How to Book a Flight Without Getting Ripped Off
By Noob Traveler
When booking a flight, it is possible to get ripped off, but it is also possible to get a great deal. It all depends on how much research you do before you book. Here are some tips for booking a flight without getting ripped off:
Shop Around
Many people think that they can save time by simply booking their flights on the first airline website they find. However, if you do this, you are missing out on tons of opportunities to get the best deal. I recommend shopping around and comparing fares between at least three different airlines before making your final decision. This will make sure that you are getting the best deal possible, and it will also give you the chance to familiarize yourself with the prices so that you can recognize when you are seeing an unusually good price.
Use a Flight Search Engine
A flight search engine makes it even easier to shop around because it essentially does all of the shopping for you. All you have to do is enter your travel information once and then let the engine look at fares from all of the major airlines as well as smaller regional ones. You will then be presented with all of the available flights along with their prices so that you can quickly compare
When booking a flight, it is always a good idea to set up a price alert. That way, you don’t need to check on the prices of your flight every day. If the price drops, you will get an email alert letting you know. Most airlines have their own websites where you can book flights online. This is usually the easiest and cheapest way to book a flight.
You should also use your airline’s website to browse flights and compare prices with other travel agencies online. You may find that the airline itself often offers lower rates than travel agencies do. Websites like kayak and expedia are good places to start comparing fares if you want to make sure that you are getting the best deal.
If you really want to save on a flight, consider using a low-cost airline like southwest or jet blue; both of these airlines allow passengers to take two free checked bags and have significantly lower ticket prices than other airlines.
Here’s the thing about booking flights: Everyone wants to get the best deal possible, but no one wants to spend hours searching.
As a travel writer and journalist I’ve booked hundreds of flights. I’m often asked how I find cheap tickets. The truth is, there are many different ways to search for a flight and each has its pros and cons. Looking at just one site limits you to the prices they show.
I usually look at a mix of sites—travel fare aggregators like Expedia and TripAdvisor, airline websites, Google Flights, and even Twitter (airlines announce sales there first). Once you find what looks like a good deal, it’s time to book. But before you do that, check out these tips for getting the best price on airfare:
1. Before booking, try different dates!
2. Compare prices from different sites or just phone the airline directly
3. Look for hidden fees
4. Set up price alerts so you can swoop in when the time is right
5. Book early or wait until the last minute?
6. If all else fails, try bidding for an upgrade on your flight
Online flight booking is the process of purchasing a ticket for an airplane, either via the internet or phone. The advent of the Internet has made it possible for travelers to book their own tickets without the help of travel agents.
While calling a travel agent may be the most convenient way to book a flight, using online flight booking often results in cheaper fares. Travelers must be cautious when using online flight booking websites, however, as some search engines do not include all airlines. This can lead to hidden fees and more expensive flights.
In addition to more expensive fares, some travel agencies charge an additional fee for booking tickets over the phone. These fees vary by agency but can range from $10-25 per ticket depending on destination and airline. For budget travelers looking to save money on airfare, these extra charges can be a significant expense.
Online flight booking is a convenient way for travelers to save money on airfare and avoid hidden fees charged by travel agencies.
There are a number of ways to get a good deal on flights, like buying far in advance and booking non-stop whenever possible. But sometimes you just need to be flexible with dates and times to score the lowest prices.
A flight search engine like Kayak can help you get an idea of what fares are available. But because airlines don’t always make last-minute deals available through such sites, it’s often worth it to check directly with the airline or ticket agent regarding cancellations and refunds.
If you’re not tied down to a specific travel date, you can use Kayak’s “explore” feature to search for the cheapest flights from your departure city to anywhere else during a given month.
When it comes to travel, I am a bargain hunter. I’m willing to spend a lot of time researching and planning my trips to make sure I’m getting the best deal possible. But when it comes to booking flights, one thing seems to remain true no matter how many tricks I try: the price of your plane ticket is largely out of your control.
That’s why we created Flystein – an airfare search engine that will help you find the cheapest flights on any airline with just one click!
How does it work?
It’s pretty simple actually. We’ve scoured the internet for cheap flight deals on over 100 airlines, including low-cost carriers you won’t find on any other search engine. Each day our team handpicks the best deals and sends them straight to your inbox in our daily email newsletter. All you have to do is subscribe and wait for us to send you the deals!
Here are a few of our favorite airfare deals we’ve sent out recently:
Booking a flight shouldn’t be a hassle. And yet, it always seems like an ordeal. The thing is, there are a ton of different ways to book a flight and each one has its own set of rules. You’ve got the traditional travel agent, various websites, and the airlines themselves all competing to get your business.
The good news is that with a little bit of knowledge and planning you can find a great deal on your next flight. This guide will show you how to do it!
Understand How the Most Common Flight Booking Services Work
Before you pick up the phone or start surfing the Web, make sure you understand how each of the most common services works: