I was checking to see if there is any truth in if you start checking fares daily on airline sites, they can monitor your IP address that allows them to inflate their fares making you think you must book now.
Example; I was looking at Delta for a fare to Rome in Business. In just a week, the fare has increased $2,000. Someone said go and use the library computer or a friend and most likely the fare will be back where I started. I welcome suggestions.
Or just clear your cookie cashe
I actually have done that and checked and the fare increased by $300.
Many will say it's an urban legend, others will say there is truth to it. No idea who is right. Personally, I set up a Google Flights fare alert and monitor the prices - they can change every day, sometimes more than once a day. Last time I tracked prices for a flight I wanted, I got a notice about a great fare in the morning and by the time I could get to my computer a few hours later it was gone. So if you see a fare you like, book it asap.
Turn on the incognito mode when you’re searching and they can’t trace you. Turn it off when you’re ready to book.
I assume it's all true and do all sorts of ridiculous (and probably ineffective) actions to avoid Big Brother, yet it really can't be outdone. I mean, turn off your tracking on your phone, park no where near the library and THEN go and login and check, but using incognito and I bet they still know it's you.
Maybe just let them sweeten the pot. Anytime you check and the price is higher. Start looking at other locations. ;) Too much data might be the solution!
Pretty convinced it is urban legend (industry people who are in the know say that it is BS), but anyway, I do all of my searches on google flights, and only when I am close to purchasing do I go to the airline site...it is far easier to monitor future flights on a site like google flights anyway, you can set price alerts, etc.
Oh no the it's the airline cookie monster! Nothing but a myth.
However, if you believe in cookie issues--then why not clear your cookies and cache everyday. To have to get a back-up authorization for some sites is a small price to pay for the privacy. It is these same cookies that allow any site to look into your cookie history and see from your cookies what places you visit.
FWIW--when you search on Google flights--they are the ones doing the searching of airfares, not you. Any cookies would be from them, and not from any airline.
Gifted link: https://wapo.st/3SpAgOW
Edited to add: this article explores all the myths being brought up here...
...when you search on Google flights--they are the ones doing the searching of airfares, not you. Any cookies would be from them, and not from any airline.
And one thing you can be sure of is that Google is aggregating those price tracking requests and selling that information to the airlines. So the airlines know which itineraries have more interest, and can use that info in setting prices.
Plus Google can add your price tracking to the very large profile they have already created for you.
I’ve been monitoring San Francisco to Milan and Rome for quite awhile and prices plummeted for Milan about 10 days ago. Snagged the flights then. I think it’s more of a waiting game and then move at the right time.
Bill N, Please let us know what you learn about that Delta fare when you use the library computer.
Use Google Flights to track and alert you when there's a fare change.
Simple solution to the fear that Google is tracking you: Do not use their browser (Chrome)! And do not sign in to Google flights (the Blue button in the upper right), just use it directly.
I use Safari, private browsing (Firefox several years ago), and there has never been an issue of my searches on Google flights being followed for increases. I have watched the same searches produce the same prices for many consecutive days and not seen adjustments because I was looking. And as a check on this, I would get those same prices by looking directly at the airline site. And along with this, have not seen situation where the price I found was higher than a price someone else found when I asked them to check independently.
For about 7 months I tracked on Google a RT ticket to Europe. The price went up and down like a yoyo almost every day. Sometimes 20%. And the best prices were closer to departure.
As mentioned, I planned to go to the Library and checked Delta web site. To my surprise the fare was what I actually started initially. So there seems to be some truth about your IP address is monitored while searching. The end result, this ticked me off, so I booked with Lufthansa's which ended up being $2k cheaper. Truly appreciate all the comments and some with humor.
As mentioned, I planned to go to the Library and checked Delta web site. To my surprise the fare was what I actually started initially. So there seems to be some truth about your IP address is monitored while searching. The end result, this ticked me off, so I booked with Lufthansa's which ended up being $2k cheaper. Truly appreciate all the comments and some with humor.
Airline ticket prices change constantly, up and down, during the day, over the course of a few days or weeks. Your n=1 "experiment" means nothing without a simultaneous check of the prices on your home computer, which most assuredly would have given you the same result at that precise point in time.
I monitor prices on google flights for future trips for months, and the fluctuations are mind boggling...and it was like this pre pandemic, too, so it is not just a recent phenomenon. Daily/weekly movements of +/- 20 percent are not uncommon...
As much as I would like to agree with you, I used my home computer and checking daily for almost 2 weeks with the price always changing and always go up. it never come close to the originally opening request. The same was for my phone search. I deleted my cache, flexible IP address, turn device off and ion. Everything you mention I did and it wasn’t until I went to a completely different computer/IP address was I able to get back to the original price. I did this with Delta, United and American because of my status with them. I even called each airline knowing I may need to pay for their service and each time the fare changed and was higher. I decided when I found the fare with Lufthansa at $2K less for business in their 747-400 on the upper deck, I purchased it.
It's ok to use Google Chrome as the browser. Caveat--open the browser in Incognito mode and therefore it's not linked to your Google account.
Close this window every day and open a new one on the next day.
