If the company isn't willing to pay for your travel, you shouldn't work there. Serious companies will pay for travel.

100% accurate. When I was interviewing on the west coast, I tried to coordinate between two companies where one would pick up the hotel and the other the flights, mostly so I didn't have to cross the continent twice. That was a surprisingly difficult thing to pull off. Each of them seemed to prefer to pay for it all and have me criss-cross once per company...

Why didnt you just get them to both book you a flight and the just not take one of the flights each way.

I eventually got them to cooperate. Your solution would have been ok, but only if one was still willing as I’d have to book one east->west round trip and fly only the first leg and the other west->east (starting after the interview) and fly the first leg of that, because the airline is able to cancel all your remaining legs once you miss a leg.

It seems that might be harder than just telling one of them that I’ll already be in the area on such and such date.

Doesn't that rather depend on the job? A senior position, yes; but why would a New York company spend two grand bringing someone in when they've got qualified applicants lining up out the door?

Because they're paying recruiters 15-25% of the first year's salary just to get qualified applicants and two grand on travel is just a drop in the bucket.

good to know, thanks!