Priceline is an online travel agency that allows you to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages. When it comes to booking flights, Priceline offers a few different ways to save money:
A. Different Ways to Save Money on Priceline Flights:
1) Name Your Price:
You specify your maximum acceptable price for a flight to a specific destination and travel dates. Priceline uses this information to negotiate with airlines for unsold seats they’re willing to accept lower prices for.
2) Express Deals:
You choose your travel dates and destination, but the airline and schedule remain hidden until after you purchase the deal.
- These deals are already discounted compared to standard prices, but you give up the ability to choose specific airlines or flight times.
3) Bid on Flights:
Similar to Name Your Own Price, you bid on the price you’re willing to pay for a specific flight itinerary.
- If your offer is accepted, you get the flight for your proposed price. However, there’s always the risk your offer might not be accepted, leaving you without the specific flight you desired.
- But, there’s a chance that the airline might not agree, and then you won’t get the exact flight you wanted.
B. How to Book Priceline Flights:
Here’s how to book flights on Priceline, whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a curious first-timer:
Step – 1. Search Priceline Flights
- Navigate to the “Flights” section.
- Decide on a round-trip, one-way, or multi-city flight.
- Fill in your departure and arrival cities, travel dates, and number of passengers.
- Choose your desired level of comfort / Cabin class: Economy, Economy Plus, Business, or First Class.
Step – 2. Filter Your Results:
- When you look for your flight, a new screen will show up with the details you entered. The flights are listed from cheapest to most expensive, but you can change what you see by using the filters on the left. You can pick how many stops you want, the time of the flights, which airline you prefer, and more.
- You might see a special deal called Priceline Express that can save you money.
- After you have selected your departure and return flights. If it says “+$0.00,” it won’t change the price you saw before. But there are choices to pay more for your return if you want.
Step – 3. Confirm your Booking & Payment:
- After you pick the flights you want to go and come back, Priceline will show you the total price and let you know if you can cancel for free within 24 hours. You can make sure all the flight details are right, check about baggage, see if you can upgrade, and pick your seat (if it’s included).
- When you’re sure about everything, you can go to the checkout. There, you put in your information and payment details. Finally, you can review it one more time before finishing your booking.
Congratulations! You’ve booked your Priceline flight. You’ll receive a confirmation email with your journey details and any further instructions.
C. Pros & Cons of Priceline Flights:
Priceline Flights can be a good option for travelers seeking deals, but like anything, there are potential advantages and disadvantages to consider. Here we discussed the Pros & Cons of Priceline Flights.
1) Pros:
- Join Priceline VIP, their loyalty program, for travel discounts. It’s simple with four levels based on your completed trips. All levels have the Best Price Guarantee, saving you 10-50% on hotels and 10-20% on car rentals. You also get deep discounts and insider coupons. Signing up is free, and tracking trips is easy using your membership email when booking Priceline flights.
- With Name Your Price, Express Deals, and Bid on Flights, you can score deals significantly lower than standard prices, especially if flexible with travel dates.
- Book flights, hotels, and car rentals in one place.
- Choose from traditional flight searches, blind deals for extra savings, or bidding for specific flights.
- Priceline gives you a way to save money by offering different vacation packages. You can choose: Hotel and Flight, Hotel, Flight, and Rental Car, Flight and Rental Car, Hotel and Rental Car
- You will get notified if the cost of the flight you want drops with Price Drop Alerts.
2) Cons:
- Blind deals like Express Deals and Name Your Price sacrifice control over airlines, itineraries, and seat selection.
- Bid on Flights and Name Your Price involve the risk of your bid not being accepted, leaving you without the desired flight.
- Express Deals are nonrefundable. Once you’ve made a booking, you can’t change or cancel it.
- Some airlines may charge additional fees for baggage, seat selection, or in-flight services.
- Blind deals often have stricter cancellation and change policies than traditional bookings.
- Priceline, like many other online travel websites, doesn’t let you buy plane tickets directly from the airline’s site. You do everything on the Priceline website, from starting the transaction to finishing it.
- Unlike booking directly with airlines, when you book flights with Priceline, you won’t get any frequent flyer miles.
D. Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How can I get the best deals on Priceline? | 1) Be flexible with dates and times. |
2) Consider blind deals like Express Deals or Name Your Own Price. | |
3) Compare prices with other platforms. | |
4) Sign up for Price Drop Alerts. | |
2. Does Priceline offer bundles? | Yes, you can combine your flight with hotel or car rentals for potentially discounted packages. |
3. What are Price Drop Alerts? | Sign up to be notified if the price of a flight you’re interested in drops. |
4. Does Priceline book hotels? | Yes, you can find and book hotels on Priceline alongside your flight or separately. |
5. Can I rent a car through Priceline? | Yes, Priceline offers car rentals from various companies, often with discounts when bundled with flights or hotels. |
6. What are Priceline’s cancellation policies? | Policies vary depending on the booking type and airline. Always read the fine print before purchasing. |
7. Can I change my flights after booking? | Some bookings allow changes for a fee, others are non-refundable. Check the specific policy when booking. |
8. Is Priceline safe to use? | Yes, Priceline is a reputable company with a long track record. |
9. Can I contact Priceline customer service? | Yes, you can reach them by phone, email, or online chat. |
10. Does Priceline have a rewards program? | Yes, Priceline VIP offers benefits like exclusive deals and discounts for frequent users. |
E. Conclusion:
Priceline offers diverse ways to find affordable flights, from unique bidding options to bundled packages. While the platform provides flexibility and potential savings, users should be mindful of trade-offs, such as limited control with blind deals. Priceline stands as a convenient choice for those seeking a one-stop solution for flights, hotels, and car rentals, with the added benefit of a loyalty program. Understanding the platform’s features allows travelers to strike a balance between savings and preferences.