Flight Deal App Reviews: Fare Buzz, SkyJet, Domestic Flights

So I'm booking a *specific date* to a *specific place* for vacation. Seems pretty common. You want to got o a a place, and you want to have some sort of deal or advantage to get there. I'm still so surprised at the habit people get into- "I just use Expedia because I used it once ten years ago and it was fine" is no deal finding goal of mine. Unless it is in fact the best, of course!

It's true that if you search and search the same places and websites over and again for the same trip to score deals or keep tabs, it WILL log that information in your cookies (delete your cookies every so often) and possibly knock up the price based on the needs at which you have shown them. Try different places, look into new avenues. There's always something better than generic.

In my usual research heavy way I started looking up even more websites and apps that claim that they are the lowest fares, or best prices, so on an so on. Some try. Some are just like everyone else- boasting their rates, which, you come to realize, are only about 5% off  "sales". My goal here is to try each one for something specific, a real destination, and break free from the liars and boasters and find the actual hidden gems. I'm doing the leg work so that you won't have to.

I'm booking a one-way flight from Detroit (DTW) to San Diego (SAN) on Saturday, July 21st. Very specific.

Fare Buzz:
Nothing special here. Just another one of those websites that compares flight prices based on generic style platforms. Weirdly, the dot com website is more expensive than that app, of which I downloaded. The app itself is not fully up and running; the other three sections- Hotels, Car, My Trip, were all "coming soon".

The app will ask you to create a log-in to use it but you can bypass that if you're just looking around. Don't be fooled into freely giving away more of your private information than necessary at this time. 

The Good: If you use the web address you can get money back through Ebates. The app is really easy to use easy to use.

The Bad: It's easy to use because the app isn't ready for the market yet. They should have waited until at least half of the app was user ready. Seriously, at least half. The flight deals are not deals at all. Spirit Airlines has a better deal on their own site by $40, which is up from last week's price by just as much, which means it should go down again soon. The prices were different on the Fare Buzz site than they were on the app. Shady? Maybe. Careless, probably. 

And it's still cheaper to book directly with Spirit? Uncanny.

All in all I will not be keeping this app. Not only is it not ready for use, it's not better. It's pretty on par with all the other apps that firstly talk about how great they are. Modesty goes a long way. 

SkyJet:

Turns out that this one if specifically for booking private jets- you have to book them right down to the minute you want them! So, probably not* going to keep this app since I don't have that DiCaprio money.

*it's already on my delete pile.

The Good: It takes you exactly where you want and when. Really easy to use, too, it's pretty straightforward. It's probably a really cool service to have if you can afford it. At least as far as travel is concerned- not the ozone. 

The Bad: I can't afford it, and even if I could- I'm cheap, so, I probably wouldn't even pretend to keep it on my phone. 

Domestic Flights:

A simple app- it's the kind that pulls up all of the common airlines for you and "compares" prices. I can;t tell if these are the best fares or not because this app is the same as all of the other apps and sites that compare for you- so you're seeing the lowest they're showing you, which are almost never the cheapest flights in general. I distrust a lot of these sites for that reason. Yo book a flight with a pat on the back thinking you've done a great service to yourself only to find out the next day that it was cheaper to buy directly from the airline or something else. It's no fun. So what I usually do it look at the site/app. check the price and then look in a few other spaces to compare for myself whether it's the best or not. 

Plus, this app does NO service to itself by naming itself Domestic Flights- it's virtually unsearchable on google because literally every other airline, app, site and graphic will come up for the term "domestic flights" even if you add other words specific to the app. So- no thanks. Not only did it take me too long just to find the icon for this, but I've already seen various shades of this app before. 

The Good: It's easy to use because it's like every other compare app. I can say, though, that only being a day after I did fare Buzz, this app price for the Spirit non-stop trip matches more closely to the Spirit fare online. 

The Bad: It's the same as every other app. No real savings. 

In conclusion, this has been good at one thing only- deleting apps from my phone. Zero for three this time around but it's all for learning what works. Just because I'm not willing to settle for the first thing I see because it claims to be better doesn't mean it's not helping someone else. These apps were not what I was looking for in the way of getting to San Diego, at all, but I am ready to research my next set for you. 

