Away on vacation - Travel free resources » Flight Deals

Travel Package Deals And Great Flight Rates

Maxx — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:38:55 +0000

One of the best ways to save on your flight is through travel package deals. These package deals usually include the flight and the hotel. Some package deals also include tickets, such as Disney World packages, car rental, or other amenities that you will undoubtedly use on your trip. Many people are aware of travel package deals and the money you can save on your flights with those deals. However, not everyone is aware of where to find these deals, or what to look for.

The best advice about finding travel package deals is to shop around. Find out what the lowest air fare, hotel cost, and car rental will be for your trip were you to book them individually. Not all travel package deals will save you money in the long run. They might look attractive at first, but upon shopping around you might find a better deal.

Another piece of advice about finding travel package deals is to read the fine print. Some travel package deals are offered as incentive to purchase other products. These travel package deals often require that you purchase a high priced hotel room in order to get the discounted airfare and free entertainment tickets. Other travel package deals will require that you use the package within a short period of time, which can be difficult if you find it hard to get time off of work or school.

When looking for travel discount packages, the best place to start is on the internet. Going through travel agents can save you time and sometimes money, but often they don't have the best deals. Going through websites like Expedia and Orbitz will give you much better deals on travel packages and flight discounts than an actual travel agent is likely to offer.

You can also find travel discount packages through the destination you are traveling to. Most states and tourist areas have websites that you can visit to get information for tourists. If the tourist area or state is trying to drum up tourism, they may offer discounted travel packages to entice you to visit their state or amusement park. Such travel discounts packages are most often found for destinations such as Colorado, North Dakota, and Texas. Branson, Missouri also offer travel discount packages, as does Orlando, Florida and Disney World.

Sometimes you can find discount travel packages simply by calling the airlines, although these packages probably won't save you as much money as the other types of packages listed above. Again, watch the deals. You might save a bundle on your flight, just to find that you've agreed to book a hotel for $200 per night. Watch the fine print, and ask as many questions as you can when dealing with booking agents.

You might also find travel deals with the discount car rental companies. Some car rental companies will offer you discounted air travel in exchange for renting your car through their company. However, watch the deal that you are getting. If you save $50 on your airfare, but have to spend $100 a day more than you anticipated to rent the car, you aren't saving anything.

Does Time Really Matter

Maxx — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:02:55 +0000

Many people consider that flights may be cheaper on certain days of the week, or during different times of year, depending on the destination. But many people do not consider the essence of time. The time of your flight can make a large difference in the amount of money that you pay for your plane ticket.

In most cases, only the day of the trip is important to the traveler. Vacations can often be scheduled around the cheapest flights available. Business people typically travel the day before rather than the day of a business meeting. So you see taking the time of your flight into consideration can save you a lot of money on your plane tickets without causing you any frustration or scheduling issues.

Some of the cheapest flights are in the late night and early morning hours, between midnight and four o'clock in the morning. Most people are sleeping during these times, and do not want to take a flight in the middle of the night. So, you can usually find cheap or discounted flights during these times of night. The best rule of thumb is to find the latest flight available, or the earliest flight available. These flights will have the cheapest rates.

If your vacation itinerary is not dependent on arrival time or you are crossing several time zones, take a late night flight and arrive during the day when checking into a hotel will be much easier. If your business meeting isn't until the afternoon, take an early morning flight, and catch a few winks at the hotel to freshen up before the meeting. In most cases, late or early flights will not interfere with your plans.

There are distinct advantages to taking an overnight flight, besides the fact that the rates are cheaper. First, you will likely find yourself on a nearly empty plane, meaning that you have your choice of a window seat or an aisle seat, and you will likely have a row to yourself. Another advantage is that you can enjoy the peace and quiet of the middle of the night. That is, you are almost sure to avoid the chatter of other passengers, as well as the crying, yelling, and playing of infants and young children.

