Should You Be Advanced Searching for an Airline? Know How with Our Guide
You’ve probably done it before: you want to fly from point A to point B, you search on your favorite travel site, and you end up booking the cheapest flight. Did you get the best deal? Did you make the best choice? Did you even choose the right airline?
We’re launching a new series of articles on our blog, “Airline Reviews” that will help answer all of these questions for the most popular airlines. Today, we start with a guide on advanced searching for an airline.
Should You Be Advanced Searching for an Airline? Know How with Our Guide: a blog about the pros and cons of advanced searching (advanced seat assignments, extra leg room, etc).
Should You Be Advanced Searching for an Airline? Know How with Our Guide
Advanced searching can be a useful tool when you know how to use it. However, many travel agents just want to book and move on. And, if you don’t understand how advanced searching works for airline tickets, it may not be the best resource for you.
The great thing about advanced searching is that you can make any number of requests and changes to your flight. For example, if you want a seat in the exit aisle, or maybe you are paying extra for an upgrade and want to ensure that you get a window seat close to the front of the plane, you can make those requests. But, there are some things that you should know before you start changing your search parameters.
First of all, advanced searching often takes longer than simply booking a flight. This is because it takes time to figure out what options are available and then select them. While many airlines do offer a seat map so that you can see which seats are available, these maps don’t always tell the whole story. And if you have special requests like whether or not your seats are near each other or if they are near the front of the plane or something similar, it will take even longer
You may have heard that advanced airline searches will get you better deals on flights. But is it true? So many airlines and travel sites offer so many different options that it can be hard to tell exactly what each choice will give you. Here’s a list of the most important distinctions and the pros and cons of each.
Checking in early
The most basic choice is whether or not to check in early. Most airlines let you do this online, but some require that you check in over the phone or at the airport. Checking in early can help you reserve a spot for your carry-on luggage, but it usually does not help with advanced seat assignments.
Advanced seat assignments
Some airlines allow you to choose your seat before boarding the plane; this is called an advanced seat assignment. The pros of an advanced seat assignment are that you can choose a seat with extra leg room or one without too much traffic from other passengers. The cons are that the best seats may fill up quickly, and if you change your flight time (or if the airline changes it for you), your seat assignment may become invalidated.
Advanced search functions
When comparing prices on different websites, make sure to look at all of the options they offer. Some sites let you search by number of
Is advanced airline searching the best thing since sliced bread? Or will you be better off just going directly to the site of your favorite airline? This article will help you make a decision by providing a few tips on what to do and what not to do when advanced searching.
Advanced Airline Searching: What You Should Know
Whatever your needs are, advanced airline searching is here to help. Whether you want to find a flight from an origin city to a destination city at a specific price or on a certain date, advanced searches make it easier than ever before. Advanced searches allow you to select specific variables and get back results that match those criteria.
Some of the most common search criteria include city pairs (e.g., Los Angeles-New York, Miami-Chicago), airline (e.g., Delta or American), departure time (e.g., morning or afternoon), arrival time (e.g., morning or afternoon) and price range (e.g., $300-$500).
In addition, there are many other types of search criteria that can be used with advanced airline searches such as airport location (e.g., near downtown or near the beach), airport code (e.g., LAX or JFK), class of service (e.g
There are always pros and cons to any purchase. Before you decide to spend extra for a feature, figure out if it’s worth the money. Here’s what I think about advanced seat assignments:
I am not a fan of advanced seat assignments. As I explain in my “How to Fly the Airlines” seminar, there are two types of people who assign seats early: those who want to sit together and those who want to sit up front. You can’t be both. If you want to sit with your group, you’ll be sitting in the back of the plane.
If you want first class or exit row seating, that’s another story. I’m a big fan of those types of advanced seat assignments. There is no way you’re going to get an exit row or first class seat if you wait until the last minute. The airlines hold them for their most loyal customers, and then they sell the leftover ones at an exorbitant price at the gate (you can’t buy them online).
In general though, I save my money and only book window or aisle seats because that’s what I prefer. If there are no window or aisle seats available when I book my ticket, usually that means there will be plenty on the day of travel since airlines start
You can always find a low-fare flight on CheapOair, but what if you have specific needs? Maybe you need a pet-friendly flight, or you have a disability and require special assistance, or you just want to be able to board the plane first. If that’s the case, advanced searching is a good option.
Advanced searching allows you to narrow your search by choosing multiple criteria in addition to your origin and destination airports and travel dates. You can choose from the following options:
Airlines
Alliance
Code share
Bags included
Stops
Time of day
Duration
Passenger type (e.g., infant, child)
Seat pitch
Seat width
Airport amenities (e.g., pet relief area, WIFI)
When planning a trip, most people focus on the destination and how they’ll get there. But what happens when you arrive at your destination? Will you be able to get around?
If you’re flying into a major city, chances are good that the airport is well connected to the city by public transit. But if you have to travel from the airport to your final destination, it can add four or five hours to your trip. Many travelers choose taxis, but that can be expensive. So in recent years, many cities have started offering airport shuttles. These are usually vans or small buses that carry passengers from the airport to specific neighborhoods in town.
They’re cheaper than taxis, but not as cheap as riding the bus or subway. They take longer than taxis because they stop at each passenger’s hotel before continuing on its way. Riders also have to wait while other passengers check in with their hotels; this may require taking their bags up and down stairs or through crowds of people.
But they save time and money by letting travelers avoid renting a car or hailing a cab. And they are often better than public transportation because they are more direct and comfortable, especially for those carrying lots of luggage.