Do you have an app or website that you use that I haven't mentioned yet? Share it in the comments and I will give it a go next time!

As always, be kind to one another. 

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Review: 2 Lads Winery, Traverse City

This weekend was my first ever wine tasting! Now, if you've read me previously you will know that I am not much for drinking, but it was a group thing and pretty fun!

2 Lads winery on Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan is gorgeous. Not only is the building something Wright himself would be proud of, but the views are spectacular! The Grand Traverse Bay is right across the street, basically, and the rows and rows of grapevines are really satisfying.

At 2 Lads the tasting is only $7 and you get five pours. If I drink wine at all, let it be sparkling! And, boy, it was! When it's your turn to sample, the group is welcomed over to the bar and you're given a sassy tasting menu to choose your samples from. A helpful barista pourer walked through any questions we had, no matter how ridiculous. (Does it taste like feet? Can I try just the tangerine dreams? What do your dreams taste like?) She was top notch and really knew her chiz. Trust ya' staff.

I was thrilled to pick all three from the Classic Sparking variety: Sparkling Pinot Grigio, Sparkling Rose and Crisp Sparkling. By time I got to Crisp I was a little done with wine since it was basically breakfast (I drank half) so I shared that one with a buddy who went and bought TWO bottles of it! So that should tell you something bout it! But by time Joe and Mike tried my glass it was too late for me to want it back. My fault. (it was good, I'm just not used to wines)  I also chose one from the 2 Lads Reserve section which was worth two pours. I chose the 2016 Reserve Chardonnay- " produced in just 5 new French Oak barrels, this Reserve Chard is finished in a classic Burgundian style. Lemon and Stony minerality is enhanced with fresh baked toffee brittle and a creamy finish from 6 months contact on the Lees." I didn't get all of that in the wine taste (is it supposed to be?) BUT it's all apparent in the aftertaste (of cookies)! But $44 is a little much for an aftertaste, I hear... 

The prettiest!

We had a really good time giggling over wines. Glass after glass poured between the six of us, and unlike what I heard, nothing was spat out because that's weird. I joke. A little. The menus were pretty good if you're into sarcasm like I. The description on each is like Leslie Knope doing an April Ludgate impression while drunk on Nutri-yum bars and red wine.
See for yourself:

A crisp underworld!

I loved it. I found some neat rocks in the fields, had a blast with my friends and saw my first ground squirrel. What a time was had!

If you're up in northwest Michigan and want to take a wine tasting tour then Old Mission Peninsula is for you! 2 Lads was tons of fun, the Crisp Sparkling is amazing but the aftertaste of that Reserve section is desserty and delightful! It's well worth your time and dollars, believe me! We went to another spot that had a cute dog but NO sass and it just wasn't as much fun! 2 Lads keeps it real, keeps it clever! We will absolutely be back here. Husband is already out of Pinot.

Review: Abbey Court Hostel, Dublin

When booking my trip back to Dublin I decided that I did not want to stay in a hotel if I could help it. So when I went back, I looked into hostels to keep it budget friendly, but researched those hostels closely. So when I booked at Abbey Court it was not taken lightly or whimsically. Abbey Court has been chosen one of the top places to stay in Europe for years, so that's a good sign.

This hostel was worth it! I paid extra to get a women's only room with 6 beds instead of 15-20 beds, which I would always recommend. It was only about $9 more per night but it felt safer and quieter, and that's worth more.

The Hostel: The wall art out and inside is amazing. I searched the Abbey Court Hostel hashtag on Insta before booking, as well as a few others, just to see what it looked like. Abbey Court looked so beautiful and the umbrella ceiling was worth the stay. The views are colorful and make every step fun. The staff is kind, helpful and know how to help you in, from what I heard, at least 5 different languages. Upon walking in I was welcomed by every employee at the counter and even one from behind the doorway, which was nice, and got to check my bag in early (for a 3Euro fee). Breakfast was good and I liked that the kitchen area was open to guests all day to make and eat their own food. All of the employees were encouraging and tried to include their guests in all of the happenings. We did the Backpacker Bar Crawl (a post for another day) on the recommendation of one of the staff and had a blast and nobody fussed about us (quietly) getting back after 3am. Freedom!

