Help me buy the best airline ticket?
November 1, 2022 8:29 AM Subscribe
I want to get an airline ticket for a coast-to-coast flight in January. I haven't flown for quite some time, so I feel rusty and also nervous. What are your best practices for getting the best ticket under current circumstances?
I'm going from DC (ideally DCA) to SFO (or thereabouts--could also use San Jose or Oakland) and back. My current priorities are:
1. nonstop
2. reliable service
3. easily refundable or replaceable in case of illness
4. cost (I have very kind friends who are chipping in, otherwise this would be higher)
Also, in the interest of minimizing time in airports, I'm wondering if getting TSA PreCheck would be worth it. I never have before, partially just on principle, but at this point I'll use every covid-mitigation strategy in the arsenal if it might help.
Plus, is there such a thing as domestic cross-country 'business class', or is that niche only filled by super pricey 'first class'?
I haven't done any searching yet--I don't know if "dynamic flight pricing", where the prices go up for flights you're searching, really is a thing--airlines apparently say not, but do I trust them? (No.)
Savvy travelers, please help me calm down and learn how to find a good flight?
I'm going from DC (ideally DCA) to SFO (or thereabouts--could also use San Jose or Oakland) and back. My current priorities are:
1. nonstop
2. reliable service
3. easily refundable or replaceable in case of illness
4. cost (I have very kind friends who are chipping in, otherwise this would be higher)
Also, in the interest of minimizing time in airports, I'm wondering if getting TSA PreCheck would be worth it. I never have before, partially just on principle, but at this point I'll use every covid-mitigation strategy in the arsenal if it might help.
Plus, is there such a thing as domestic cross-country 'business class', or is that niche only filled by super pricey 'first class'?
I haven't done any searching yet--I don't know if "dynamic flight pricing", where the prices go up for flights you're searching, really is a thing--airlines apparently say not, but do I trust them? (No.)
Savvy travelers, please help me calm down and learn how to find a good flight?
TSA Precheck is well worth it. You're paying a fee to avoid a great deal of airport security theater. However, you may not have enough time to apply and pay, book an appointment for the interview and wait to get approved before taking your trip in January. (This may be inaccurate now. I know when I applied, the earliest I could book an interview at my local airport was months in the future.)
What I do is browse flights on Google Flights to get a sense for what's available. Then, I use the appropriate US airline app on my phone to actually book the trip. I have used services like Priceline, Hotwire and Booking.com for hotels and car rentals, but never for flights.
posted by emelenjr at 8:46 AM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
What I do is browse flights on Google Flights to get a sense for what's available. Then, I use the appropriate US airline app on my phone to actually book the trip. I have used services like Priceline, Hotwire and Booking.com for hotels and car rentals, but never for flights.
posted by emelenjr at 8:46 AM on November 1, 2022 [6 favorites]
Pre-check enrollment can take a while, so if you are planning to travel in January, it may not come back in time. Once you're in, though, your $85 fee covers you for 5 years, which made it a great option for me, a person who only flies 2-3 times a year. It makes a huge difference in time spent in security--I have walked through security at SFO in less than five minutes.
If you don't have time for TSA Precheck Clear might help a little bit. The enrollment process is faster--you can finish it at the airport right before your flight. It's slightly different than Pre-Check; instead of going into a separate line, you go to the regular line but get escorted past the ID check, so you still have to do the shoes/liquids/electroncis removal process, which you get to skip with PreCheck. It's much more expensive, but there are some ways to knock the price down--here's a link for a 2 month free trial.
posted by assenav at 8:51 AM on November 1, 2022
If you don't have time for TSA Precheck Clear might help a little bit. The enrollment process is faster--you can finish it at the airport right before your flight. It's slightly different than Pre-Check; instead of going into a separate line, you go to the regular line but get escorted past the ID check, so you still have to do the shoes/liquids/electroncis removal process, which you get to skip with PreCheck. It's much more expensive, but there are some ways to knock the price down--here's a link for a 2 month free trial.
posted by assenav at 8:51 AM on November 1, 2022
A lot of Asks about plane travel are about specific airports, and my advice is always to look at those airports and see what destinations are served, because the options usually aren't as numerous as you might think (especially for long haul route). From DCA, there are only two airlines offering nonstop flights to SFO: United and Alaska, and as it turns out, those two are the only nonstop flight from anywhere in the Washington area to anywhere in the Bay Area. If you want a nonstop flight, you're going to fly either United or Alaska, so don't bother looking anywhere else. In January, both of these routes are only offered once a day. United departs at 6pm and arrives at 9:18; Alaska departs at 5:15 and arrives at 8:27. These are your only two options unless you add stops.
So it's really a question of, do you want to fly United or do you want to fly Alaska? I've never flown Alaska, so I can't advise you there in terms of reliability or customer service. But United is known for sucking. I'd probably fly Alaska, because there's no way they can be worse than United is.
I've never bought PreCheck, because I usually fly in and out of smaller airports where security lines aren't very long. At a big airport like DCA or SFO, PreCheck will probably make a big difference in your wait time, so if you can afford it, it's probably worth it.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:52 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
So it's really a question of, do you want to fly United or do you want to fly Alaska? I've never flown Alaska, so I can't advise you there in terms of reliability or customer service. But United is known for sucking. I'd probably fly Alaska, because there's no way they can be worse than United is.
I've never bought PreCheck, because I usually fly in and out of smaller airports where security lines aren't very long. At a big airport like DCA or SFO, PreCheck will probably make a big difference in your wait time, so if you can afford it, it's probably worth it.
posted by kevinbelt at 8:52 AM on November 1, 2022 [9 favorites]
Yes, Google Flights is your friend here. It scans prices on several (but not all) airlines, and you can remove certain airlines and also tell it you want zero stops.
They also give you a price grid so you can compare different days and you can sign up for alerts for when the price on your itinerary changes.
I'm now seeing kevinbelt's answer and would recommend Alaska as a good airline.
I agree you might not have time to get TSA pre.
Also, refundable flights can be much more expensive. It could be that the refundable ticket is way more than the regular one and the extra cost isn't worth it.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:55 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
They also give you a price grid so you can compare different days and you can sign up for alerts for when the price on your itinerary changes.
I'm now seeing kevinbelt's answer and would recommend Alaska as a good airline.
I agree you might not have time to get TSA pre.
Also, refundable flights can be much more expensive. It could be that the refundable ticket is way more than the regular one and the extra cost isn't worth it.
posted by bluedaisy at 8:55 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Two things to consider that I think haven't been mentioned yet:
Your Priorities 3 and 4 usually conflict with each other - the cheapest fares are usually non refundable/transferable, and/or will incur a change fee if you want to change the dates. Specific policies vary by airline. ( needing to pay a fee to change is usually not so bad, if you're pretty sure you will eventually fly somewhere)
Depending on how long it's been since your last trip, know that airlines now charge extra for things that you might assume are included, like the ability to choose a seat, or to sit in certain rows, or to have carry on luggage or checked baggage. Again, the specifics vary by airline.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 9:00 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
Your Priorities 3 and 4 usually conflict with each other - the cheapest fares are usually non refundable/transferable, and/or will incur a change fee if you want to change the dates. Specific policies vary by airline. ( needing to pay a fee to change is usually not so bad, if you're pretty sure you will eventually fly somewhere)
Depending on how long it's been since your last trip, know that airlines now charge extra for things that you might assume are included, like the ability to choose a seat, or to sit in certain rows, or to have carry on luggage or checked baggage. Again, the specifics vary by airline.
posted by mrgoldenbrown at 9:00 AM on November 1, 2022 [3 favorites]
I just did this flight (SFO->DC) a couple of months ago. I agree with the strategy of looking up the flights on Google Flights and then buying directly from the airline. I try to fly Alaska when I can; I've always had good experiences with them.
As you're looking at prices, be sure to check whether seat choice is included, if that's something you care about. Some airlines have a discount price that doesn't let you choose this.
Pre-check is totally worth it if you have time; security here at SFO can be very annoying at certain times of day. Pre-check is super fast.
posted by chbrooks at 9:02 AM on November 1, 2022
As you're looking at prices, be sure to check whether seat choice is included, if that's something you care about. Some airlines have a discount price that doesn't let you choose this.
Pre-check is totally worth it if you have time; security here at SFO can be very annoying at certain times of day. Pre-check is super fast.
posted by chbrooks at 9:02 AM on November 1, 2022
Don't you still have to do an in-person interview for PreCheck? For a single flight, I feel like you'd be trading spending time in the airport on the day of your flight for spending time at your interview (and/or in line for the interview). If you're planning to fly more in the future, it might make sense.
