Priceline BONUS MONEY! The Best kept Secret
Nov 04 '00 (Updated Nov 10 '00)
Using Priceline to bid on airfare will get you an incredibly low price IF you know the secrets. First, you need to find out if there are any Bonus Money opportunities available. Bonus Money is free money that priceline will add to your bid. This bonus money can range from $20 to $50 per ticket.
Bonus money is different from the promotions offered to everyone while placing a bid. These "promotions" are offered in every bid submitted. You will see a page that has several offers to sign up for. For example,you can check the box next to "switch your long distance to Sprint" and Priceline adds between $10 and $25 to your bid.
Bonus money opportunities can be found several different places on the www. But, the chances of Joe Macaroni coming across a bonus money opportunity in everyday his surfing is slight at best. So, you'll need to go to a message board dedicated to finding the best deals on hotel and airfare to find out about bonus money opportunities. There are people just like you who come together in a moderated message boards to share their travel deal finds.
The best one I've found is the Expedia and Priceline Bidding Forum by EZBoard. (http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelineandexpediabidding). The bonus money opportunities can be found toward the bottom of the page. Another feature you'll love is the FAQ section. There you will find detailed information on placing bids.
Now that I've explained bonus money, here's how to use it:
1. Follow the bonus money link and you will be brought to a page explaining the offer.
2. Check out the going rates on major airlines for the flight you need to book. I found that www.travelocity.com has the lowest fares. (There are links to the major airlines' websites at the url in the last paragraph).
3. Now, go to that bonus money link again and place your bid. Start out at a price that is considerably lower than offered by the major airlines. For example, the going rate for a round-trip flight from Los Angeles to Denver might be $280. Your first bid at Priceline should be around $140 (plus the bonus money). Do NOT select too many options on your first bid. Select only 1 airport, and maybe 1 connection. Because in order to submit a higher bid if your first one is declined, you will need to either add another airport or change the date of departure. You can always start over again and enter all your information for that flight again, but who has the time?
4. IF the bid is declined, add $10 and either a different airport or date and try again. DO NOT fall for those e-mails that say, "We couldn't find an airline for that price, but if you call us we have a way for you to get your ticket." When you call, they will give you a higher price and ask if you'd like to book the flight. Most of the time, the price is increased by $30-$50. You are much better off adding $10-$15 to your bid online and trying again. Believe me, I've done it both ways and I'll never fall for that "call us" email again.
The thing that bites about Priceline is that you cannot choose the time you want to fly. You may get an incredible deal, but you'll be waking up at 4 am to go to the airport. If you're like me though, saving $100 per ticket is worth the lost sleep.
Here's the best deal I've gotten to date:
Los Angeles, CA to La Guardia, NY during the Thanksgiving holiday for $150 per ticket. Priceline added $50 bonus money per ticket.
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acsmonaut
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Member: Sarah Anderson
Location: CA
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