Our door!

The Room: When I got to my room I was hoping that I would get a bottom bunk (nope). The beds were what you would expect- bunk beds that don't feel properly attached to the wall with mattresses made of fluff and something harder like fresh sawdust that were only about two inches thick but with a soft pillow to match. Every time I got on the ladder to the bed I felt like the whole thing was going to fall over. And getting down was tough because the ladder was so slim that you couldn't fit both legs at the same time while sitting on the bed to move down facing forward. No room. Sorry for the impending doom, Ellie!
The blanket was really warm, though, which was nice because it got really chilly out. Ear plugs don't seem to do much good- the walls are cardboard thin and every door slams. Every. Single. Door. It's all you hear, it seems. Plus, not the hostel's fault, but rude ass people WILL take their very loud and very personal cell phone conversations into the hallway on speakerphone at all hours of the night. Pro Tip- be prepared for that racket.
Best idea I could think up at 1am after 46 straight hours awake and still too noisy to sleep- Abbey Court, put some foam or something between the door and the lip of the frame to absorb some of that slamming. Good lord, so much slamming.
But it was really awesome to have extra showers and toilets on our floor- it's never a just in case time for extra stalls with 6 or more to a room, there's always a need!

The Area: What a great location! Seriously, you can hardly ask for a better spot on the River Liffey. It's closer to the O'Connell Bridge but sits between that and the Ha'Penny. The good thing about it is how close it is to Temple Bar area, which means markets and donut shops as well as bus stops and walking tours. The bad is that it's close to Temple Bar- which means drunks at 1am whistling for no reason over and over again, people breaking bottles and shouting. But hey, if you don't factor that into your decision while picking a hostel then that's your bad. I expected that- except for the whistle guy. Screw that guy.

Great people. The best possible location. Clean rooms. Not only would I recommend staying in a Hostel instead of a Hotel whilst in Dublin, I would recommend this specific spot with Abbey Court. I absolutely will be booking here again on my next return to my favorite city and I already am looking forward to whomever I will meet next.

America!

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Dublin- my heart is full.

Made some good friends in Dublin, the kind you can only find as a solo traveler!

I'll update more when I'm home but for now here is one of my favorite spots. 

Ha'Penny Bridge over the River Liffey. 

Tip: Budget Friendly Packing Process

Hallo, Alles!

So, it may seem weird to you, but before I head off on a trip, if even just for a few days, I start packing well ahead of time! Like, WEEKS! Mentally I prepare what to pack long before I physically move anything. I love packing. I mean it! I. LOVE. PACKING!

I love this bag. I got it for free on Amazon as a product tester!

I look up packing tips all the time to see if any new Pinterest style ideas come up. Not really. It's just packing, after all. There are only so many ways to fold, roll or shove clothes into a bag.

For my upcoming trip to Europe I did it all on the cheap- discount flights, no extra baggage to incur any extra fees, no carry-on. It's just me and my backpack, almost already perfectly ready to go. So I have to be sure to pack well enough so that I don't feel like I'm missing anything when I get there, and need to remind myself that some things, if I need them, can be purchased there like extra socks or ear plugs.

I'm only going to Europe for a few days- 7 in total but the whole first day will be various states of traveling, and it's all budget friendly stuff or staying with friends- which is even better! (If only I could real quick make some trusting Dubliner friends for next time! Hit me up, Dubliners!)

A lot of the time when I said I was doing everything budget friendly to others I had to explain that it means more than just airfare. To some it just means tickets; to me it means tickets, bags, rooms, food, excursions, everything! So, in an effort to try to inspire small weekenders or budget friendly trips this summer I am putting to list my ideas to help rationalize your trip planning to save a few bucks!

