Price mistakes happen a few times a year. Some of my favorites are the ones that I’ve blogged about and most of which I have been able to take advantage of. My first time in Hawaii was with airfare and hotel for $87 with tax. I and thousands of others scored Airfare and 5 star accommodations at hotels like the Bellagio with Cirque tickets in Las Vegas all for free thanks to Expedia.Ā I have lifetime free stays in suites at Fairmont hotels. There have been $250 tickets to anywhere in Europe. And of course yesterday I nabbed tickets to Israel for Pesach for $336, though I’m still debating whether to keep them.
Of course the fine line between price mistake and deal is often blurred.
I stocked up on dozens of cases of free diapers and wipes thanks to Amazon. My wife and I have stayed at the Encore and Wynn just for having an American Express Platinum card. We flew to Boston for bupkis in June thanks to Jetblue’s voucher generosity. I racked up countless free Hyatt nights and hundreds of thousands of United miles with promotions like this one.
None of those were mistakes, it’s not always easy to tell what’s a mistake and what’s just an incredible deal.
Rules Of The Deal:
1. Don’t call.
Don’t talk to the airline or companies offering a deal that seems to good to be true. Do you really want to kill it for everyone? You can always ask questions once the deal is gone. I read on another website that they reached out to the airline while the deal was still going on to let them know of the deal.Ā Color me confused.
2. Don’t hesitate.
These deals never last long. Yesterday’s fare was pulled during the very next feed (at 1pm) at which point it took and hour or so for it to be pulled completely.
Most online booking agencies have generous cancellation policies, so book first and then decide later. Bear in mind though that your ability to make name or date changes to whatever you book will be close to nil, so book an extra ticket for yourself if you are unsure of your dates and cancel what you don’t need later on.
3. Don’t forget your infant!
A common theme that I’ve seen with price mistakes like with the 4 mile Hong Kong first class tickets and this deal is that people forget their infant children. You need to pay 10% of the normal fare for the privilege of holding your child on international tickets, in this case about $160. Wouldn’t you be better off spending the extra $166 for them to have their own seat?
4. Use a major booking agency.
Some people booked from no-name websites (BT-Store, Webjet, where do you guys find these sites anyway?) instead of the major ones and their tickets were not honored. Don’t use the fly-by-nights!
5. Follow @DansDeals on Twitter.
There lots of ways to keep on top of the deals posted here, but the most efficient thing to do is follow @DansDeals.Ā Youāll get a tweet when a deal is posted on DansDeals.com! And you can even opt-in to get a text message (and choose which hours of the night not to bother you) whenever DansDeals.com is updated!
6. Join DDF
You may have noticed “HT: mickeyg, via DDF” at the bottom of yesterday’s deal, giving him a hat tip for finding the deal.
Many deals that I post here are first posted on the DansDeals Forums. In this case DDF user “mickeyg” posted the deal to DDF and I went ahead to publicize the deal on DansDeals.com, but it’s always a good idea to check DDF for the latest and greatest deals, even before I publish them on DansDeals.com
Remember that there are cards that you open for signup bonuses (Chase Sapphire PreferredĀ® Card, Ink Bold, Ink Plus, etc), cards that you open for great earning potential from spending (Starwood, Starwood Business (though both Starwood cards have increased signup bonus for the next few weeks as well), Freedom, Chase Sapphire PreferredĀ® Card, Ink Classic, etc), and cards that you open for their benefits (Platinum Consumer, Platinum Business, Delta Consumer, Delta Business, etc.)
Any other rules I’ve missed?
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48 Comments On "Rules Of The Deal."
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions arenāt provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
Is there a way to set up the twitter text msg that I don’t receive the tweets during certain hr’s but I get that same text latter??
What is your strategy for opening / closing cards? Eventually the annual fees do catch up to you…
Yea- the other site that mentioned they called the airline– I would say they were ‘machshil the rabim’ but not letting many more get the flights š all in the sake of their yeshivashkeit
What other way besides twitter can we get notices on such great deals? maybe by email?
One rule you missed: If you didn’t read the rules, you’re not allowed to comment!
@Yosef H: I don’t think so, but your phone might have a setting that doesn’t allow texts at certain hours. If it doesn’t, but you have a smartphone (specifically iPhone or Android) there’s probably an app for that.
who do I call now to add the infant on lap?
another rule, if your a troll just sit the deal out.