Another advantage of taking an early morning or late night flight is that you can decrease your feeling of jet lag. Since these are the hours when you would normally be asleep, your body and mind are more likely to settle down into a restful sleep than if you were to take a flight during the day. When you can sleep on the plane while crossing time zones, you decrease or avoid completely the feeling of jet lag.

When booking your flight, ask what the earliest or latest flight are, and the price difference. You should also ask the booking office if your discounted air fare will still earn you frequent flyer miles, and if you can use frequent flyer miles toward the discounted rate. Sometimes, although not often, the ability to use frequent flyer miles will make a regular flight cheaper than an early or late flight. Since airlines will never automatically tell you the cheapest way to go, you need to ask all of these questions to get the best rate.

How To Save On International And Domestic Flights

Maxx — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:56:55 +0000

There are several ways that you can save money on international and domestic flights. Some ways to save money on airline tickets are well known, and other ways are less known. While shopping around for flight prices might be time consuming, following some or all of these basic steps will help you get the best price possible.

First, go through discount airfare brokers. This includes websites such as Travelocity or Orbitz. These discount airfare brokers often have the cheapest prices. If you are flexible in your travel dates and times, try entering several options and see which results in the cheapest ticket price. Keep in mind that the cheapest times to fly are after sunset and before sunrise. Next, you can take the cheapest price you find and take twenty to thirty percent off of that price and submit it as a bid on airline auctions. This can be a great way to get the flight you want at the cheapest price possible.

Although you should start shopping for airfare several weeks in advance to get early booking discounts, you should also shop for airfare closer to your time of departure. Often airlines will offer discounted tickets closer to departure times as they discover that they still have empty seats on the plane.

Not all airlines are created equal. When you are shopping around for airline prices, check airlines that are a couple hours drive away from your home. You might find that you save a bundle just by driving for a while to another airport, and flying from another city than your own. This can be especially true on international flights when the airport in your city is not an international airport. Rather than flying a short distance to an international airport, it might pay to drive there.

Do not be afraid to take a layover. Often flights that include a layover or change of planes will result in lower prices. If you find a cheap flight price and doubt that you can get any lower, end your search immediately and book the flight. Flight rates change all the time, and if you don't book it when you have the chance, you might end up paying more later.

You might also find when taking international flights that flying to a country other than your final destination can save you hundreds of dollars. For example, often you can fly to the United Kingdom much cheaper than you can fly to Europe. Then, you can use one of England's discount airlines to fly to your final destination. This can save you hundreds of dollars on your international flights.

If you are flying one way, look at round trip fares. Often round trip flight prices are cheaper than one way tickets. You can also check out travel agents, airline websites, and your reward points programs for special last minute discounts.

However you shop for your discounted and cheap airfare prices, make sure that you check the fine print. Do not book a flight that will put you completely out of your way just for the lower price. You should also pay close attention to what you are getting for your money. If you end up on an overbooked flight because of a special discounted rate for that flight, you might find yourself flying standby, or switched to a later flight that disrupts your vacation and travel plans.

Save On Your Trip Fly Standby

Maxx — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:32:55 +0000

When you need to make a last minute trip, flying standby can save you a bundle. But you can also save by flying standby when you plan a trip, and just want to try to get lower air fare. This can be risky, and you shouldn't fly standby if your itinerary requires you to arrive at a specific time or on a specific day. Not a lot of people are aware of the huge savings that can be gained by flying standby, or how flying standby actually works. Read on to learn the ins and outs of flying standby.

When you fly standby, you go to the airline and purchase a last minute ticket on a flight that is already full. Many people fly standby because they are forced to do so. They make a last minute trip, and find that the flight they need is full. However, you can also choose to fly standby for a flexible vacation by simply not buying airline tickets until you arrive at the airport.

