i'm desperate: your favorite cheap flight tickets site

$240 on airgorilla.

 

Try hotline.com as well. Yes they are well known, and no the normal flight options they have aren't cheaper than most, but they do seem to get a bit more clearance and special rates than others.
I have used priceline before to name my own price, and it still works well.
I like priceline better for hotels though. Got a 4-star in Houston once for $51. Checked their website after I got it, their cheapest webrate was over $200.
Busy weekend and cheapest room I could find otherwise was a Best Western that ran for $78.

If you can't find cheap.
If it doesn't matter when you get there, do this. Go to like aa.com or continental or whatever, find an airline with several flight on the path that day and a seat selector (also found on Expedia or Travelocity). Find an early flight that's near capacity and book it at the lowest rate you find. Then hope to get "bumped." Most people hate getting bumped because they are in a hurry to get somewhere and can't give up seats. But if you aren't on a specifice timetable it can work to your advantage.
Last year I flew from Houston to Seattle, with an originally planned stop in like Minnesota. First flight was full, they asked for volunteers. I went up, got a non-stop flight to Seattle upgraded to first class, and a $300 voucher, which I used last month to go to Boston. Got bumped again on flight back from Boston. No seat upgrade (did get an exit row with added leg room...no recline, but I never recline), but I have another $300 voucher. (This was on Continental).

Doesn't save you money now, but if you are gonna pay the money anyway, and are flexible, might as well work the system to your advantage.

 

Scratch that.
$231 on airgorilla.

 

Of course they serve Detroit.

 

is that OTD carrie? hate to ask. site59's deal with the rental car involved is at $250 right now, flight with hotel has me at $340.

 

I friend of mine recommends Expedia. He took a cross-country trip -- literally, coast to coast -- in the past month, which cost $350 on Expedia. Granted, he had two layovers each way. But still, to score that trip for that money was a damn good deal.

 

It helps to have played the game, so that you have some idea of what to expect, where. If you have to be in NYC and will
settle for a bed the size of a postage stamp, some spectacularly-located hotels are frequently-available
dirt-cheap on Priceline . . .

 

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/prego

the site searches many airlines for valid fares, but you don't book through them.

also, not all airlines are on there - like SWA

 

try hotwire.com
You pick the time window for when you can leave and when you can come back, but you don't know when until you book, same for the airline, but you can get some super huge deals. one downside, though, is it probably won't be a direct flight.

 

What are these direct flights of which you speak? We have no such things in Montana.