The best ways to get the cheapest airfares
Everyone who has ever planned a vacation knows that the airfare
is one of the largest expenses of any vacation. The airfare can
easy be more costly that the hotel, the sightseeing, the meals,
or the rental car, often significantly more expensive. It is
important, therefore, for anyone planning a vacation on a budget
to pay careful attention to the price of the airfare.
One place to start the search for low cost airfare is with your
employer. Corporate discount programs are less common than they
once were, but some companies still have discount arrangements
with certain airlines. If you think your employer has such as
arrangement, be sure to check with your Human Resources
department.
In addition, the airlines of some countries, particularly
countries in Asia, offer periodic discounts to lure travelers.
Be sure to ask your travel agent, or check on the internet, for
such special deals.
Another great way to get discounts on airlines is to be a member
of certain clubs or groups. For instance, some airlines provide
discounts for senior citizens, members of the military and
travel club members.
Vacation packages can be another great way to get some
significant discounts on airfares and hotels. Many package tour
operators buy up large numbers of airline tickets, and in
exchange they receive significant discounts on each ticket they
buy. They do the same thing with hotels, buying up large blocks
of rooms at deeply discounted prices. This economy of scale can
often provide travelers with excellent deals compared to what
they could get on their own, so be sure to check the availably
and value of package deals to your destination.
Of course, when booking a package deal, it is important to be
sure the hotel that is included is centrally located. Some
package deal operators are better than others at choosing the
best and most conveniently located hotels. When choosing from
among package deals, be sure to have a map of your destination
city handy.
Children and students are often entitled to significant
discounts on airlines, so be sure to inquire about the
applicable discounts when booking tickets. Children are often
entitled to discounted airfare, whether they are traveling on
their own or with other family members. It is important to check
with the airline for their specific polices on child and student
discounts.
The internet also provides a great way to easily comparison shop
for the lowest airlines. Most major and discount airlines have
their own web sites and online booking services, so it is easy
to compare fares and flights easily. In addition to the
airlines' own web sites, there are a number of comparison web
sites that make it even easier to shop and compare.