When you purchase your standby airline ticket, you will sit and wait for a flight going to your destination that has an open seat. This can mean waiting hours or even a few days before getting onto a flight. If you choose to fly standby, be prepared for the wait with books, magazines, and other activities. Purchasing these items within the airport will likely offset the savings you are gaining by flying standby in the first place.

Typically, you save more money the longer you wait for a seat. If a seat opens up on the first flight out after you have bought your standby ticket, you will not save much money. However, if you wait several flights before getting an open seat, you will save more. Really, it is a trade off between savings and convenience. Although you save dollars on your airfare, you will waste a lot of time in the airport waiting for that flight.

You should not try to fly standby if your vacation itinerary requires you to arrive on a certain day or time. You should also avoid flying standby if you have business meetings or other pressing matters to contend with. Some alternatives to flying standby are discounted tickets to other locations where you might more easily get a flight to your final destination. These rates are sometimes discounted to offset your inconvenience of the flight you needed being full, and to keep you from going to another airline.

It is also important to note that not every airline allows everyone to fly standby. Some airlines only allow employees and the friends and family of employees to fly standby. Other airlines allow anyone to fly standby, but the people who are employees or friends and family of employees will get the first seats available. There is a ranking system with standby flight tickets, and the lower you are on the list, the longer you will wait for a flight. In some cases, the flight may never come, and you have to purchase a regular ticket in the end anyway.

In the end, flying standby can save you hundreds of dollars, but it is a risky venture. Make sure you are fully aware of all of the ways that you can save, and be lost, when flying standby before trying this way of saving on air fare.

How To Save Money With The Right Travel Agent

Maxx — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:17:55 +0000

Travel agents are not often the best places to go when trying to save money on flights. However, with the right travel agent, you can save a bundle on your flight, hotel, meals, and car rentals. Finding the travel agent that will save you more money than you could save yourself through hard work and lost of price comparisons is difficult. But when you don't have the time to search for the deals or you just don't know where to look, the right travel agent will find you discounts and flights much cheaper than if you were to simply go online and book without comparison shopping.

The right travel agent that will save you the most money will have a few distinct traits. First, the travel agent will ask you tons of questions about your plans, travel itinerary, preferences, and flexibility. The travel agent that asks these questions will have a better chance of finding you deals that you can work with.

Another thing to look for in a travel agent is what vendors and how many vendors the travel agent works with. If you find a travel agent that wants to consistently go through one or two vendors, you probably won't get the best rates. You want a travel agent that will shop around and find you the best deal possible for your vacation and flights.

Ask your own questions when dealing with a travel agent. If you are flexible in your timing or the days of your travel, make sure you let the agent know this information. It could result in a much better deal. Ask the agent what vendors they use, and what they will do to find you the best deal you could possibly get. Ask the vendor if you could get a better deal on your own. All of these questions will help the travel agent find you the cheapest rates possible, as well as let them know that you mean business.

Another thing to do when looking for a travel agent is to check a few prices before you contact the travel agency. By checking a few discount prices before calling, you will be able to know if you are being ripped off, or if you are really getting a good deal. Also, if you can quote a few prices to the agent and ask if they can get you a better deal than what you found, you will be more likely to get the best deal that the travel agent can get you.

Another way to save money with travel agents is by asking about tourist groups. Many travel agents have access to various tourist agencies or groups. Getting in on these groups is often much cheaper than traveling by yourself or with your family alone. This is because the groups get discounted air fare, discounted hotel rooms, and discounted meals. You also save on transportation costs once you get there because the group will typically rent a bus to transport the group from place to place.

How To Get Last Minute Upgrades

Maxx — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:30:55 +0000

There is nothing more frustrating and less enjoyable than an overcrowded flight with crying babies, screaming children, sobbing mothers, and mindless chatter. Especially when taking a long flight that will likely result in jet lag, these overcrowded flights can be a horrible start to even the most fabulous vacation. Thankfully, there are a few ways that you can increase your potential for a last minute upgrade, and escape the noise and frustration of a crowded economy flight.

