COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BOOKING AIRLINE TRAVEL ITINERARIES

摘要

A method and apparatus for purchasing an airline ticket, includes entering into a computer information describing a flight desired by a consumer (102), including a target price (103), and performing a search on an airline reservation system database for flights corresponding to the desired flight information (102). The method determines whether a flight found during the search has a fare that is at least equal to the target price (103), and if so books the flight to hold it for the consumer for a predetermined period of time to allow the consumer to effect payment. The consumer is informed by e-mail notification of the seat reservation and instructing the consumer regarding payment requirements to effect purchase of the airline ticket. If a flight having the target price (103) or better is found, the method continues to periodically perform the search over a predetermined number of days into the future, and inform the consumer by e-mail of the ongoing results of the search (201).