1. Plan your packing! I used to be a chronic over packer- like what if we go to to a fancy dinner? What if the Queen comes to town? What if I meet the Pope? None of that happens. I rarely go out to a fancy dinner at my own home- why would I be nervous about packing for it in a new place? I would also over pack so far ahead of time that I wouldn't have clothes to wear to work and I would have to UNpack things just to get through the week(s) leading up to vacation!  Rationalize ahead of time what you can live with and without so then when you set out to pack it's easy and efficient.

2. Find a sturdy bag or suitcase. It sounds silly, like, no duh, BUT accidents happen. Rips happen. Overweight bags happen! You do NOT want to get caught up at the airport with a heavy bag and have to pay to check it because the price triples! Same goes for personal items- make sure it fits the qualifications set the the airport before packing so that there are no surprises. Qualifiers are on all of your airline website's FAQ. Spending an extra $100 of your hard saved cash before you even leave for vacation is a big bummer. And you HAVE to do it; otherwise you can throw it away or not go on your trip. Your choice. Plan ahead.

3. Pick your schedule. Do you know that you want to visit a specific place or two, or more? Check out my post about City Pass for an idea. For this trip I knew I wanted to revisit Guinness Storehouse and hit up a few places I didn't have time to see last time I was in Dublin, so I bought a 2-day City Pass Dublin card again, which though not to terribly cheap, at about $45 a day it's still better priced than if I were to pay out of pocket for each destination, plus free bus tickets and discounts. I'm digressing. Plan your trip out, if even loosely. If you know, like me, that you want to visit a place, check into it. Make sure it's open, that it's affordable, kid friendly, what have you. You owe it to yourself to do a few minutes of research so that day of you're not wandering around aimlessly because you planned to spend all day at a location that is not even open during your trip. Prepare a backup plan, as well, in case of closures, weather, tantrums- you get it.

4. Finally Packing! It's funny, when packing I always plan and plan and somehow think it will still take all day, so I set hours aside to do it- nope. It takes about ten minutes. Kind of a let down, that. I typically start with the most important stuff, if even to just toss it in the bag before I fully pack so that I don't forget it- like my passport, money, phone chargers (I need THREE different plugs this time! Three!) I also plan ahead for my toiletry bag- grab my SteriPod cover for my toothbrush (a Target find), band aids, some makeup, washcloth, baby wipes, aspirin- things I know I would use but won't want to buy while there because chances are I will need or want them before I remember to buy.

It's all there- jeans, 3 tees, 3 tanks, undies, socks, Polaroid camera, passport, money, toiletries, electronics and not pictured are treats for my Dutch Sister from another Mister

Note: Cutting out over packing is when you really get to know yourself, if you don't already. I'm going away for 7 days but I know myself well enough to know that even if I packed a pair of pants for every day, or a special outfit for every day, that I would just wear the same two pairs of pants- so I'm only packing one pair of pants (and wearing the other). I don't need 4 pairs of shoes or dresses for every whim (like I have at home). I have a few shirts and tanks, always extra socks and undies, PJ pants and that's about it. I'm much more into not paying for a carry-on suitcase than I'm into being a fashionista on this trip. Bare minimum. Less is less- less to pay for, less to carry, less weight on your back, less to clean up after, less chance of leaving something behind forever.

5. Double Checking Everything. Check in to your flights when applicable. Make sure your ride to the airport is still on board. Grab your book/gum/candy/snacks. Portable phone charger. Make sure that you either have access to your email for flight reservations or, like me, a folder in your phone's  photo album of screencaps of ALL of your trip information in case you need to present it at a moment's notice. After countless viewings of Friends, I refuse to be Rachel Green here, forgetting my passport and telling the lady at the ticket counter that it's on my nightstand at home then having to race home to get it. It's the first thing I pack and I keep it in an accessible (by me) pocket for easy grabbing until I pass security.


6. MOST IMPORTANTLY! Kiss the cats goodbye for an absurdly extended period of time to make up for time away. They love it.

Not pictured: Dave

So, that's that. Just a few tips on helping avoid over packing and baggage fees. Plus, this way there's no waiting around at the luggage carousal for sometimes two hours (it happened to me) waiting for your luggage to drop! I don't know about you, but until I actually see my bag rolling past I am in a state of panic that it's lost. No matter what. And, for some reason, it's always one of the LAST to fall! .

