Air Travel Money Saving Tips, Ideas and Advice to Reduce Your Travel Costs and Travel More Cheaply

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AIR TRAVEL - Page 4

Getting The Best Air Fares (continued)

9. Sometimes you can fly very inexpensively or for free by serving as a courier. Major airlines are often looking for individuals to accompany security-checked parcels or documents. If you are willing to chaperone these parcels, you may save a considerable amount of money. Check with the airlines or go to web sites Courier.org or Aircourier.org.

10. Sometimes, you can save a lot of money on air fare by using travel packages that include air travel. If there is a package to where you want to go and where you want to stay, this might be a good deal. But given the availability of air fare bargains, as well as bargains for accommodations (look under the “Lodging” & “Vacation Packages” Sections), be careful that the package really is a bargain for the time and place you are considering.

11. Finally, make sure you take advantage of every airline’s frequent flyer program. It is usually easy to sign up and accumulating award points is free. And do not forget that most major airlines belong to an alliance with other airlines around the world. If you are flying an airline in the alliance, you will be able to earn miles from your trip even if you do not belong to a specific airline’s frequent flyer program. Just make sure you give them your frequent flyer number from the alliance member when you book. You will also be able to redeem miles for tickets on any carrier in the alliance, even though those miles were earned on a different airline’s frequent flyer program. Major alliances are: Star Alliance (United, US Airways, Air Canada, Lufthansa, SAS Scandinavian and others); SkyTeam (Northwest, Continental, Delta, KLM, Air France, Alitalia and others); and OneWorld (American Airlines, British Airways, Air Iberia and others). You may also get some other benefits from being a rewards program member, such as preferred seating, etc. Many airlines will award additional points if you book your flight directly on their web site. On the other hand, many of the major Internet travel sites have their own awards program if you book often through them. Check into it. Also, consider going to MileMaven.com which keeps track of limited-time offers for bonus miles from hundreds of carriers.

Extra Fees & Costs

There is more to the cost of air travel than just the “quoted” air fare. In addition to the taxes and security fees that are added to quoted air fares, many airlines and travel sites add other fees. Often, when you are initially quoted a fare, whether over the Internet or through a travel agent, it is a “bare bones” price for the air fare, say $149 round trip. Unfortunately there are usually significant other fees you will be charged should you purchase the ticket. Many airlines are also starting to offer what is described as “ala carte” pricing, where some services previously included in the price of the ticket are now offered as extras.

1. Various additional taxes and security fees will be added to the fare. These are the same for each airline that is flying to and from the same airports, and they cannot be avoided.

2. Many airlines are now adding a fuel surcharge to the cost of the ticket. Make sure this charge is included in any fare you are quoted.

3. Many travel sites and airlines (particularly smaller and discount airlines), and virtually all travel agents, will add a fee to the fare for allowing you to use their web site or or telephone reservation services to book the flight. This fee may be called a “convenience” fee or agent fee or something else, and will usually be in the $10-$20 range per ticket. If these fees are charged by the airline they cannot be avoided, other than choosing another airline except, in some instances, if you purchase the ticket directly from the airline’s ticket counter the fee may not be charged. However, unless you are already at the airport, this effort is generally not worth the savings. If you are buying your ticket from a travel web site or from a travel agent, avoiding these fees is also not possible, although you could ask your travel agent to waive the fee, particularly if you are a regular customer. Otherwise, if you do not like the fees charged, all you can do is find another web site or travel agent. But once again, if you have found a great fare deal you may not be able to duplicate it elsewhere, where fees are less. In any case, make sure you take into account these fees when shopping for fares so you can compare the cost of various flights.

4. If you purchase a ticket and then need to change your reservation most all airlines will charge a ticket change fee of $75-$150 per ticket.

5. Some airlines are beginning to charge a fee if you want assigned or preferred seating on your flight. Once again, at this time it is mainly the smaller and discount airlines that have adopted this practice, although it is starting to become more common with larger airlines. If you want this option, it is just another cost to consider when comparing prices.

6. Many airlines are also starting to charge a fee if you want to check a bag or a second bag, usually on a “per bag” basis. This fee can be minimized by taking one larger bag rather than two smaller bags. However, airlines usually have a per bag weight limit that you cannot exceed without incurring an extra charge in the neighborhood of $25. So weigh your bags at home to make sure you do not exceed the weight limit (usually 50 pounds). Fortunately, two carry-on bags are still generally allowed without any charge. Make use of them to limit checked luggage.