posted
I use travelocity, orbitz, and expedia to get an idea of the best price. Then I go to the site of the airline with the best ticket, and buy through them.
Right now I'm looking at flying into the Twin Cities early Friday morning, and flying out either Sunday afternoon or Monday afternoon (mostly because the flights are all early afternoon, and that would mean leaving Iowa pretty early Sunday).
My main concern is not price (that's secondary), but the lack of flights leaving after 8 pm Thursday but arriving in Des Moines earlier than about 2 pm.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Well, I need all the help I can get as I've never bought tickets online before. Will they mail them to me?
I realize you can buy a paperless ticket, but I want a ticket in my hand that I can present to the boarding agent.
You also have to remember that I've only flown twice and both times The LDS church bought my ticket. The first time was from Utah to Indianapolis and the second was two years later from Indy to Phoenix.
posted
Some airlines/sites will mail paper tickets (although there is an extra fee involved); some don't even have the option. But I would (and presumably will) get an e-ticket, and print out a copy of the confirmation. That way, you have something to hand to the check-in agent.
Also, having discussed it with my mom, I think I'm going to opt for the one-stop that goes to Des Moines, rather than try to drive four hours on unfamiliar, potentially rainy or snowy roads.
I will probably hold off on buying my ticket another week or two though. Doesn't look like ticket prices are likely to change significantly before then.
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posted
While I can certainly understand trying to get to the closer airport, I will tell you it's pretty easy to get onto 35 from the airport, and then you just take 35 straight to Ames. (From Minneapolis.) So yeah, it's 4 hours, but it's a 4 hour straight shot, so if the Des Moines tickets aren't working out well for you don't stress too much about getting lost.
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posted
Well, it's the same flight into MSP either way (leaving 12:35 am, and getting into Minneapolis/St. Paul at sometime after 6 am). The question is whether I then change flights to get into DSM at 8-something, or rent a car (or hop a ride, or what have you) and go to Iowa that way.
Looks like the costs are likely to come out fairly similar (price difference on the tickets is about $80), so the real question is which way is least likely to a) make me nuts, and b) get me stranded somewhere because something fell through and I can't get to Ames sufficiently before Shabbos.
(Yes, I'm being a tad paranoid. But ask me about my flight that was supposed to arrive in Chicago at 6:30 am on another Friday. Go ahead, I dare ya. )
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posted
I don't know if Southwest services these destinations, but if they do, you can only get their fares from their website, not any of the travel search engines. It's worth checking out.
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(This is Shigosei. I'm too lazy to log my brother out.)
I know there will be some shuttling back and forth, but I'm potentially flying in late Friday night (so late it may be Saturday morning by the time I have my bags). ElJay, you planning to be out that late? If not, what are my options? I'm too young to rent a car. Are there shuttles running that time of night?
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You really really are making me re-examine my credit card bill. When/where/how much were your tickets? Hotel? Sharing?
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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I guess we should get busy and book a room. I just widely fluctuate between going and not-going depending on how angry I am with Hatrack discussions from one day to the next
But it will probably be just Ivygirl and me. And although there may be a chance we can team up with punwit on driving -- well, to tell the truth, I'm just a bit of a control freak on driving -- I like to drive. I don't like to ride as passenger. So that arrangement remains to be seen.
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Umm, I don't mind reading or chatting or sleeping while someone else does the work. I'm flexible, sorta.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Ok. rivka, Derrell and/or Amy or all of the above...
I'm willing to split rental car costs with you. Amy, are you flying out of PDX? If I managed to get on the same flight, that would be PERFECT, wouldn't it? And then we could share a room...those hotel rates are ridiculously inexpensive.
Oh but wait. You're probably flying out of Phoenix, huh?
If only I could find a flight.
(I'm starting to get that "you're not really going to do this are you?" nervous feeling in the tips of my fingers. It's exciting!!)
posted
Friday night will be the difficult time for shuttles, as I will have to be at the wedding rehersal and rehersal dinner. So instead of actually doing those runs myself, I was hoping to organize willing volunteers.
Des Moines to Ames is a totally different town, not just a different part of a metro area. So I doubt there will be shuttles running.
However, if you're talking about getting in that late, it would be after the rehersal dinner, and I am perfectly willing and able to get out there for a last shuttle run of the day.
(Edit: As far as planning to be at the airport at any particular time, so far no one has posted any arrival times. Since it's so far they will have to be clumped up somewhat, but we'll see how it turns out. I think I'll start a new thread. This one is getting pretty long.)
This one is just getting started! Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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Boon
unregistered
posted
I'm driving up the day before, and leaving the day after. I still don't know whether I'll be bringing any of the kids or not though. I also don't know which vehicle I'm driving...it depends on whether or not the van is fixed in time. (It needs a new...everything!)
But I'm coming. Absolutely, definitely. If I didn't, my boss would kill me. (Silly people scheduling stuff right before the end of tax season!)
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*giggle* True... but things like this I like really specific threads. So I wouldn't have to sort through who's sharing rooms with who posts to figure out when I have to be or have someone be where to pick people up.
