This has been my experience, as well. YMMV.

I like to find the cheapest airfare, but I also think it's worth it to pay a few extra bucks for a non-stop flight (especially when flying international). Where I live (Philly), if you want a non-stop flight to most destinations then US Air is the only game in town. I found that most 3rd party travel websites will only have a few dollars discount off the US Airways advertised price. This difference is easily made-up by the transaction/booking fees that the 3rd party websites charge. I've also found that flights with one stop are generally only ~$50 cheaper than non-stop flights. The savings are not worth the hassle, IMO.

The best deal - for me, at least - was to sign up for a US Airways MasterCard, and accumulate miles by making everyday purchases. I can then use the miles for airfare or first class upgrades.

I've never seen anything close to 1/2 off the US Air advertised price, although it may be possible with other airlines. I'll have to check out this ebookings website, and see what they offer.