Dan- in the post you wrote the deal is for travel till 03/19 was that the case? Any idea until what date these tickets worked?
@Dan: I had no idea how to book a ticket for my unborn baby.. What would you advise for the future?
Also, how do you get free diapers and wipes from Amazon?! I know about subscribe and save, but how do you get free…?
So… 3. DonĆ¢ā¬ā¢t forget your infant!
Well I have a strange issue, my wife is pregnant and BH she is due at the end of September, should we have booked a ticket for out future baby with out knowing the name or the date of birth?
I spoke to my TA and she said not to book it and call them later on to add the infant on the lap. But in retrospect I should have just put in the name I plan on naming the baby with the wrong birth date and had a reserved ticket.
I am torn between what I should have done, I know its too late to go back but wondering what you guys would have done!
They did not charge me for the 10 % infant on lap can they still charge me
I paid 427 a ticket. Times 3
I have the infant issue, so I ordered myself 2 seats in my name. I know I won;t be able to change it for the baby but that ticket will only be around $100. I will then have 3 seats for 3 of us.
1. Can you make a list of the airlines’ name change policies and costs?
2. Are there airlines or sites that are more flexible with name or date changes?
3. Does it help to pay with a certain type of credit card, in cases like this?
4. Websites and travel legislation in USA (DOT) and each State, Canada (TICO = Ontario – Travel Industry Council of Ontario ), Europe, Australia all governed by local legislation. The legislation details policies, such as cancellation and raising prices on air tickets and other travel services. Is there a state, country or websites in those states or countries with better or stronger legislation that would be more favourable to a customer in these cases?
@David D:
im having the same hesitations. i signed up last year for the 2 citi aadvantage cards (75,00 bonus points each) and got nailed this year with the annual fees. what you you recommend, @dan ?
@David D:
Use cards with annual fees coming up as leverage to get approved for new cards or get retention bonuses to keep them open.
@tweets:
The email only goes out at 3pm daily.
There is probably some 3rd party program to get an email though whenever I tweet something.
@RJ898:
Nice!
@s:
El Al.
@askan:
Outbound flights had to be taken by then, but you could return much later.
@RT:
@ozzy:
I would have booked a ticket for “Unnamed Baby” or “Infant Baby.” Any other experts want to chime in on what they would have done?
Click on the link for the Amazon deal, but it’s long gone.
@Mow:
Do you have an eticket for the infant?
If not you will need to pay up if you want to board the flight.
I would add it now, not wait for the airport.
@Like To Know….:
1. Names can’t be changed.
2. Not that I know of.
3. Nope.
4. The US DoT enforces that.
@Elliot:
Call for a retention bonus.
Dan Thank you so much for everything. I would love to take advantage of all these CC offers but my credit isnt so good (because i have to many CC) Do you have any strategies for me to get approved for more cards?
@mark:
I also have “too many credit cards” but my score is great.
Why is your score not good?
The basic strategy is to apply for cards via 2bm/3bm and then get reconsideration to close out an older card and move the credit line to approve a new card.
Chase and AMEX reconsideration departments are excellent.
can i call or email expedia or elal to extend my ticket by 1 day or theres no chance they will let
@dan what do you think of the new plum card from amex?
what does retention bonus mean? I have a SPG and have to pay my 65$ whay should I do?
As per ELAL they said they don’t know if they will honor it!
http://www.vosizneias.com/111361/2012/08/07/new-york-el-al-ticket-saga-continues-to-unfold
Yes I already have one fore the infant and they did not charge me
They took off 24 bucks from my 3rd ticket like this
Traveler and cost summary Adult
Update Frequent Flyer number(s) $239.00 Adult
Requested: Kosher
Add Frequent Flyer number(s) $239.00
f Child Add Frequent Flyer number(s) $215.00
Infant
Requested:
$24.00
Taxes & Fees $563.20
Print a receiptĆĀ ĆĀ ĆĀ Total (American Express) $1,280.20
Vosizneis does not know vat he be talkin about elal tweeted they be honor
Hi dan – I know you said no name change but I have a little of a different situation: I bought the ticket under my maiden name and my passport and license is under my married name (obviously, someone else did this by mistake not me!) so I can bring my marriage certificate, birth, or old passport with name but I really don’t know if that would work– what do you think would be the best way to correct this? Because, here I AM the same person, just maiden name. Please help!? Thanked!!!