Otherwise seconding kevinbelt's post. I've flown Alaska cross-country from Boston to LA and SFO. It's fine! Since there are so few flights a day, you are kind of up a creek if your flight is cancelled (which happened to me once on a BOS-SFO flight that was cancelled and instead turned into BOS-LAX-SFO with an overnight layover in LA, yuck), but there's very little you can do about that.
Alaska only has "First" class; United has "Business First." Either will cost you about an extra $1K. Fully-refundable tickets are very expensive but Alaska has a pretty good no-change-fee ticket type.
posted by mskyle at 9:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Otherwise seconding kevinbelt's post. I've flown Alaska cross-country from Boston to LA and SFO. It's fine! Since there are so few flights a day, you are kind of up a creek if your flight is cancelled (which happened to me once on a BOS-SFO flight that was cancelled and instead turned into BOS-LAX-SFO with an overnight layover in LA, yuck), but there's very little you can do about that.
Alaska only has "First" class; United has "Business First." Either will cost you about an extra $1K. Fully-refundable tickets are very expensive but Alaska has a pretty good no-change-fee ticket type.
posted by mskyle at 9:15 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Nthing kevinbelt’s advice. I flew DCA-SFO just a few months ago on Alaska Airlines - they are a top-tier airline, and would choose them over almost any other airline.
posted by General Malaise at 9:33 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by General Malaise at 9:33 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I don't think I have laid out my Google Flights strategy before, so here goes. First, you can type airport codes separated by commas very quickly. So in the "From" box, type "DCA,BWI,IAD," (the final comma is important), and in the "To" box "SFO,SJC,OAK," (again with the final comma). Select approximate dates for a trip of the duration you want (more on that later), and check the boxes for Stops -> Nonstop and Bags -> 1 Carry on (or whatever you're planning on taking). If you know you don't want a redeye, select the departure and arrival time. Now you have a baseline set of flights. In this case there are multiple competitive nonstops so no need to book a stop.
Once you have your basic trip setup, first thing is to check the "Price graph". It will show you the minimum prices of a month's worth of departure days at a glance. You can see that after January 7th it doesn't really matter when you go as far as price.
Then you can drill down and see if your choice of airports makes a difference. The Bay Area is a bit difference from DC that there's not really a "bad" airport the way there is with Dulles. Oakland is my personal preference, smaller and shorter lines, but SFO has by far the most flights though the most delays, and San Jose isn't connected to transit. Kind of a mixed bag. At the top you can change Economy to Business and see the "first class" fares, which unfortunately are more than double. There's no premium economy on this route. Click on the Departure airports, uncheck the ones you don't prefer, and see how the price and times change. Click the back button in your browser to restore the airports, this is a real strength of Google Flights, near-instant A/B comparison.
Lately refundable flights have been very reasonably priced. (I assume you're aware that all flights now can be turned into credit valid for at least a year.) Sometimes Google shows a refundable price, other times you have to click through to select that as an option. I've had good luck using Google's buttons to book directly with the airline (NOT "with Google"), worst case is you have to find the option to edit your search on the airline site to search for refundable.
And FYI, I do a lot of searching for flights (several actual vacations a year and many, many speculative ones) and I almost never see prices change between searches and the airline. I have also never seen any impact of cookies or other tracking, or differences between work and home. It's true that prices fluctuate, but that's the nature of the business, not a scam. Good luck!
posted by wnissen at 10:08 AM on November 1, 2022 [12 favorites]
Once you have your basic trip setup, first thing is to check the "Price graph". It will show you the minimum prices of a month's worth of departure days at a glance. You can see that after January 7th it doesn't really matter when you go as far as price.
Then you can drill down and see if your choice of airports makes a difference. The Bay Area is a bit difference from DC that there's not really a "bad" airport the way there is with Dulles. Oakland is my personal preference, smaller and shorter lines, but SFO has by far the most flights though the most delays, and San Jose isn't connected to transit. Kind of a mixed bag. At the top you can change Economy to Business and see the "first class" fares, which unfortunately are more than double. There's no premium economy on this route. Click on the Departure airports, uncheck the ones you don't prefer, and see how the price and times change. Click the back button in your browser to restore the airports, this is a real strength of Google Flights, near-instant A/B comparison.
