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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 214
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[Another brilliant re-posting from another forum... ;-)

[I've put this here in "Living" as it mostly relates to those who have driven a vehicle down to Belize to stay, and now need to find their way back to the States or Canada... 'L]

In another Forum, a reader in Salt Lake City asks:

> Cheap one-way flights? It looks cheaper to buy a RT [BZE->SLC]

[Lena:]
The trick is to not "book through".

If I go to, for example, Travelocity http://www.travelocity.com/Flights/0,,TRAVELOCITY,00.html right now and book one-way from Belize BZE to Salt Lake City SLC in February, I am shown "booked through" connecting flights on AA, Continental, Taca, etc. for $575 to $800+ USD. (Today, the equivalent roundtrip BZE-SLC-BZE is coming in at $724 and up. These fares change whimsically.)

But if I ask for a one-way from BZE to Houston IAH (which I happen to know is a hub) I'm offered a ticket on that same afternoon Continental flight for $190 (though I usually take the $195 Taca flight in the morning -- less crowded, better connections, and they still serve food).

[Interestingly, the one-way ticket in the opposite direction starts at $540, so the strategy doesn't work in the other direction.]

Then I ask for IAH to SLC separately and, lo and behold, Frontier owns that route with direct and connecting flights for $156.

$195 + 156 = $351 (plus tax & fees).

Screw Continental.

What's the catch? If you miss your connection you're not guaranteed that the next airline will honor your ticket, since you were "no show". But they probably will anyway...

BTW, FWIW, I have also used the not-booked-through strategy on roung-trip flights when I've been unable to find a booked-through flight to my liking (in this case I'm usually looking for an extended return date > 30 days at a reasonable price).

'Lena
___________________________________________
MissLena is Galena Alyson Canada
Her Belize Forum email is [email protected]

Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,123
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Thanks Miss Lena. I did not know this trick and I like to know them all. wink


Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain.
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 3,281
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It's called booking it "point to point" and many travel agents will look at this option for you when quoting rates or checking availability. Theoretcally it is an "illegal" booking though and can be cancelled by the airlines (at your loss) if they catch it. FYI - they have been cracking down on it in their relentless attempts to make $$$. Agents will receive a debit memo from the airline for it. Consumers will just find their res cancelled when they show up at the airport!

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,062
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Barbara -

Just an query - is it as likely to be caught by the airlines if one uses different carriers ( i.e. Continental - Frontier, for example)?


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