From time to time I get asked the question: " Have you ever used Priceline.com to book your travel?" I answer, " Yes, I do and with great results on booking hotels."
For Hotel Bookings - Priceline works great. Priceline.com requires that you use some strategy and you have to balance the price versus your tolerance for some uncertainty when you bid. That uncertainty is that you are not sure of the hotel, but you will have an idea of the class of the facility and its general location. If you are rigid in what you want or need then don't use Priceline. Remember there are no refunds so you have to go when you book and if you don't you lose. If you are flexible and looking for a bargain then Priceline.com can work for you. I usually use Priceline when I am going away on a weekend, weekday getaway, or for a short business trip. My objective is to get the highest quality room for the lowest price. If your bid is declined, you can bid again but you have to change a criteria - either class of hotel, location, or price. My personal thought is to have a bid declined then you know that you aren't leaving money on the table. I have stayed in Beachfront hotels for as little as $35 a night.
The shortcoming to using Priceline.com is that if you are going to some area where hotel rooms are in high demand then you will find that your results may not work. For example, if you use Priceline to go to a Super Bowl City or Parents weekend where rooms are packed you may find it difficult to get a deep discount room.
For Air Travel: You have to be flexibile. Priceline will book you anytime during of your departure or return. So, if you bid to go on the same day of a committment - you may depart your city after the fact. So for a weekend trip, it might be impractical. As with hotel travel, you can make no changes to your trip. If you miss your flight there are no refunds and you will have to buy a new ticket.
If you are economy minded and flexible - Priceline.com can be a great way to save some money on your travel plans.
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