Honestly, it's a liiiiiittle jam packed and could do with some repositioning.

Do you have any other tips? Let me know- I'm always down for learning something new!

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Reward Apps- Worth it? Yes! And not really...: Job Spotter and Frequent Flyer

Hey, all!

Money Making. I know everyone says they have an app for that. Remember that commercial? Travel savings/rewards and money back are on tons of apps. Be mindful that some say they pay in gift cards, some in air miles- seems really cool and all that but it's not always as described! Read below to check out my thoughts on a couple "money" style apps designed for travelers or just movers and shakers.

Job Spotter

So, while perusing one of those Penny Hoarder posts that are basically all surveys and shopping receipt apps, I stumbled upon Job Spotter.  It's powered by Indeed for job hunters and people hiring.

Looks like this. 

It's really easy to use and pays out in Amazon gift card codes*. I have had this app for years and love it. It's not a get rich quick kind of thing, just more of an if you're already out thing. It needs to be on a Smart Phone of some sort with location tracking on and a camera. That's all.
*NOTE: The app works internationally BUT I do NOT know if Amazon works internationally.

What you do:
Download the smartphone app- obviously.
When you see a Now Hiring sign at a business, ANY business, you take a photo of the sign up close and then a photo of the business name (be it on the door, a sign, an awning, etc) and submit. It takes literally seconds per. The big box stores and national chains like CVS or Burger King and places that say apply online are not worth much- each point in JS is worth one penny and those chains can be as low as 5 points- BUT the points go up to 150 per post on small businesses like local markets or antique shops or something. It all adds up.

Plus as an added incentive to the app, you can also verify other people's shots to see that yes, this IS a hiring sign and it is indeed at [Given store name]! Or sometimes it's not. You do have to be paying attention to these because it has a trust rating for you and the lower your rating, the lower points you get per pair. Each set goes up to 100% and is worth 10 points (so a 5 star trust rating is 5% per pair verified), but for each location YOU shoot, no matter what it's worth, you get a slew of verifications to tend to. So even if you only get 5 points on a photo you snapped you can still earn another 20 or 30 cents from the pile of verifications you get for taking that photo in the first place. It's like a reward incentive- the more you post, the more you get to verify. I didn't discover this part of the app until much later- like a year ago, honestly- but I tell you, it works!

I cashed out at Thanksgiving time and paid for half of my Christmas list. Then I cashed out NYE to have a zero balance for 2018. $35 free dollars in a month just from taking a few photos.

Though this app is FAR from a scam, people leave bad reviews because it doesn't "pay enough"! Those people are idiots. Not sorry. You get what you put in, like in most things, and if you are one of those people that need to be told to get off the couch and go outside then this app probably won't do it for you. I am out and about a lot, sometimes even just taking walks and will see a hiring sign. Or I take a walk around the mall just to see who's hiring. Around Christmas it's a gold mine! It also lets you retake photos after a few weeks. So if you know the Mexican place around the corner is ALWAYS hiring with their handwritten sign on the door, go ahead and snap it every couple of weeks. If it's anything like the one near me then the people that were hired a few weeks ago are already gone so it still helps. It runs through Indeed.com and will update itself accordingly. Literally-all you do is go for a walk and snap, snap, send. Cash Out. I choose to leave my rewards for an extended period of time, not cash out every week like some whiner did online then complained about only getting $2. But you do you, boo boo!

I usually get my reward emailed to me same or next day as I hit the redeem button. I don't think I've ever waited for more than a full 24 hours.

This app is a MUST if you wander around a lot or don't live in a farm town. Or even if you do! It's easy, potentially helps others and pays in legit Amazon codes. I use it as often as I can.

The Good: Easy money!
The Bad: Your husband or friends will pretend not to be annoyed that you stop at every other store at the mall to take photos. But hey, money is money!

