EZ Mission Travel
Airline Booking Tips
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| Disclaimer: EZ Mission Travel makes no warranties, explicit or implied. You must investigate any agency, organization, service or product that interests you, to assure yourself that what they offer is what you are seeking. We can not assure you that the organizations which we list, or to which we refer you, are as they advertise themselves to be, or that they will meet your expectations. If you find information that is incorrect or misleading, please notify us at info@ezmissiontravel.com so that we can remove the link. Copyright 2008 EZ Mission Travel -ezmissiontravel.com. All rights reserved. |
Lower fares, with restrictions
Do you have seven to 21 days before you travel? Can you modify your original schedule so you do
have enough advance-purchase time? Are you reasonably sure of the dates? Are you willing to
stick with your original return flight, even if you finish your work early or if there's a chance you
won't finish it by departure time? If the answer to all those questions is "yes," or even "probably,"
you can usually do a lot better than your benchmark prices.
1. If you can live with both an advance-purchase period up to 21 days, plus a Saturday-night stay,
cheap nonrefundable tickets on any airlines that fly where you're going can cost as little as a
quarter of your benchmark price. This is the time to explore whether you'd be willing to extend your
stay over a Saturday to take advantage of the lower fares. You find the best restricted fares the
same places you found your benchmark.
2. If you can live with a modest advance-purchase requirement, but not a Saturday-night stay, the
new class of business fares that several of the legacy network lines are selling are around 30
percent less than full fare, but considerably higher then the fully restricted fares, above. Again, you
find this information the same places you found your benchmark.
3. If you have some credit stockpiled, you can try using frequent flyer miles to get a seat. Good luck
to you, if you try. Check with your airline's frequent flyer line, or online-most big lines these days
can provide online availability of frequent flyer seats.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
Do you have seven to 21 days before you travel? Can you modify your original schedule so you do
have enough advance-purchase time? Are you reasonably sure of the dates? Are you willing to
stick with your original return flight, even if you finish your work early or if there's a chance you
won't finish it by departure time? If the answer to all those questions is "yes," or even "probably,"
you can usually do a lot better than your benchmark prices.
1. If you can live with both an advance-purchase period up to 21 days, plus a Saturday-night stay,
cheap nonrefundable tickets on any airlines that fly where you're going can cost as little as a
quarter of your benchmark price. This is the time to explore whether you'd be willing to extend your
stay over a Saturday to take advantage of the lower fares. You find the best restricted fares the
same places you found your benchmark.
2. If you can live with a modest advance-purchase requirement, but not a Saturday-night stay, the
new class of business fares that several of the legacy network lines are selling are around 30
percent less than full fare, but considerably higher then the fully restricted fares, above. Again, you
find this information the same places you found your benchmark.
3. If you have some credit stockpiled, you can try using frequent flyer miles to get a seat. Good luck
to you, if you try. Check with your airline's frequent flyer line, or online-most big lines these days
can provide online availability of frequent flyer seats.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
Sponsored Links
Best Times to Book
There's a bit of a myth that certain times of the day are better than others for booking airfare. But
there is some truth that there are better days to book than others. Airlines use sophisticated
algorithms to determine prices for airfare; these algorithms take into account several factors,
including the route's history, available seats, booking patterns, and even the weather. Prices do
fluctuate throughout the day, and it's difficult to predict if and when prices will drop at any given time.
Several experts believe that booking on certain days, rather than time of day, can yield lower
prices. Travelocity's Director of Flights, Dominique Philips, says that most airlines tend to release
sales on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, a trend we've also noticed which makes searching
for airfare early in the week smart.
John Morrey, vice president of retail air at Expedia agrees. In his opinion, booking on Tuesday
evenings is ideal. He notes that airlines tend to release fare sales on Tuesday mornings, and if
other carriers match, they usually do so by the evening. Fare sales generally end on Fridays, and
Morrey says, "In addition, when airlines raise fares, they tend to do this on a weekend, so
Saturdays and Sundays [are] less attractive."
Booking at off-peak times such as late at night or in the early morning may not help you score a low
fare, but according to Morrey, you may have an easier time searching for airfare during off-peak
times. He says, "[Booking] systems are designed to handle peak loads, but run even faster in
off-peak hours when there's less traffic." (Source: Jessica Labrencis, SmarterTravel.com Staff - August 10, 2006)
There's a bit of a myth that certain times of the day are better than others for booking airfare. But
there is some truth that there are better days to book than others. Airlines use sophisticated
algorithms to determine prices for airfare; these algorithms take into account several factors,
including the route's history, available seats, booking patterns, and even the weather. Prices do
fluctuate throughout the day, and it's difficult to predict if and when prices will drop at any given time.
Several experts believe that booking on certain days, rather than time of day, can yield lower
prices. Travelocity's Director of Flights, Dominique Philips, says that most airlines tend to release
sales on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, a trend we've also noticed which makes searching
for airfare early in the week smart.