@Yosef H: It’s called IFTTT, I’m sure you can create a recipe for that, I’ll be glad to help
Hi Dan – Now that we all have tickets, thanks to you!, can you post some good hotel deals and or the smartest place and way to use points… Thanks!
Update: http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/breaking-news/status-cheap-el-al-tickets-unclear
Dan, why would you be confused that someone wanted to make sure that it wasn’t a miestake?
@Me (commenter 3) what’s “yeshivish” about not wanting to get something you may not be entitled to where there IS a victim?
I booked though Travelocity when the deal was already dead through Expedia. Travelocity did not give an option to add lap infant. Said to call airline.
Dan, could you make that ONLY every time there is a AMAZING deal, like the El Al tickets, or 4 miles hong kong etc, we get a text message? because the most of us dont want to be messaged by every regular deal, for that we check dansdeals.com, but when a superdeal comes out we want to be notified via text so we can catch the deal as it lasts, anybody with me on this one? dan let me know what you think.
thank you.
dan can i get ink plus if i have ink bold also i have a ink bold and a ink classic the rep told me that the bold is a revolving credit line so it cant be consolidated with the classic , is this true or just keep on trying?
I used to get messages each time u posted something new. that stopped. this was before twitter.. Now I dont hear when I get a tweet unless I check my phone. Unfortunately I work for a living..so, is there a way to go back to messaging or email messaging. my phone dings when I get either of those.
thanks
@Dan:
I booked a ticket leaving US on 03/20
@david: So basically you don’t want to get any ‘ads’, and just want to get featured content? Sounds to me like you want a paid subscription? For the rest of us who get texts for free, you gotta be willing to get all the texts!!!
wow dan, really using this whole thing for major publicity. try not to make it THAT obvious š
“1. DonĆ¢ā¬ā¢t call”?
How about being a ehrlich yid and save a company millions of dollars?
I of the tickets i booked by mistake we left out the last letter/alphebet of her first name, Feigie. on her birth certificate her name ends in “ie”, and on the reservation we just wrote “i”. An Ć¢ā¬ÅeĆ¢ā¬Ā at the end is missing. Do I need to change the reservation, or itĆ¢ā¬ā¢s not a problem flying with that situation? should we rather try spelling her name Feigi on her passport that we need to order?
on 1 of the tickets i booked, by mistake we left out the last letter/alphebet of her first name, Feigie. on her birth certificate her name ends in Ć¢ā¬ÅieĆ¢ā¬Ā, and on the reservation we just wrote Ć¢ā¬ÅiĆ¢ā¬Ā. An Ć¢ā¬ÅeĆ¢ā¬Ā at the end is missing. Do I need to change the reservation, or itĆ¢ā¬ā¢s not a problem flying with that situation? should we rather try spelling her name Feigi on her passport that we need to order?
@Dan: I come to your site at least once a day, and I browse the forums periodically, but deals like this that can be shut down in a matter of minutes can be missed even by a regular reader, would you be so kind and set up a separate twitter account for the “sizzling” deals, or just add a specific keyword to those tweets so I can set up to follow that keyword?
I (and I believe many) would really appreciate that.
Hi Dan I never had a CC before and I applied for one of these cards that you get a lot of miles and they decline me because I have no history of credit for the good or the bad what do you suggest I do to get a good credit history???
Use pay pal. š
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=18775.msg278345;topicseen#new
@Anonymous: using paypal gets me a good credit history?
Was it halachically permissible to buy these tickets?? Check out this interesting article..
http://www.vosizneias.com/111398/2012/08/08/new-york-the-elal-pricing-error-a-halachic-analysis
I think that all of these efforts to get the best deals are laudible but I think that a Jew has to have a different mindset than suggested here. We do not need to have everything and stay at every hotel. Better to stay at a 2 -star hotel l’chatchilah than to be in Hong Kong in a 5 star for $49 and wonder if you are over on geneivah or not. Further, this kinda stuff is a big Chillul Hashem. What do the rental car agencies think when 10 guys with beards rent a car and they all use the same Chabad or Yeshiva discount?
@AkivaF: Umm, that they are Chabadnicks or Yeshiva guys? What’s wrong with that??
And how is staying in a 5 Star Hotel in Hing Kong Geneiva??
Your readers should be careful with opening and closing credit cards , as they may have an impact on their credit ratings.
@paul:
I’d beg to differ:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/15735