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- Kayak -
the home page shows only the search feature for a simple and clear look;
it's fast and easy to use, consistently finds low fares by checking 11
airlines and by letting you decide to compare with any of 5 other search
engines; you can see a calendar for the cheapest travel dates and i like
that the results let you choose your departing flight and returning
flight independently, kayak.com
- SideStep:
The traveler's search engine - is a partner with Kayak; it's quick and
easy to use, SideStep found the low fares for the given dates and destination; this site sends you to another travel booking company once it locates the fares you want,
sidestep.com
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Hotwire - the home
page is not so exciting to look at--it has the search box and a list of
deals--but Hotwire consistently finds good deals; the thing you have to
keep in mind is that they will only show you the exact details of the
flight or the hotel, for example, after you have paid; this makes
some people nervous, but if you're flexible it can save you some cash,
hotwire.com
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smarterTRAVEL:
information and inspiration - claims to be the "largest online travel
resource for unbiased...news, deals, and...advice"; the homepage is easy
to use, laid out with simple boxes and some pictures--they offer a
newsletter, lots of editorial features, news, and deals a search takes
you to any of 12 discounters to check prices and lets you choose
departing and returning flights separately. Note: smarterTRAVEL owns
Airfare Watchdog, Booking Buddy, and My Business Travel sites,
smartertravel.com
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cFares: Your lowest
cost connection for cheap flights - started in 2005 in the SF Bay Area,
they found the cheapest flight on my test search (in fact, they claim to
be cheapest 95% of the time; they let you check against 5 other search
engines and for a membership fee they offer a rebate; the home page is
very simple and uncluttered--just a search form that is easy to use,
cfares.com
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CheapOair: the
only way to go!! - not very exciting but clear and easy to use home page
with search area, some features, some ads; based in NYC it offers 24/7
call center support, cheapoair.com
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OneTravel: #1 in
Travel Deals - colorful, easy to read homepage; OneTravel uses 'GloboFare
Technology, checking with 8 airlines for your itinerary; they have
specialty travel areas such as student travel, gay & lesbian travel,
senior travel, and ethnic travel, onetravel.com
- Expedia - the home page is full of info and pictures, but it was still easy enough to use;
comparing 10 airlines, it found a low fare for the given dates and destination;
it has a fare compare calendar and lets you choose departing and
returning flights independently, expedia.com
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FareCompare -
started in 2006, FareCompare has a large bold homepage with a simple (if
quite small) search box; it checks 7 or more sites, including Southwest
airlines, and turns up low fares; a number of flexible search terms
stand you the best chance at finding a good fare; the site also offers
trips, deals, a lab/blog, a newsletter, Rick Seaney CEO offers travel
tips, farecompare.com
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BestFares - "Travel the World for Less":
Tom Parson's travel discount website homepage has a busy but colorful
look, flexible search, and it checks 9 airlines; it's easy to use and
lets you sort the results in a variety of ways, bestfares.com |
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- TRAVELZOO -
simple homepage mostly text; seems to feature deals more than its
search feature; uses "Supersearch" with flexible search features
(click "more options") to check 18 other sites and airlines; also
has a top 20 deals newsletter, travelzoo.com Note: TRAVELZOO
also owns fly.com "See the world. Search on Fly.
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priceline - offers a quick and easy airfare search
with customizable filters that turns up the low prices, as well as other travel services,
with the added feature of bidding on or requesting a lower price if you like
(although when you bid you can't find out the exact details of your
purchase until it is completed); kind of cheesy with all the William
Shatner posing, though, priceline.com
- ORBITZ -
homepage is colorful with boxed sections and full service tabbed
menu of travel information, but reaching toward the cheesy
advertising style of priceline; checks 10 airlines, offers flexible
travel date feature, and let's buyers choose departing and returning
flights independently, orbitz.com Note: ORBITZ owns CheapTickets
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CheapTickets - easy to use,
fast, offers flexible search, finds low fares (I used to use
CheapTickets for great fares before they even had a website!),
cheaptickets.com
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AirGorilla:
Going Bananas for Discount Travel - started in 2001 and based in San
Diego, AirGorilla has a large, clear search area and is easy to use,
finding comparatively low fares (no flexible search option, though),
airgorilla.com
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travelocity -
known for the gnome in the ads, travelocity offers a full service
tabbed travel menu and is fast and easy to use to find great low prices on flights;
it checks 10 airlines, has flexible search, let's you select
departing and returning flights separately, has deals and has a free
membership with social opportunities for fellow travelers,
travelocity.com Note: travelocity owns IgoUgo, cheaptotravel, and
lastminute.com
- lessno: less
money, no hassle - homepage is bold and bright featuring only the
travel search panel, with a chart of easy to understand results and
flexible search option; lessno has been in business for 5 years,
lessno.com
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Mobissimo: We search. You travel. - nice homepage design with
large, easy to use date finder at top; lets you compare their low
fare with 5 other sites, mobissiom.com
- Farecast -
with Microsoft Live Search was started in 2006 in Seattle and is a
simple, clear search page without any clutter (no flexible search
feature, though); it does offer a "Know When to Buy" feature with
arrow symbols that tell you whether or not it's the right time to
buy farecast.com
- CheapAir -
bold logo and graphics, easy to use, has an interactive calendar and
Fare Tracker feature; CheapAir says their goal is to simplify
searching for travel deals, cheapair.com
- LowFares -
big, bold homepage with logos of the 12 other sites it will search;
list of deals and option to sign up and receive deals by email;
located in LA they call themselves a "leading travel comparison
search site," lowfares.com
- Still more sites:
YAHOO!TRAVEL,
OneTime.com,
yapta.com,
ShermansTravel.com,
AAA,
TravelDiscounters.com
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