John Morrey, vice president of retail air at Expedia agrees. In his opinion, booking on Tuesday
evenings is ideal. He notes that airlines tend to release fare sales on Tuesday mornings, and if
other carriers match, they usually do so by the evening. Fare sales generally end on Fridays, and
Morrey says, "In addition, when airlines raise fares, they tend to do this on a weekend, so
Saturdays and Sundays [are] less attractive."
Booking at off-peak times such as late at night or in the early morning may not help you score a low
fare, but according to Morrey, you may have an easier time searching for airfare during off-peak
times. He says, "[Booking] systems are designed to handle peak loads, but run even faster in
off-peak hours when there's less traffic." (Source: Jessica Labrencis, SmarterTravel.com Staff - August 10, 2006)
Travel Tips You Must Know:
Before you begin searching for airfare, there are a few guidelines to follow to get the best deal.
1: Be flexible. The lowest fares are usually for midweek travel, generally Mondays through Thursdays.
2: Know when to book. Cheap airfares usually require an advance purchase of at least seven, 14, or
21 days, but tracking prices even further in advance is smart.
3: Don't count on last-minute deals. Eleventh-hour airfare deals are becoming increasingly scarce, so
don't rely on finding a great fare at the last minute.
4: Go off-peak. Visiting during the off-peak season will yield cheaper fares. Examples include Europe
in the winter and the Caribbean in the fall.
5: Fly on the holiday. If you're flying around the time of a major holiday, be aware that traveling on the
holiday itself is less expensive than traveling a day or two before or after it.
6: Be smart about sales. Keep an eye on airfare sales, but remember that the "sale" prices may not
be the cheapest fares around.
7: Shop around. Compare prices from several carriers to determine which will offer the best price and
itinerary for your schedule.
(Source: Smartertravel.com)
Before you begin searching for airfare, there are a few guidelines to follow to get the best deal.
1: Be flexible. The lowest fares are usually for midweek travel, generally Mondays through Thursdays.
2: Know when to book. Cheap airfares usually require an advance purchase of at least seven, 14, or
21 days, but tracking prices even further in advance is smart.
3: Don't count on last-minute deals. Eleventh-hour airfare deals are becoming increasingly scarce, so
don't rely on finding a great fare at the last minute.
4: Go off-peak. Visiting during the off-peak season will yield cheaper fares. Examples include Europe
in the winter and the Caribbean in the fall.
5: Fly on the holiday. If you're flying around the time of a major holiday, be aware that traveling on the
holiday itself is less expensive than traveling a day or two before or after it.
6: Be smart about sales. Keep an eye on airfare sales, but remember that the "sale" prices may not
be the cheapest fares around.
7: Shop around. Compare prices from several carriers to determine which will offer the best price and
itinerary for your schedule.
(Source: Smartertravel.com)
Pricing
All discount deals and budget fares airlines offer are with coach tickets. In accordance with the
principles of yield management, on any given flight the larger airlines can have several dozen
different coach fare slots with a limited number of seats and unique purchase and use conditions
attached to each slot. Airlines shift seats around from slot to slot as reservations and cancellations
come in, always with the objective of maximizing the revenue from each flight.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
All discount deals and budget fares airlines offer are with coach tickets. In accordance with the
principles of yield management, on any given flight the larger airlines can have several dozen
different coach fare slots with a limited number of seats and unique purchase and use conditions
attached to each slot. Airlines shift seats around from slot to slot as reservations and cancellations
come in, always with the objective of maximizing the revenue from each flight.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
Strategy
With air travel, you often face a trade off between the most time-efficient and cost-efficient options,
a dilemma you don't encounter with hotel accommodations or rental cars. But you'll still find plenty
of opportunities to cut costs by buying air travel carefully and creatively.
There can be a major difference between the comfort of coach seating and first class/business
class seating on most airlines; especially on international flights on the larger airplanes.
Unfortunately, the cost of moving up from coach/economy to the next higher level (generally
business or first class, depending on the airline and route) is usually prohibitive.
One solution is to fly the few airlines that offer superior coach accommodations or low-price
premium seats. On the big lines, buy the cheapest coach ticket that can be upgraded with frequent
flyer miles or upgrade "coupons." In effect, that's avoiding the cattle car without paying the national
debt to do it.
Whenever feasible, concentrate your air-travel on just one line (or possibly two). Most of you will
choose a North American line as your default, but if you travel overseas, it may instead be a big
foreign line. Whenever you have a choice, you'll generally settle on your preferred line either
because of better schedules and more frequent flights from your home airport, better quality
service, or better frequent flyer provisions.
If upgrades and "free" trips to exotic destinations are important to you, plan on using one of the
legacy lines as a default, switching to a low-fare competitor only when the cost difference is
compelling. On the other hand, if you value consistently low fares over frequent flyer perks, opt for
a low-fare line. Although most of them have some sort of frequent flyer program, only a few offer
upgrades and only a few can provide free trips outside their limited systems. What you get is low
fares—and not much more.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
With air travel, you often face a trade off between the most time-efficient and cost-efficient options,
a dilemma you don't encounter with hotel accommodations or rental cars. But you'll still find plenty
of opportunities to cut costs by buying air travel carefully and creatively.