First, a few fair warnings. Do not ask for an upgrade outright unless you are a frequent flyer with an upgrade certificate. Also, the situations in which you can get an upgrade, while they can be manipulated to receive the upgrade, do not always occur. In short, getting a last minute upgrade is usually a matter of luck.

That said, there is some preparation you can make to put yourself into a better position of getting a last minute upgrade on your flight. First, pay attention to the seat that you are assigned when you book your flight. If you have a seat in the middle of the plane, you are more likely to get an upgrade on an empty flight where balance becomes an issue, and someone needs to be moved toward the front or the back of the plane.

Second, pay attention to your dress. Do not wear sweats to the airline. Dress in business or business casual clothing. If a flight is overcrowded and someone needs to be upgraded, you will be more likely to be that someone if you look the part. Additionally, being kind to the gate attendant and giving him or her a big smile will go a long way toward getting you chosen when upgrades are being handed out for an overcrowded flight.

Barring other tactics, getting a last minute upgrade can be as simple as giving up your seat. If a flight is over sold, and your flight time or day is not vitally important to your plans, you can opt to give up your seat in exchange for a seat on a later flight, or a flight on the next day. By giving up your seat willingly, you may receive an upgrade on that flight, or on the new flight you are booked on, as a thank you from the airline for helping them resolve the issue.

The overall best way to get an upgrade is to be a member of the airline's frequent flyer program and have an upgrade voucher in hand. If you don't have a voucher but you are a member of the airline's frequent flyer program, you will be more likely to be upgraded in the case of an oversold flight. If you are a member of the frequent flyer program of a competing airline, you may also manage to be upgraded in an oversold flight in the hopes that you will switch to that airlines frequent flyer program in exchange.

Again, getting a last minute upgrade on your airline ticket is largely a matter of luck. However, if you follow these guidelines you may just find yourself out of economy class and in business class if your flight is oversold, overcrowded, or overly empty.

Using Reward Points For Your Flight

Maxx — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:33:55 +0000

Many people are aware of frequent flier programs and the fact that they can earn you free flights. However, not everyone travels often enough to be members of these reward programs, and not everyone knows how they actually work. Frequent flier programs are actually not the only way to earn free flights. Many reward programs offer you the chance to transfer reward points into frequent flier miles.

MyPoints.com offers a free membership. This reward program gives you points for shopping that you do online, when you buy through their vendors. Since their vendors include popular sites like Barnes and Noble and Overstock.com, it is usually very easy for people to earn reward points through this program. The reward points can be transferred into frequent flier miles for several major and discount airlines.

American Express also offers reward points for shopping, and has teamed up with Southwest Airlines to allow card holders to transfer their points to frequent flyer miles. Chase Bank also offers credit card users to transfer reward points and earn frequent flyer miles on Continental flights. This can be a great option for those wanting to earn points quickly, because you earn 15,000 frequent flyer miles with your first purchase.

Many other major credit cards and banks with reward points systems allow those points to be transferred into frequent flyer miles for one or several major and discounted airlines. These companies include major credit card vendors like Citibank. If you have several major credit cards but do not belong to a frequent flyer program, you should check your agreements with the credit card company to learn if your reward can be transferred into frequent flyer miles. If so, you may find that your flight is entirely free just by transferring all of your various reward points into one airline's frequent flyer program.

Another way that you can use reward points for free flights is through hotels. If you travel a lot, weather by car or by plane, you might earn free rewards from the hotels that you stay in. While discount hotels like the Red Roof Inn offer free hotel stays as rewards, major hotels like the Hilton offer reward points that can be used to earn free flights. If you're a road warrior, you should check out which hotels offer rewards in the form of free flights and frequent flier miles. Choose a hotel that offers rewards that you enjoy and can afford, then use that hotel exclusively in your travels. When it comes time to take a plane for business or pleasure, you will find that you have racked up so many reward points that your flight may be free.