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posted
So we're hoping to go, but we're probably going to fly into the twin cities and stay with relatives for a few days, drive out for the wedding, drive back, and fly back home. Still too far in advance to plan for us, though. Once we finalize plans and figure out what we'll be driving, we might be able to offer someone (rivka?) a ride. We're still a long way away from being able to do that, but I thought I'd let you know.
Are there no single males attending this wedding or do I seem a poor candidate for short term roomie?
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Shigosei?? Are you out there? I want to talk about rental car/hotel sharing.
Other folks that are willing to split this stuff, please email me or fess up in this thread. I'm not sure if I"m going, but if costs are shared, I'd probably do it...
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
Narnia, I'm here! Sorry, I've been busy the past few days. I've pretty much decided to go and would love to share rental costs and a hotel room. I'm flying out of Phoenix, though, not PDX.
Edit: It's Shigosei again, not Mr. Funny. This computer won't let me log him out!
posted
Ooh, great!! Folks, how many can we cram into a hotel room? The more the merrier (in my opinion) and the cheaper, the better.
rental car costs too. I'm imagining that we could have two or three people comfortably share a rental car with the first person arriving/last person departing (who have to be the same person for credit card purposes) doing the shuttling? I'm totally willing to shuttle around if people chip in.
You're flying into Des Moines right Amy? (am I spelling your name right?) If I get there at around the same time and leave around the same time, we'd be set to share costs.....
Ooh. Part of me was hoping that this would be impossible...now that it's MORE possible, I won't be able to resist. Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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posted
It seems that the only flight out of Phoenix that leaves late enough that I don't miss class is arriving in Des Moines on Friday at 11 PM. I could look into missing class once school starts up again, but it's best to assume I'll be there then.
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Amy, nononono, don't change that flight. I have school too and would be flying out late from Portland as well. If I make it by 11, I'd consider myself lucky.
I'm checking on flights from PDX right now.
PS When are you set to depart from Des Moines on Sunday?
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No particular time yet. I don't have class on Monday, so I'm pretty flexible. I'd like to stay for at least part of the day to hang out with people if they're sticking around.
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I think I am going to be able to come. It depends on if I can arrange an Indiana carpool and a little on my folks. If I do come I would also like roommates. I am an equal opportunity roommate. I do not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or political affiliation.
Posts: 1015 | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
So, I mention to my husband today that Ames isn't really any farther to Ames than it is to St. Louis. And if our car could make it to St. Louis then it should make it to Ames. To which he asks if I'm actually thinking of going somewhere.
I say that I am actually contemplating such a trip to which he says as long as there's a TV, he'll be there.
What I don't realize at this point in the conversation is that your wedding is on the same day as the Final Four. What in the world we you people thinking?
But that's okay. I wouldn't want him to come to the wedding anyway. The rooms have TVs, right? Unless I can get Caleb to come with me and share a room. . .
However, if KU makes it to the Final Four, I don't know if I'd come.
(I'm kidding, of course. If I were going to come, I'd come whether they were in it or not. The joking part was about me coming. I'll ponder the idea for the next three months and vacillate and then decide at the last minute that I just can't do it. But up till then, I'll have every intention of coming.)
posted
Narina, are you still a student? Skip class much? If so you could get a flight on Wednesday with a return on Tuesday for $232 to Kansas City. It's only a 4 hour drive from there and there are several people in the area you could stay with and bum a ride from. Just a thought. Posts: 9871 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I am also looking for a roomie. However, I am far pickier than most of the other roommate-seekers. I strongly prefer to not share a bed, and I do discriminate. Female roommates only, please.
The good part: I'm willing (once I have a ticket) to be the one to book the room, and reserve it on my credit card.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
Kayla I am a student, but I'm also a teacher. I'd be skipping high school classes that I teach...I'd be willing to skip one day, but not 3. Thanks for checking, I really want to come, so I'll keep looking into it.
Is it more than a 5 hour drive from Midway to Ames? (Yes, of course it is...closer to 8 hours maybe? Truly ridiculous?)
posted
Found round trip American Airlines to Des Moines for $346....that's with tax.
$326 on Hotwire...that's the lowest I've found and it's in the departure times that I want....
*calculates in head*
let's say rivka/shigosei/me share a room. Two beds in a $72 suite plus $7 roll-away bed: $52 for two nights per person.
Rental car prices? Have no idea. $35 per day? $105 for 3 days divided by Shigosei and me (and anyone else that might want to share) $55 or so per person.
$110 plus $326 airline ticket = $450 plus food an extras.
Geez, that's less than MOST of the airline tickets I'm finding!!
(I found a car rental for $19 on hotwire, so it would be even cheaper. )
I don't mind sleeping on a rollaway bed, I'd be arriving at around the same time you would Shigosei, so we could definitely split car. I'd be departing in the afternoon/early evening on Sunday (I have school on Monday.)
Ok. So maybe I can go. rivka/allegra/shigosei, what do you think about room sharing (if you want to) and my price break down? Does it sound accurate? Shigosei and I would only be spending two nights there and it sounds like you'll be there a little longer rivka...I'm sure we can work it out. *is excited*
posted
fugu13, That would be great. How long before you'll have an idea whether or not you'll be able to attend?
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