Frequent Flyer

So, a long, long time ago (May 2016) on some sort of money saving post ad I saw an app presentation for the Frequent Flyer Travel Reward App. The app goal says you can collect free travel, collect air miles and more. Well, I have this app pinned in my back screen so that it tracks me as it says it's supposed to. It does track- and it doesn't. Every day or two it offers a survey that asks where  you were at this time and so on, and you just respond by tapping your responses. Most of the time it's counting when you're stopped at a red light and asks you if you visited such and such place at the corner of where the red light was. Or it's three blocks from where you actually were. So it's not TOO terribly intelligent for being programmed to track locations.

However, It has been a long time with this app and I have yet to receive the reward of my choice. The prizes open at sweepstakes entries that I'm not convinced anyone actually wins (200 points), all the way to my goal, a $25 Airbnb/hotel gift card (25,000 points). I had one accidental sweepstakes entry and one on purpose but in the rest of the time since 2016 I have yet to achieve anything- and that's AFTER visiting 6 new countries and various US road trips. I'm at 23,500 points and will hang on until I can reach 25,000 and claim my reward. Then it's gone. My phone says it drains the battery an extra 2%, so, bye Felicia!?

The Good: It promises rewards.
The Bad: It's been almost two years with it pinned to my background and still nothing. It's literally just a drain on my battery at this point.

Update 4/9/18: In the month that this post has been awaiting an update (of points and rewards) I have reached the goal of 25,000 points and am currently cashing in- I sent in my request for a $25 Marriott gift card code so that when Husband and I go on our road trip this summer we can save a few bucks on a hotel one night. A lot of work, it seems, just to save $25 on one night of hotel service, but, every little bit helps! That's pretty good savings.

Second Update 4/19/18: Still waiting. Usually when things say two weeks like this- where it's just delivering a code to your email- it takes a day or two. I've checked my spam and everything. I guess they actually mean two weeks worth of business days.

Neither of these apps will lead to many riches. But especially if you use Amazon a lot and can ship things directly to your brother's house in Florida for your nieces, at least ONE of these apps is worth it. Personally speaking.

What apps do you use to save a few bucks or earn a few back into your life? Tell me below! And let me know if you download either of these apps! I'm the only one I know who uses either besides talking my sister-in-law into getting it when we went to the mall over summer.

Travel App Reviews: Still Searching for that plane ticket deal?

Cause I sure am!

This is what true love looks like.

As I had mentioned back here, I am looking for a one-way ticket to Providence, Rhode Island, so that I can catch my Norwegian flight to Dublin. I was hoping to score some last minute deals but now it's 28 days away and I'm starting to get panicky because I'm not good at last minute stuff unless it's local or part of my job. I tend to be more prepared around this time! So even though the rest of my European trip is ready to go, I'm still not at my flight to leave America yet, so to speak!

Turns out TF Green (PVD) is not a huge airport and not all flights go there. It's seemingly a specialized airport and I'm kicking myself that I booked my Dublin flight leaving from here without knowing PVD's circumstances and knowing how flights are harder to come by at a decent price. (It's important to note that Boston, Chicago and New York were all excluded from going to Dublin on Norwegian) I figured a one-way flight wouldn't be too hard to come by, and it's not, it's just that unless I want to arrive at 7am for a 9pm flight to Dublin OR catch a flight that lands as my other ride is taking off then I need to keep shopping and expect to spend around $100- which is only a few dollars LESS than my flight to Dublin in the first place, which is annoying and anti-thrifty.

Again, alas. I have cleared my cookies and cache and am ready to research!

So, in order to run through all of these apps I download that all insist they're the ONLY place for go for the BEST cheap flights... I will be searching this specific flight from Detroit to Providence for one adult passenger on May 1 (one-way) and see how many of them are the same or better or worse. I know a started a short list a while ago but I want to expand and see what's better for me so that if you're looking up these apps, you can see what sounds best for you, too.
Since so many claim to be the best, let's give 'er a looksie:

