First Time Flying to California...?

Travel Info
I am planning on taking the airplane from Oklahoma City, OK to San Jose, CA (round trip) this summer (particularly August) and this will be my first time flying. The thing is that I do not know where to start. What are good recommendations for buying a ticket and asking for nonstop route, although it is obvious that OKC is very far from SJ. What do I expect when I arrive at the airport?

Travel Tips

sidestep.com is a good site for getting prices as well as expedia.com i always use sidestep. they give you the rates for all airlines and you can specify non stop etc.
Others

i dont know but usually when its your first time flighing you will like it so the is nothing to be scared about.
I've always had good luck with expedia, although a quick check shows no non-stop flights.

http://www.expedia.com

When you land at the airport, follow the signs to baggage claim, where you wait for your bags to arrive. Is someone picking you up? Pick ups are right outside the terminal.

Here's info on public transportation:
http://www.sjc.org/travelers/ground_tran...
first thing u should know about airports is

1. pay attention to the screens and com systems for your plane info.

2. dont leave anything lying around especially your ticket, it will get stolen.

3.if you are unsure about your destination ask info desks and other people on the flight.

4.50 lbs limit for baggage check. make sure your carry on 1' .25" x 1' .25" if you have one.

5.don't say BOMB!!!!!

6.there are car rentals located in the airport you will be flying to. if you are not meeting someone there i suggest you rent.

7. www.travelocity.com
www.expedia.com
etc.

8. contact a travel agency to help you.

9. do not carry lighters thru metal detectors and/or anything else for that matter.

10. Have fun on your trip, buy maps, San Jose is a big city. easy to get lost, Winchester Mystery House is cool, 2 1/2 hour drive to San Francisco.

enjoy your stay man.
You might not be able to find a non-stop flight from OKC. The reason is that there may not be a carrier which travels non-stop between those 2 airports. This happens to me whenever I visit my sister in Kentucky. I always have to stop at either DFW (Dallas TX) or O'hare in Chicago - major "hubs" for the airlines. A hub is sorta like a bus terminal.

Search expedia.com, travelocity.com, then go directly to the cheapest airline's website (like aa.com or delta.com). Sites like Expedia and travelocity charge a fee which can raise the cost of your ticket. Don't buy a ticket with more than one stop. Two or more stops will take forever, and will probably be even more expensive.

Changing planes is not that big of a hassle. The luggage you checked in will be transferred to the next plane for you. You won't have to go through security again, as long as you don't go beyond the gates in the airport. The one thing you need to be careful of, is listening for the announcement of the gate of you connecting flight. Often, when going to SJC, there will be more than one connecting flight, and the stewardess will only announce the next closest one (time-wise, not distance). You might not be on that flight. For example, she might say," for those of you travelling on to San Jose, your connecting at gate A32." Sure, that may be a flight to San Jose, but it might not be YOUR flight. You walk, run, or take the monorail to A32, only to find that your flight is departing out of C16.

Once you get off the plane, CHECK THE MONITORS OR ASK SOMEONE AT THE COUNTER for your flight and gate info.

Right before your plane lands in San Jose, they'll announce what baggage claim to pick up your luggage. Follow the signs to pick up your luggage downstairs. Expect it to be very HOT. The heat here in August is gonna be a killer.
Go to FareChase on Yahoo. It searches a bunch of different sites and gets the best deal.