When you go to use your reward points, you will find that you can only use the points for free flights. Reward points do not often earn you discounts on flights. Instead, you save up your frequent flyer miles until you have enough to get that one free flight. Often it can take years to build up enough frequent flier miles to earn a free flight. But with the help of reward points programs in conjunction with frequent flier miles, earning enough points to get a free flight just gets easier and easier.

Discount Airlines With Cheap Fares

Maxx — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:23:55 +0000

Most people are aware of discount airlines and the cheap fares that you can get through them when you need to book a flight at the last minute. But most people automatically think of Southwest Airlines when thinking about discount airlines. In truth, there are many other discount airlines, both domestic and foreign, that can help you save on your last minute flight.

Southwest Airlines is the most widely known discount airline, because they fly almost anywhere within the United States. But there are other discount airlines that might get you a bet deal depending on where you are going to fly. Jet Blue airlines offer cheaper rates than Southwest Airlines, and has flights all over the east coast, the west coast, Florida, and Texas. Other than Illinois, this airline doesn't really fly to the Midwest, but for just about any other domestic travel, Jet Blue may be your best bet for the cheapest rates.

US Airways is another domestic discount airline that few people are aware of. With over 230 destinations, this airline goes anywhere you need to travel. As a part of the Star Alliance network, you can also save on foreign travel by booking through US Airways, although Southwest may be cheaper for those non-domestic flights.

In addition to the discount airlines that make travel within the US cheaper for you, there are also discount airlines throughout Europe and other countries to make longer legs of trips cheaper for you. To take advantage of these airlines, you can check out the cheapest flight to get you into Europe, Asia, or Canada, then travel from there to your destination using one of that country's discount airlines. This can save you a lot of money when it comes to travels throughout Europe, especially, where many people visit more than one country during their vacation.

BMI Baby is a discount airline in the United Kingdom, with flights throughout the UK and western Europe. This discount airline could save you literally hundreds of dollars on airfare into western Europe during peak travel seasons. By traveling to the UK first, then going from there to European locations, you can travel for about thirty US dollars (twenty pounds) to your final destination.

Easy Jet is another discount airline in Europe. This discount airline flies throughout Europe and the United Kingdom, making any Europe vacation easy and affordable. Simply fly on the cheapest overseas flight, then hop onto an Easy Jet flight to reach your final destination. When traveling to several countries within one vacation, this airline offers higher rates than BMI, but travels to more locations throughout Europe.

Two other European discount airlines are German Wings and Ryan Air. German Wings offers flights throughout Europe for as little as nineteen Euros, which translates to about thirty US dollars. Ryan Air offers discounted flights within the United Kingdom only, but with these cheap rates, you might find them useful when traveling from England to Ireland or Scotland.

The best way to get the cheapest flights, weather you are traveling within the US or abroad, is to simply shop around. If you are flying to Europe or the United Kingdom, check prices to various locations and then check prices from those locations to your final destination. By spending the extra time to shop around and check various flights and airlines, you are sure to get the cheapest flight possible.

Special Flight Rates For Special Situations

Maxx — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:42:55 +0000

Many last minute flights are not for vacations, but for special situations and emergencies that come up. Most people are not aware that there are discounts for these types of flights. Additionally, various groups of people, such as students for example, can get discounted rates by offering proof that they belong to that group. There are many types of people and situations for which airlines offer airline tickets at major discounted rates.

For students, discounted rates for flights are available from just about every airline. The best way to get discounted rates as a student is by having an International Student Identity Card (ISIC). The card can also save students on travel insurance, hotels, and other travel related expenses. Getting an ISIC card is easy, and only requires that you provide proof of age, and proof that you are attending an accredited college or university in a degree program. The ISIC card only costs $22, and will pay for itself four-fold the first time you use it to obtain discount student airfare.