Lately refundable flights have been very reasonably priced. (I assume you're aware that all flights now can be turned into credit valid for at least a year.) Sometimes Google shows a refundable price, other times you have to click through to select that as an option. I've had good luck using Google's buttons to book directly with the airline (NOT "with Google"), worst case is you have to find the option to edit your search on the airline site to search for refundable.
And FYI, I do a lot of searching for flights (several actual vacations a year and many, many speculative ones) and I almost never see prices change between searches and the airline. I have also never seen any impact of cookies or other tracking, or differences between work and home. It's true that prices fluctuate, but that's the nature of the business, not a scam. Good luck!
posted by wnissen at 10:08 AM on November 1, 2022 [12 favorites]
1 + 2, nonstop and reliable. First things first: given "nonstop" is your top priority, you are flying into SFO; there are no direct flights between DC-area airports and either OAK or SJC. Unfortunately, the vast majority of SFO-bound flights originate from Dulles, sorry. There's like one Alaska and one United flight per day from DCA, compared to half a dozen (but almost entirely United afaict, no surprise since IAD is a United hub) IAD-SFO flights, so at least if your IAD flight does get canceled or delayed, you're more likely to have easy backup options; that covers your 2nd priority. I have been boycotting United since 2011 for personal reasons despite having been a frequent traveler with status with them before that (and avoiding Dulles for the same reason); I like Alaska quite a bit, but given how few direct flights Alaska runs between the DC area and SFO, it probably makes more sense to focus on booking with United in your case while keeping an eye on Alaska fares. (But personally, I would happily book the DCA flight with Alaska and not look back.)
3+4, refundable and cost-conscious: doing a flexible-date search on the United website for tickets in January seems to indicate that as of right now, you should be able to find a nonstop fully-refundable round trip between the DC and Bay Areas for right around $500, depending on your date specifics. I would consider this a very reasonable fare; it's maybe a $100 premium over tickets that aren't "fully refundable." Alaska has very similar fares on offer.
4b, cost and seat size/class. As others have mentioned, "class" and the closely-related seat size vary heavily by airline. But in the United case, said search results have the price for your round trip ticket in business/first class somewhere in the $1000-$2000 range. Even just paying for "Economy Plus" seating for extra leg room and sitting closer to the front is likely going to run you an extra ~$400 (because *everything* is variable pricing). [Alaska, their "Premier Class" seat selection "starts at $135 per leg", so again, similar results.] Depending on how much your friends are able to help you out with the fare, I wouldn't count on being able to access physical-space perks at the time of purchase, though you *may* be able to buy discounted upgrades the day of the flight after you check in, depending on what's available.
5, PreCheck as COVID-mitigation strategy. As for PreCheck, if it is at all possible for you to get it, do it. Right now, without Pre, it's taking a LOT longer to get through security. I've flown several times this year for work, and have felt comfortable showing up to major airports like SFO and Newark 75-90 minutes before departure, but based on the length of non-Pre lines I was passing, if I didn't have Pre, I would want to be there *at least* 2 hours before departure, despite that meaning more indoor exposure time. And I am very, VERY lucky; here in the Bay Area, the majority of people are still masking indoors and on transit (mask mandates on transit were only lifted maybe a month ago), but once you get to the airport all bets are off. Seriously, flying anywhere else has felt like the goddamn Twilight Zone and was the straw that caused us to upgrade to actual N95s for flying from the KF94s we'd been satisfied with when we weren't flying anywhere.
Final FYI: Flying into and out of SFO, you may experience fog-related delays. But at least your flight is nonstop, so you don't have to worry about missed connections and time added by that, which is far more likely to be extensive (aka why I had to spend an extra 4 hours in ATL earlier this year, at which point I decided I was not flying anywhere in the near future if I couldn't get a direct nonstop).
posted by Pandora Kouti at 10:16 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
3+4, refundable and cost-conscious: doing a flexible-date search on the United website for tickets in January seems to indicate that as of right now, you should be able to find a nonstop fully-refundable round trip between the DC and Bay Areas for right around $500, depending on your date specifics. I would consider this a very reasonable fare; it's maybe a $100 premium over tickets that aren't "fully refundable." Alaska has very similar fares on offer.
4b, cost and seat size/class. As others have mentioned, "class" and the closely-related seat size vary heavily by airline. But in the United case, said search results have the price for your round trip ticket in business/first class somewhere in the $1000-$2000 range. Even just paying for "Economy Plus" seating for extra leg room and sitting closer to the front is likely going to run you an extra ~$400 (because *everything* is variable pricing). [Alaska, their "Premier Class" seat selection "starts at $135 per leg", so again, similar results.] Depending on how much your friends are able to help you out with the fare, I wouldn't count on being able to access physical-space perks at the time of purchase, though you *may* be able to buy discounted upgrades the day of the flight after you check in, depending on what's available.
5, PreCheck as COVID-mitigation strategy. As for PreCheck, if it is at all possible for you to get it, do it. Right now, without Pre, it's taking a LOT longer to get through security. I've flown several times this year for work, and have felt comfortable showing up to major airports like SFO and Newark 75-90 minutes before departure, but based on the length of non-Pre lines I was passing, if I didn't have Pre, I would want to be there *at least* 2 hours before departure, despite that meaning more indoor exposure time. And I am very, VERY lucky; here in the Bay Area, the majority of people are still masking indoors and on transit (mask mandates on transit were only lifted maybe a month ago), but once you get to the airport all bets are off. Seriously, flying anywhere else has felt like the goddamn Twilight Zone and was the straw that caused us to upgrade to actual N95s for flying from the KF94s we'd been satisfied with when we weren't flying anywhere.
Final FYI: Flying into and out of SFO, you may experience fog-related delays. But at least your flight is nonstop, so you don't have to worry about missed connections and time added by that, which is far more likely to be extensive (aka why I had to spend an extra 4 hours in ATL earlier this year, at which point I decided I was not flying anywhere in the near future if I couldn't get a direct nonstop).
posted by Pandora Kouti at 10:16 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
From DCA, there are only two airlines offering nonstop flights to SFO: United and Alaska, and as it turns out, those two are the only nonstop flight from anywhere in the Washington area to anywhere in the Bay Area.
Kayak is showing me multiple daily United non-stops between Dulles and SFO (and even one to San Jose) but I guess to some IAD is too far away to be considered 'the Washington area'? Agreed, getting out there's a drag (until they finish the Silver line). Still lamenting Southwest cancelling their SJC-BWI non-stop, was so convenient for me.
posted by Rash at 10:23 AM on November 1, 2022
Kayak is showing me multiple daily United non-stops between Dulles and SFO (and even one to San Jose) but I guess to some IAD is too far away to be considered 'the Washington area'? Agreed, getting out there's a drag (until they finish the Silver line). Still lamenting Southwest cancelling their SJC-BWI non-stop, was so convenient for me.
posted by Rash at 10:23 AM on November 1, 2022
Also, you may want to start monitoring Flight Aware.com, which lists flight delay and cancellation statistics for yesterday, today and tomorrow, which you can filter by airline or airport.
posted by Rash at 10:28 AM on November 1, 2022
posted by Rash at 10:28 AM on November 1, 2022
type "DCA,BWI,IAD," (the final comma is important)
Wait, why?
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:32 AM on November 1, 2022
Wait, why?
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 10:32 AM on November 1, 2022
I don't think TSAPre is worth it for one flight - just build in an extra hour of time at the airport. (AK is fine, United is the fucking worst, IME)
posted by tristeza at 10:50 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by tristeza at 10:50 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
First, you can type airport codes separated by commas very quickly. So in the "From" box, type "DCA,BWI,IAD," (the final comma is important),
No need. "WAS" is DC-area airports, and covers all of those.
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
No need. "WAS" is DC-area airports, and covers all of those.
posted by praemunire at 11:08 AM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm not so sure it's too late to get PreCheck. You don't have to do it at the airport, there are "enrollment centers" (inside Staples stores, at notary shops, etc.) all over that often have appointments available shortly after your approval comes through, which shouldn't take more than a few days. Worth looking into before discounting the whole thing, it really does make a difference in time!
posted by CheeseLouise at 11:38 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by CheeseLouise at 11:38 AM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
I guess to some IAD is too far away to be considered 'the Washington area'?