There can be a major difference between the comfort of coach seating and first class/business
class seating on most airlines; especially on international flights on the larger airplanes.
Unfortunately, the cost of moving up from coach/economy to the next higher level (generally
business or first class, depending on the airline and route) is usually prohibitive.
One solution is to fly the few airlines that offer superior coach accommodations or low-price
premium seats. On the big lines, buy the cheapest coach ticket that can be upgraded with frequent
flyer miles or upgrade "coupons." In effect, that's avoiding the cattle car without paying the national
debt to do it.
Whenever feasible, concentrate your air-travel on just one line (or possibly two). Most of you will
choose a North American line as your default, but if you travel overseas, it may instead be a big
foreign line. Whenever you have a choice, you'll generally settle on your preferred line either
because of better schedules and more frequent flights from your home airport, better quality
service, or better frequent flyer provisions.
If upgrades and "free" trips to exotic destinations are important to you, plan on using one of the
legacy lines as a default, switching to a low-fare competitor only when the cost difference is
compelling. On the other hand, if you value consistently low fares over frequent flyer perks, opt for
a low-fare line. Although most of them have some sort of frequent flyer program, only a few offer
upgrades and only a few can provide free trips outside their limited systems. What you get is low
fares—and not much more.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
Making the deal
First, get a baseline. Your usual baseline fare is the lowest coach fare on your preferred airline,
available at the time, which meets your itinerary needs. If your preferred airline offers nonstop
service, or at least as good a schedule as any other line, count yourself lucky. You can get that
baseline fare from the airline, directly, or from a full-line online site. Once you've determined your
baseline(s), it's time to check the trade-off options.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
First, get a baseline. Your usual baseline fare is the lowest coach fare on your preferred airline,
available at the time, which meets your itinerary needs. If your preferred airline offers nonstop
service, or at least as good a schedule as any other line, count yourself lucky. You can get that
baseline fare from the airline, directly, or from a full-line online site. Once you've determined your
baseline(s), it's time to check the trade-off options.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
Lower fares, no restrictions
If you don't have much advance notice, if you don't want to stay over a weekend, or if you want to
be flexible about your return schedule, you'll have to look outside the more traditional ticket
sources.
1. Identify any low-fare lines that fly where you're headed and find the lowest price that meets your
itinerary needs. Note that the legacy lines often match low-fare lines' prices on flights that operate
at about the same times.
2. If no low-fare line flies your preferred itinerary, see if you can find one that serves airports within
acceptable driving distance—at either end or both ends of the trip—and decide if the lower cost is
worth the extra time and hassle. You may need to spend a few minutes with an atlas and either the
printed or online OAG, although the big online agencies often suggest alternate airports where you
can find lower fares.
3. Explore a consolidator ticket**. Full-line online sites such as Expedia and Travelocity list some
consolidator fares, but you'll probably have to go to one or more independent consolidators to find
out all of what's available. Many consolidator tickets do not earn frequent flyer credit and can't be
upgraded, but a few can. Ask if either is important to you.
4. Check to see if you can find an air-hotel package that fits your needs. The best places to look
are the big full-service online websites and last-minute tour specialists.
5. Determine whether you can accept the risk (no refund and no exchange) and schedule
uncertainty of an opaque-price ticket. If nothing else seems to work for your trip, buy a ticket from
Hotwire or throw in a bid on Priceline.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
If you don't have much advance notice, if you don't want to stay over a weekend, or if you want to
be flexible about your return schedule, you'll have to look outside the more traditional ticket
sources.
1. Identify any low-fare lines that fly where you're headed and find the lowest price that meets your
itinerary needs. Note that the legacy lines often match low-fare lines' prices on flights that operate
at about the same times.
2. If no low-fare line flies your preferred itinerary, see if you can find one that serves airports within
acceptable driving distance—at either end or both ends of the trip—and decide if the lower cost is
worth the extra time and hassle. You may need to spend a few minutes with an atlas and either the
printed or online OAG, although the big online agencies often suggest alternate airports where you
can find lower fares.
3. Explore a consolidator ticket**. Full-line online sites such as Expedia and Travelocity list some
consolidator fares, but you'll probably have to go to one or more independent consolidators to find
out all of what's available. Many consolidator tickets do not earn frequent flyer credit and can't be
upgraded, but a few can. Ask if either is important to you.
4. Check to see if you can find an air-hotel package that fits your needs. The best places to look
are the big full-service online websites and last-minute tour specialists.
5. Determine whether you can accept the risk (no refund and no exchange) and schedule
uncertainty of an opaque-price ticket. If nothing else seems to work for your trip, buy a ticket from
Hotwire or throw in a bid on Priceline.
(Source: MyBusinessTravel.com)
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Lowest International airfares Economy Travel
