Archive for March 22nd, 2010

How to Buy Discount Airfare

Ron Swerdfiger asked:


Traveling is one of the world’s favorite pastimes; however individuals continue to pay too much for airfare. The problem is people have some sort of brand loyalty, frequent flyer miles, or the like which inspires them to call the airline directly or go to the airline’s web page and book a ticket direct. Many airlines are now advertising they have the lowest fares for air travel on their carrier, and this might be true if you don’t take into consideration airfare wholesalers and consolidators.

The fact of the matter is there are many airline wholesalers and consolidators who buy large blocks of tickets from various major air carriers and then pass the savings onto the consumer. Airline consolidators and wholesalers have websites where you may search different dates, receive quotes from a variety of major airlines, and find the cheapest flights available, resulting in savings of hundreds of dollars per ticket. Also, when you fly on a discounted ticket you still earn frequent flyer miles.

Unfortunately, many travelers steer away from consolidators and discounted tickets because they are scared they will not receive a seat, they will miss their flight and their business trip or vacation will be ruined. This is a misconception and one that should be done away with immediately. Once you receive your booking confirmation and e-ticket you have a seat on the plane regardless of whether you bought the ticket from a consolidator or straight from the airline’s ticket counter. Consolidator tickets often times have more restrictions, but not enough to make it worthwhile to buy airline tickets straight from the carrier.

Flying can be an expensive form of travel if you don’t examine all your possibilities. Discount Air fair is a great chance to save a lot of money. Do your homework and make sure you are getting exactly what you pay for. In the end there are far better things to spend your money on while on your next vacation, or business trip.



LAVERN
 

Caveats of Cheap Discount Airfare Reservations

Roland Jefferson asked:


Your friend tells you she scored a great deal by getting a cheap discount airfare reservation to New York for under $100 and you vow that you’ll never pay full price again. Sure, there are some excellent deals available on the web whereby you can get actual cheap discount airfare reservations but you need to know what that means.

 

No Return, Exchange or Transfer

Once you click the checkout button for a cheap discount airfare reservation online, that’s it. You can not change your reservation date, city, airline or time of departure/arrival at any cost. These cheap discount airfare reservation tickets are non-transferable meaning that in case you are unable to make the trip, you can’t give it to a friend to use instead.

One way out of losing all your money may be to buy trip protection of some sort. Not everything will be covered, but it does cover things like cancelled flights and lost luggage. Check when making your reservation if such a feature is offered, what it covers and how much is it for.

 

One Way or Round Trip

 

At times airlines and travel websites advertiser amazingly low airfares. You might be tempted to go to Orlando for $69 but do find out if this is a one-way fare that is quoted or a return trip. Also take in to account all fees, surcharges, government taxes etc. and look at the final price carefully before you enter your credit card information.

 

Inconvenient

Although not always, but many a time cheap discount airfare reservations are possible because they have the most inconvenient flight itineraries. They may leave at 6 AM which means you need to get out of bed at 3 AM to make it to the airport. They may also return at odd hours or they may return at a different airport from where you departed; this leaves parking you car at the airport out of the question.

Cheap discount airfare reservations may also have inconvenient layovers which do not just increase the travel time; they may entail terminal change or be too close or too far apart. Either way you may miss a connecting flight due to shortage of tm or inclement weather and be stuck in a different city.

Remember that cheap discount airfare reservations are a good deal provided you are flexible with your time, date and airline. If you are a frequent flyer it always pays to stick with one carrier so that you can earn and redeem miles. A few hundred miles on each airline can not get you the same rewards that a couple of thousand on one carrier can. So read the fine print and check everything twice before you make a cheap discount airfare reservation. Bon Voyage!



CESAR