No, I just overlooked it in haste. But it doesn't change much. Alaska only has one IAD-SFO per day. United has a couple, but between the general consensus that Alaska is a better airline and the OP's preference for DCA, I'm not sure those extra flights make a difference.
posted by kevinbelt at 12:06 PM on November 1, 2022
No, I just overlooked it in haste. But it doesn't change much. Alaska only has one IAD-SFO per day. United has a couple, but between the general consensus that Alaska is a better airline and the OP's preference for DCA, I'm not sure those extra flights make a difference.
posted by kevinbelt at 12:06 PM on November 1, 2022
@ Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell, the reason for the final comma is that otherwise it doesn't "set" the final airport, it waits for you to select it from the list.
And @ praemunire, while it is true that WAS covers all Washington airports, using that doesn't allow you to check and uncheck airports. Which I was able to do to quickly confirm that all nonstops between the two areas go through IAD, SFO, or both. There's also no equivalent code for SFO, though Google fakes it.
posted by wnissen at 12:29 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
And @ praemunire, while it is true that WAS covers all Washington airports, using that doesn't allow you to check and uncheck airports. Which I was able to do to quickly confirm that all nonstops between the two areas go through IAD, SFO, or both. There's also no equivalent code for SFO, though Google fakes it.
posted by wnissen at 12:29 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh, I knew I forgot some general things even though I had the longest answer so far, LOL, sorry about that.
Additional flying-during-the-pandemic advice I have received and followed:
* carry-on luggage only. You get out of the airport 15-30 minutes faster. Bring as little as possible.
* turn your air on when you get to your seat, make sure the air is flowing in front of you, and leave it on until you get off the plane.
* try to not eat or drink when anyone else is. Hearty meal just before leaving for the airport, waiting to eat on cross-country flights until after the official snack service had concluded and the flight attendants had taken everyone else's trash (and not eating at all on shorter flights), meal planned for ASAP upon exiting the airport.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:47 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Additional flying-during-the-pandemic advice I have received and followed:
* carry-on luggage only. You get out of the airport 15-30 minutes faster. Bring as little as possible.
* turn your air on when you get to your seat, make sure the air is flowing in front of you, and leave it on until you get off the plane.
* try to not eat or drink when anyone else is. Hearty meal just before leaving for the airport, waiting to eat on cross-country flights until after the official snack service had concluded and the flight attendants had taken everyone else's trash (and not eating at all on shorter flights), meal planned for ASAP upon exiting the airport.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:47 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
FWIW as far as PreCheck timing, a friend in Atlanta was able to get it in under a month this summer. Mine was also much faster than the estimated time but that was pre-Covid. And yes, to me it's very much worth it in the era of Covid. This doesn't apply to your plan but on a recent trip with a layover I was able to get lunch in the airport, take it outside to eat safely, and get back in for my flight with a 90 minute layover. No way would I have felt comfortable trying that if I had to go back through regular security.
The potentially good news in case you have to cancel is Covid did make airlines a lot more willing to let you cancel for credit even up to pretty much the last minute. As long as you think you could use the credit within the year to 18 months that they give you, that opens up cheaper tickets than fully refundable ones.
posted by Candleman at 1:58 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
The potentially good news in case you have to cancel is Covid did make airlines a lot more willing to let you cancel for credit even up to pretty much the last minute. As long as you think you could use the credit within the year to 18 months that they give you, that opens up cheaper tickets than fully refundable ones.
posted by Candleman at 1:58 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I fly cross-country quite a bit (more so pre-COVID, but still 3ish times/year). Some of my tips:
- My strategy for buying tickets is: Look up my dates and route on kayak.com, then buy the actual tickets on the airline's website (not via Kayak - I close kayak and go to the airline's site). This way you can compare different factors (airline, route, time, price) across carriers, but then get the benefits of buying from the airline itself (more likely to be able to choose your seat, better service/compensation if it's cancelled, etc.).
- The best times to fly seem to be early morning OR evenings mid-week or Saturday. Early mornings are good for avoiding late/cancelled flights, which is especially a problem this year, but the airport will be busier. January is usually a pretty low-volume time to travel but if you want to minimize the number of people in the airport and on the plane with you, fly Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday night.
- I don't think the prices fluctuate dynamically as much as they used to. I've tried going into an incognito window to see and the prices didn't change. It's generally best to buy 6-8 weeks out, but that can vary - I'd just buy when you're ready.
