- Joined
- Feb 25, 2015
- Messages
- 145
- Reaction score
- 37
- Points
- 4,631
-
Scholarship Access: Becoming a Student Doctor course
Free access to comprehensive medical school prep. Eligible students include AAMC FAP recipients and HS graduates from underserved areas. Apply today. -
Interview flight tips?
- Thread starter rlarudtjs332
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2013
- Messages
- 712
- Reaction score
- 692
- Points
- 5,266
- Location
- TN or Texas
- Medical Student
For reducing flight costs, I heard that tickets are cheaper on Sundays and Tuesdays for some reason. You can sign up for the airlines newsletters and they will send you deals through that. You can also try checking to see if any nearby airports are cheaper and drive the extra distance in a rental car. A membership will be up to you, I got one with American Airlines but it hasn't given me any perks or anything.
- Joined
- May 24, 2013
- Messages
- 889
- Reaction score
- 1,696
- Points
- 5,176
- Medical Student (Accepted)
As someone who has worked for a major airline in pricing, the whole "tickets are cheaper on a certain day" thing just isn't true. You have two solid options:
1. Sign up for a credit card associated with an airline - most give a huge bonus award miles on signing and you earn miles every time you use it, so you will be able to get some free flights pretty quickly.
2. Use a discount carrier like Spirit - however, read EVERYTHING they send you because they will attempt to charge you in ridiculous ways for pretty much everything. Also, if one of their flights cancel, they won't rebook you on any other airlines so you will have to wait for another Spirit flight, which could be several days away.
1. Sign up for a credit card associated with an airline - most give a huge bonus award miles on signing and you earn miles every time you use it, so you will be able to get some free flights pretty quickly.
2. Use a discount carrier like Spirit - however, read EVERYTHING they send you because they will attempt to charge you in ridiculous ways for pretty much everything. Also, if one of their flights cancel, they won't rebook you on any other airlines so you will have to wait for another Spirit flight, which could be several days away.
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2015
- Messages
- 1,253
- Reaction score
- 1,179
- Points
- 5,251
- Location
- Middle earth
- Medical Student (Accepted)
I have flown Spirit numerous times for vacation, and have had a lot of flights canceled and/or delayed with them.
I would strongly discourage using them for interviews. I'm paying a bit more, but a piece of mind that a Delta/United will get me there more reliably is one less thing to worry about.
- Joined
- May 27, 2013
- Messages
- 358
- Reaction score
- 630
- Points
- 5,251
- Location
- Casino City
- Medical Student
Southwest is always my first choice. Free checked bags and carry on. The cheaper airlines pretty much end up being identical in cost after you factor that in...
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2015
- Messages
- 1,093
- Reaction score
- 684
- Points
- 5,256
- Pre-Medical
I almost always use Southwest. They are generally priced pretty reasonably, but they are way more reliable than the cheaper airlines. Also, this is personal preference, but I like just paying a certain price up front (provided it's reasonable) and being confident that I will not have to pay a whole bunch of extra fees rather than paying a cheaper price and worrying about getting nickel and dimed.
- Joined
- May 12, 2013
- Messages
- 887
- Reaction score
- 848
- Points
- 5,226
- Non-Student
Definitely get airmiles on your flights... spirit sounds awful so I'd go with anyone else.
- Joined
- May 25, 2015
- Messages
- 144
- Reaction score
- 111
- Points
- 4,706
- Pre-Medical
Go for reliability. Pick direct flights if possible. Leave as much time as you can. I'm taking some extra time for my michigan interview (rather than the 24 hours, 5pm - 5pm they expect), because I want some time to see what the city is like, but also guard against delays, etc.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2014
- Messages
- 95
- Reaction score
- 124
- Points
- 4,651
- Medical Student (Accepted)
Google.com/flights if you aren't using it already, it's great and let's you see on calendars which says are cheapest (just booked $96 roundtrip LAX to ORD)
I flew spirit once and found them pleasant. The only thing is they do not allow a Carry on only a personal item, and strangely enough it's more expensive for a carry on than a checked bag... Frontier also chargers
For carry ons.
For bus/train transfers look up Rome2rio.com . It gives you a few options and shows prices and links to book it.
Get an Amex card if you can it offers great rewards on airfare. My Amex through Costco gives me 2% cash back on all airline tickets and hotel stays. If you wanna spring for the Amex Gold Premier card you can search around the web for a 50k points sign up offer (worth at least $500, more if you transfer it to airline companies). The card comes with $100 rebate per calendar year for airline charges that aren't airfare, and you get effictively at least 3% cash back on airfare. Card costs $195 a year, but with the $100 a year credit and the sign up bonus it'll be at least 6 years before the cost outweighs the benefits that don't even include the cash back.
I flew spirit once and found them pleasant. The only thing is they do not allow a Carry on only a personal item, and strangely enough it's more expensive for a carry on than a checked bag... Frontier also chargers
For carry ons.
For bus/train transfers look up Rome2rio.com . It gives you a few options and shows prices and links to book it.
Get an Amex card if you can it offers great rewards on airfare. My Amex through Costco gives me 2% cash back on all airline tickets and hotel stays. If you wanna spring for the Amex Gold Premier card you can search around the web for a 50k points sign up offer (worth at least $500, more if you transfer it to airline companies). The card comes with $100 rebate per calendar year for airline charges that aren't airfare, and you get effictively at least 3% cash back on airfare. Card costs $195 a year, but with the $100 a year credit and the sign up bonus it'll be at least 6 years before the cost outweighs the benefits that don't even include the cash back.
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2005
- Messages
- 6,728
- Reaction score
- 8,050
- Points
- 8,641
It is really smart to look at airports that are close to a school but not the main hub. ie Chicago has two airports. Check flights into both. If you are interviewing at Rosalind Franklin check out Milwaukee. Etc. Always try to get a nonstop. Less nerve racking.
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2011
- Messages
- 699
- Reaction score
- 692
- Points
- 5,246
- MD/PhD Student
Agreed. If the devil was in the aviation business, his company would be Spirit. Avoid at all costs.
Southwest, on the other hand, is bae.
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2013
- Messages
- 1,738
- Reaction score
- 1,189
- Points
- 5,326
- Location
- rock hurtling through space
- Medical Student
go on kayak and you can compare prices from the all the major flight sites like expedia, kayak itself, priceline, and what not
priceline has this thing where you can "bid" on a ticket for up to 40% off.
and idk if this is true, but use in cognito or private mode in whatever browser you're using when looking at flights b/c airlines can track what flights you're looking at and raise the price if a lot of people are looking at them. again, i'm not sure if this is true
priceline has this thing where you can "bid" on a ticket for up to 40% off.
and idk if this is true, but use in cognito or private mode in whatever browser you're using when looking at flights b/c airlines can track what flights you're looking at and raise the price if a lot of people are looking at them. again, i'm not sure if this is true