Spirit: Doesn't fly to this airport. Sucky.
CheapOAir: Lowest cost $114.30 on American. Not so cheapo here but is usually ok.
NavigatoFly: $87 on American
Flight Search: $87 on American -pretty much exact same app as Navi only it's orange instead of blue. Uninstalling. 
Fareboom: Turns out the App is for car rentals only despite having an airplane as their logo. Unless you've already booked? Confusing but only showed me cars just now. Uninstalling. Checking their website: it's garbage. Just another site that pops up 45 different low fare windows. Waste of time.
SkyScanner: $88 cheapest BUT lands at 11:54 pm. Rats. Next cheapest if $95 but arrives 8 hours ahead of my flight and I can't possibly sit in one place for 8 hours just to get on a plane and sit in one place for another 8 hours.
Fareness: $95- cheapest price for the month. Not the best app, but they provide a calendar of rates.
Kiwi: $90.39 but leaves at 6:05AM. Shortest flight, though. For $96.58 I can cut that time in half still with a direct flight, if only my outbound to Dublin were at 2am next day... Seems better for hotel deals than flights.
Hopper: $100 Still my fave though. Just not here.
Jetradar: $88 on American and not stupidly early morning! One I can actually use!
Momondo: $95- same as everyone else. Seems better for international flights but I'm still not impressed with anything it shows me even in my pretend vacations. I don't understand why people love it.  It's the same as everything else, just with a better marketing team. Uninstalling.
LastMinuteFlights: $87. Not bad but for an app that claims it is the ONLY go-to for last minute flight deals it's running all of the same flights as everyone else. So this app is full of lies? I tried moving up the date to April 11th (at random) JUST to see if the actual more last minute idea is legit since a month out isn't last minute.  Nope, prices are $40 higher. I bet they're just banking on that last minute panic for most of their sales. Uninstalling.
CheapFlightsTickets: Nope. Seems to only be Europe to Asia type of flights. Detroit exists on their menu but I couldn't even pull up Boston. Uninstalling.
CheapTickets: The app just takes you to their website. Then the site tells you to download the app. $102 cheapest and not in a timely manner. Uninstalling.
EasyJet: Nope, not American. We don't exist here. Uninstalling after I play a minute longer. (IE doesn't even exist on the app, just Belfast UK)
Hipmunk: They won't let me create a google account without access to my Google Wallet. They want you to use it with your GW and pay for everything that way but even though my GW isn't even hooked up to anything or used, I don't need an app having any sort of access to my money or information like THAT. Uninstalling!! And SCARY!* Cute logo though. 
Jetcost: $46 if I go to Boston on Spirit but same old $88+ for PVD. I may keep this app. Even though it gave me the same results, I got them at least 50% faster than most of the others above.
Secret Travel: Not a flight deal app, per se. It's more of a deal package app, which is ok for later.
SkipLagged: $87

I have been thinking just fly to Boston and take a bus or train or whatever RomeToRio has to offer or something and using my Spirit miles could save time and money. I guess another set of research is due for Boston?
Boston as low as $48. I could take the train for $13 at 3:30pm and arrive well ahead of schedule for my outbound flight and the train drops me off right at the airport?? Well, shit. At least I worked through the apps I don't like. I think I freed up half of my phone storage!

Still so much to do for my flight over, but at least we ran through some of these "best apps ever for flight deals". The best ones I looked at today: Jetcost, Jetradar.

*You should never have to allow any wallet access to an app that you're not comfortable with, nor should they ask for it just to get started. I'm sure should you choose to use it it would be easy, but if you're not even interested in with Hipmunk has to offer- guess what, you already gave them FULL ACCESS to your Gogle Wallet and all subseqent banking information. So now that's out there in a way that seems less trustworthy than the apps you choose to use like Amazon. If you want to attach your GW or any credit cards to something it should be YOUR choice, not the app's. They're asking far too much and it's a big red flag.

I left a review of the app on their DL page and they responded to it saying that they don't ask for that information at all EVER and told me to email them why I think that they do. It was pretty condescending sounding, honestly. So I edited my review and gave explicit details of how I tried to create an account and was denied my account opening because I refused to allow permission to access my GW. No account was made. 

Does this not look like they're asking for permission to use my Google Wallet to you??

Are there apps that I missed? Websites that are better? Any tips? leave it all in my comments!