Unpopular opinion: those "flight error" fare sites are overrated

I overheard a guy at the gate bragging about saving $400 on a flight to Denver using one of those mistake fare alerts. I tried it for 6 months and honestly? I saved maybe $80 total. But I wasted hours booking weird layovers and ended up missing a connection in Atlanta because the timing was so tight. Plus my buddy got stuck when the airline canceled the "error" ticket and refused to rebook. Am I the only one who thinks these sites are more trouble than they're worth? Has anyone actually had a smooth trip using them?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancy_wood7d ago

Honestly, I tried one of those sites and booked a flight to Chicago with a 5-hour layover in Dallas. I ended up eating three soggy pretzels from a vending machine because I was too cheap to buy airport food. @torres.blair, you’re braver than me for handling that Seoul layover. Ngl, I’d probably miss the connection and just cry at the gate.

elliot_roberts7d ago

Three soggy pretzels from a vending machine?" Honestly that sounds like a five star meal compared to some of the overpriced garbage I've grabbed at gates.

torres.blair8d ago

Got a $300 flight to Tokyo that was supposed to be $900 through one of those alert sites. Ngl, the layover was brutal, like 14 hours in Seoul, but I just slept in a chair. The trick is to only book flights that are at least 48 hours out so the airline can't pull the ticket back. I also made sure to use a credit card with good travel insurance just in case.