- In my experience, the nicest airlines to fly domestic are Alaska and Delta. But I always prioritize a direct flight over a specific airline because they're mostly terrible anyway! DO NOT fly Frontier or Spirit unless you absolutely have to, they are cheap but notoriously awful. I'd stay away from Southwest too, because they don't have assigned seats and make you line up to claim your seat. That's a lot of close contact with other people. (JetBlue used to be on my best list but they have really gone downhill - this summer they cancelled my flight the night before and didn't even attempt to rebook me!)
posted by lunasol at 2:47 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
- My strategy for buying tickets is: Look up my dates and route on kayak.com, then buy the actual tickets on the airline's website (not via Kayak - I close kayak and go to the airline's site). This way you can compare different factors (airline, route, time, price) across carriers, but then get the benefits of buying from the airline itself (more likely to be able to choose your seat, better service/compensation if it's cancelled, etc.).
- The best times to fly seem to be early morning OR evenings mid-week or Saturday. Early mornings are good for avoiding late/cancelled flights, which is especially a problem this year, but the airport will be busier. January is usually a pretty low-volume time to travel but if you want to minimize the number of people in the airport and on the plane with you, fly Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday night.
- I don't think the prices fluctuate dynamically as much as they used to. I've tried going into an incognito window to see and the prices didn't change. It's generally best to buy 6-8 weeks out, but that can vary - I'd just buy when you're ready.
- In my experience, the nicest airlines to fly domestic are Alaska and Delta. But I always prioritize a direct flight over a specific airline because they're mostly terrible anyway! DO NOT fly Frontier or Spirit unless you absolutely have to, they are cheap but notoriously awful. I'd stay away from Southwest too, because they don't have assigned seats and make you line up to claim your seat. That's a lot of close contact with other people. (JetBlue used to be on my best list but they have really gone downhill - this summer they cancelled my flight the night before and didn't even attempt to rebook me!)
posted by lunasol at 2:47 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Regarding PreCheck, I'd recommend it both for speed of getting through security lines and less confusing security procedures (hopefully).
It's anecdata and things might be different for you, but I signed up for it in September this year and had my approval in 7 days. My appointment (at a Staples) was 4 days after I submitted the application (which was super easy), and the approval came 3 days after the appointment. My wife signed up around the same time and also got her approval just a few days after the appointment. Looking back at the email I got when I signed up it says to contact them if you don't get your approval in 60 days. I think if you start the process now then you have time.
posted by noneuclidean at 6:38 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
It's anecdata and things might be different for you, but I signed up for it in September this year and had my approval in 7 days. My appointment (at a Staples) was 4 days after I submitted the application (which was super easy), and the approval came 3 days after the appointment. My wife signed up around the same time and also got her approval just a few days after the appointment. Looking back at the email I got when I signed up it says to contact them if you don't get your approval in 60 days. I think if you start the process now then you have time.
posted by noneuclidean at 6:38 PM on November 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
A few years ago, I would have said fly Southwest... there are no change fees, you get travel credit if you cancel, and the cost of checked bags is included with the ticket price. Unfortunately, there is now no longer a direct flight from the DC area to the Bay area, so now I must recommend Southwest with some hesitation for your purpose. (A reminder that Southwest doesn't show up in the travel aggregate sites, so you would need to check the website directly). I would say that if you do go with Southwest, it's worth paying for Early Bird check in.
This summer I booked a refundable fare on Delta. The evening before my departure, Delta cancelled my flight and rebooked me on a flight that arrived too late for my purpose. I was able to get a last minute flight on American instead. Delta didn't give me any grief about refunding my money and cancelling my outgoing flight but not my return flight. Delta was also horribly delayed on my return, but I didn't care as much because my event was over.
FWIW I flew out of Dulles a few weeks ago very early on a Saturday morning and there was hardly a line... TSA was almost pleasant. So it's at least possible that pre check won't be needed/ helpful. It's been my experience that seating by occupied gates is quite crowded. However, at least Dulles had non occupied gates that were less crowded. (I would be worried that DCA would be crowded without a lot of extra space, but I have no recent direct experience there).
