I haven't used HotWire but I do use Travelocity regularly for business travel. Sometimes slightly better fares can be found directly from the airlines but the fares are always in the general vicinity, sometimes they're lower. I don't usually have the time to screw around with it and use it for its ease. I've never had any problems with it and like it, I'd imagine HotWire is similar.

The services work well if you don't really care who you fly with, although they do give you a list of airlines to the destinations with their fares. Some people like to fly with specific airlines to rack up their mileage points but I don't really care. Besides, Travelocity has their own mileage point program that can be used through them for comp points.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)