How to get the Best Deals on Air Travel

Air travel is still popular, even with all the changes that have occurred as a result of September 11, economic factors, and other underlying reasons. If you take some time to comparison shop, just as you would if you were buying a new car or appliance or making another major purchase, you can find good deals on airfare.

If you do not have frequent flier miles or you are not eligible for air fare discounts through points rewards on credit cards or AARP, AAA or membership to a similar organization, or you are not military personnel, then start with several different online travel sites. These include such sites as Expedia.com, Travelocity, Priceline or Cheap Tickets.

Some sites, such as farecompare.com or bookingbuddy.com, allow you to compare several sites at once. This makes it easier, as you don’t have to enter each site’s information separately.

Enter the departure and arrival city and the dates you wish to make the outbound and return flights. Then, be as lenient as you can possibly be on as many of the other categories as you can. In other words, unless you absolutely must have a flight at a specific time of day, keep your time options as flexible as possible. You can always refine your search as you start receiving information.

Once you start receiving fare information, look to see which price really is best. Specifically, ask yourself these questions:

• Does the price include taxes, airport fees, booking charges, or anything else that will make it higher, or is it strictly the bottom line price? If the price quoted is simply the air fare itself, you may find yourself paying more than you thought.
• Has the airline that is shown as having the lowest price began charging for things that were once free, such as pillows, blankets, carry-on luggage, and other things? All of these will increase the travel charge, if not the fare itself.
• What is the refund, cancellation, or change policy? Non-refundable tickets are often cheaper; however, if something should happen that you have to cancel or change your flight, there can sometimes be hefty fees or penalties.

Once you have obtained several prices and flight times, then it is time to call the reservations number for the airlines themselves. Tell them what you have been quoted, and then ask them if they can or will beat that price. You might be surprised to find out that their prices are sometimes lower, or that you don’t have to pay certain fees by booking directly with them.

If you are eligible for discounts such as those mentioned earlier in this article, always contact airline reservation services first. They can help you determine how much your air fare will actually be with the discount.

And, while hopefully this will not occur often, if ever, should you find yourself in a position of having to make an emergency flight, such as for a death or illness in the family, contact the airline directly. Explain your situation to them and ask if they can help you in any way. They will most likely be glad to work with you in this situation.