Other groups of people can also qualify for discounted airline tickets. Many airlines offer seniors a ten percent discount on airfare, although this may not be the best deal you can get depending on other factors such as where you are flying and the reason for your trip. Most of the major airlines are eliminating their senior discounts, because there are so many baby boomers taking advantage of them. However, the discount airlines still offer these discounts.

Seniors can also get discounts through affinity groups. You do not have to travel with a group to get these discounts-you need only be a member of the group. The biggest discount for seniors is to be a member of AARP. This will earn you substantial discounts at the ticket counter.

Some last minute flights can be gotten at a discount based on the reason for the flight. All airlines offer bereavement fares. These fares are discounted airline tickets for family members to travel to a dying relative or for a funeral. The discounts usually average around fifty percent, and frequent flyer discounts can often be applied to the discounted ticket. However, there is some information you will need to be prepared to provide to take advantage of these discounted flight rates.

First, if you have a relative that is gravely ill, you will need to provide the airline with information about the person, their doctor, and the hospital or care facility. You will also need to provide information regarding your relationship to the person. Have all addresses and phone numbers ready before you call or visit the ticket counter.

If you need to travel for a funeral, other information is required to obtain the bereavement rates. You will need to provide information about the deceased, the date and location of the service, and contact information for the funeral home, including address and phone number. Sometimes airlines will require that you purchase a ticket at full price, and then return later with a death certificate to claim a refund equal to the discount for bereavement fares. You can often use frequent flyer points with these flights as well.

If you are already traveling and need to return for an emergency such as this, most airlines will allow you to return early on a free standby ticket. You will, however, need to provide all of the information outlined above in order to get the standby ticket for free.

Seasons And Days For Cheap Rates

Maxx — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:49:55 +0000

When traveling during the holidays or other peak travel seasons, air fare prices tend to climb significantly. However, there are some ways to get around paying those high rates to travel for vacations and holidays while everyone else gets stuck breaking the bank to go home for Christmas. Not all seasons are created equal, and not all days during seasons are created equal. If you aren't picky about when you arrive, you can often get the best deals simply by asking questions.

One of the best ways to get the best deals on flights during peak seasons and holidays is to book your flight as soon as you know you will make the trip. Often the best seats and the best discounts are given to those who book their flights months or weeks in advance. But sometimes it is not possible to book a flight in advance, because a trip may be last minute. When that is the case, you have to get a little more creative to get discounted tickets at good rates.

First, peak travel seasons like holidays generally make it very hard to get good deals on flight tickets. But there are exceptions to the rule. For example, during the Christmas season, tickets for late at night on Christmas Eve may be discounted to a normal rate, due to the small number of travelers on those flights. Tickets for Christmas Day and possibly the day after Christmas can also be found as discounted fares. Again, you won't know unless you ask, because airlines want as much of your money as you will give them.

Second, peak travel seasons like summer for Europe and winter for Colorado can make the price of flights sky rocket. But, again, there are ways to get around the high rates and take advantage of discounted tickets. Sometimes taking a flight during the week can save you a lot of money. Tuesday and Wednesday are often the cheapest days to book a flight. Weekend days can also be cheaper, such as Saturdays, depending on your destination. International and domestic flights vary as to which days are less expensive, so ask about the cheapest days to fly on when you call about booking your flight.

You should also consider the length of your stay when purchasing airline tickets. Often, the shorter the stay the less expensive round trip airfare will be. If you plan to stay for several weeks, you may be better off purchasing two one way tickets, while bearing in mind the cheapest days to fly to each destination. This can sometimes save you some money, although often round trip tickets are discounted. Remember, though, that if you are looking at this option you want to book the flights separately and at different times or with different airlines, otherwise you will still pay the round trip ticket price.

As with all discounted flights, the best thing to do is to simply ask. The more questions you ask and the more rates you get for different days, times, and lengths of stay, the more likely you will be to get the cheaper flight rates.