So I have a few recommendations. Use Kayak or Google flights to see different flight options, and check flight aware for recent on time performance. Check seat guru to make an informed decision about seating. Book directly with the airline. Consider prioritizing booking a flight for first thing in the morning... if the airline changes your flight, you stand a better chance of at least getting a notification about a flight change the night before. Do carry on baggage only. Also avoid the lowest tier(s) of economy if possible, since later boarding groups are often forced to "gate check" their larger carry on bags. Bring your electronics fully charged to the airport, so you don't feel compelled to make the trade off between charging devices and avoiding others.
posted by oceano at 11:10 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
This summer I booked a refundable fare on Delta. The evening before my departure, Delta cancelled my flight and rebooked me on a flight that arrived too late for my purpose. I was able to get a last minute flight on American instead. Delta didn't give me any grief about refunding my money and cancelling my outgoing flight but not my return flight. Delta was also horribly delayed on my return, but I didn't care as much because my event was over.
FWIW I flew out of Dulles a few weeks ago very early on a Saturday morning and there was hardly a line... TSA was almost pleasant. So it's at least possible that pre check won't be needed/ helpful. It's been my experience that seating by occupied gates is quite crowded. However, at least Dulles had non occupied gates that were less crowded. (I would be worried that DCA would be crowded without a lot of extra space, but I have no recent direct experience there).
So I have a few recommendations. Use Kayak or Google flights to see different flight options, and check flight aware for recent on time performance. Check seat guru to make an informed decision about seating. Book directly with the airline. Consider prioritizing booking a flight for first thing in the morning... if the airline changes your flight, you stand a better chance of at least getting a notification about a flight change the night before. Do carry on baggage only. Also avoid the lowest tier(s) of economy if possible, since later boarding groups are often forced to "gate check" their larger carry on bags. Bring your electronics fully charged to the airport, so you don't feel compelled to make the trade off between charging devices and avoiding others.
posted by oceano at 11:10 PM on November 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh and regards to when to buy, I would suggest buying the most suitable refundable fare ASAP. The 24 Hour Rule will (almost certainly) apply to your situation. But if you do find a better deal you can cancel a refundable fare. (Do check if its flight credit vs. a refund. A flight credit may be less useful to you).
posted by oceano at 11:24 PM on November 1, 2022
posted by oceano at 11:24 PM on November 1, 2022
FWIW as far as PreCheck timing, a friend in Atlanta was able to get it in under a month this summer
Just as another point of reference: I booked our appointment on 9/20 and received the KTN on 10/25 (we were fingerprinted / photographed on 10/10, but there were lots of earlier appointments available to us if we had wanted them).
posted by uncleozzy at 4:33 AM on November 2, 2022
Just as another point of reference: I booked our appointment on 9/20 and received the KTN on 10/25 (we were fingerprinted / photographed on 10/10, but there were lots of earlier appointments available to us if we had wanted them).
posted by uncleozzy at 4:33 AM on November 2, 2022
One piece of frequent-traveler advice I haven't seen mentioned here yet is to install the airline's app on your phone. If you do end up having trouble with a flight, booking an alternative via the app is typically faster and easier than rebooking in person or over the phone.
posted by yarntheory at 9:11 AM on November 2, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by yarntheory at 9:11 AM on November 2, 2022 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: I deeply appreciate all of the information and clarifications here!
I assume you're aware that all flights now can be turned into credit valid for at least a year
No, I wasn't, and that's very good to know, wnissen.
In fact, there are a lot of things in the answers here that I wasn't aware of, or hadn't considered carefully enough. Thanks to everyone--I'm so glad I asked this question!
posted by theatro at 4:19 PM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
I assume you're aware that all flights now can be turned into credit valid for at least a year
No, I wasn't, and that's very good to know, wnissen.
In fact, there are a lot of things in the answers here that I wasn't aware of, or hadn't considered carefully enough. Thanks to everyone--I'm so glad I asked this question!
posted by theatro at 4:19 PM on November 2, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Followup: I did sign up for PreChek, and was whisked through the process shockingly quickly! It turns out I also have to make another flight even sooner, so hopefully PreChek will come in handy at some point or other. It makes me feel a little better, anyway.
I got my ticket and downloaded the airline app, and am ready (or at least as ready as I'll ever be, given everything and all). Thank you again for all the help!
posted by theatro at 12:49 PM on December 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
I got my ticket and downloaded the airline app, and am ready (or at least as ready as I'll ever be, given everything and all). Thank you again for all the help!
posted by theatro at 12:49 PM on December 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
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posted by 0bvious at 8:41 AM on November 1, 2022