New Zealand Mirror Travel

Posts Tagged ‘flight’

Air travel is expensive. But I’m not telling you something you don’t already know. There are many ways to save money on air travel some of them will save you a little, some will save you a lot. Before you book your next trip, see if any of these money savings tips are options for you.

Consider flying out of another airport. Sometimes the nearest airport does not have the best rates. Checking the rates at one or two of the next nearest airports may yield better airfare rates than the airport that is closest to you. It may be worth it to travel an extra hour to the airport to save hundreds of dollars.

If you have a trip planned for the future, but you aren’t ready to order your tickets yet, sign up for e-mail alerts from all of the airlines that fly from the airport(s) near you to your destination. You never know when an airline may be running a special to your exact destination.

If you are ready to order your tickets, order them as far in advance as possible. The cheapest airfares sell out quickly. The closer to the flight you buy your tickets; the more expensive the tickets are likely to be. This is especially true around the holidays.

If you are booking travel during the holidays, consider flying on the holiday itself. The days prior to a holiday, airfares can be the highest they are all year. If you can fly on the day of the holiday, you can get some of the lowest airfares of the year. If you do decide to book on the holiday, try to book as early in the day as possible in case there are any delays so you don’t miss the holiday festivities once you get to your destination.

If you are phoning the airline directly for your tickets, ask for the cheapest fare, not just the fare for coach. There may be a cheaper fare in a better seat, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask.

Fly on the off days. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and sometimes Saturday are considered the off days (unless it’s around a holiday). If you can fly to and from your destination on those days, you are much more likely to get cheaper flights.

Check out the fares on red-eye flights. Those flights don’t sell out as quickly as other flights and therefore may have less expensive fares. Sure, if money were no object, the red-eye probably wouldn’t be your first choice, but then again you may sleep your way through the whole flight. That’s always a good way to spend a flight. And if you combine flying on the off days with flying a red-eye on an off day, you may get a real deal.

Do your homework by comparing rates on the different websites. Travelocity, Priceline, Expedia, Orbitz, Cheap Tickets and many other websites have discounted airline tickets as well as discounts on hotels, car rentals, and other things related to travel. Take the time to check out the rates for each website each time you book your travel.

While you are doing your homework, don’t forget to check out the airline’s websites. Sometimes the airline’s websites have even better deals than the discount sites. All this homework takes some time, but it will pay off in the end with big savings.

Go outside your comfort zone. You may be used to always flying the same big airline, but if you consider one of the newer smaller airlines, you may be surprised at the savings you can grab.

Before you book your tickets, make sure that the price you have includes all fees and taxes. If you’re not getting the full price of the tickets including fees and taxes, you may not actually be booking the least expensive airfare.

Now that you’ve saved money on your airfare, there are some things that you can do to help save money in other areas of your flight.

Find out what the maximum luggage weight is for the airline you are traveling, and make sure you don’t exceed it. If you check in luggage that is over the weight limit, the airline can charge you a fee for each bag that is over the limit.

If you are driving to the airport, plan to leave early enough so that you can park at one of the off site parking facilities that are close to the airport.

If you’ve got a college age niece or nephew, next door neighbor or someone in that age range who lives nearby ask them to drive you to and from the airport. You can pay them $25 each way and save a bundle on airport parking, and get door to door service to the airport.

Take your own snacks. If your airline does serve food, they may charge for it, and chances are it won’t be very good. You also won’t be tempted to pay the high price for the snacks you buy at the concessions after security because you’ll already have what you’ll need on the plane.

Same goes for your reading materials. Bring your own that you already have at home instead of buying them from the airport stores. A flight is the perfect time to read that book you’ve been meaning to read.

The scenario of air travel has totally changed from what it was even ten years ago. These days flying are an essential part of your trip, be it for a holiday or a honeymoon or for business purposes. The biggest change noticed has probably been in the sector of inland flying, where the traffic has increased manifold.

Better connectivity, cheaper rates and higher safety measures apart from competitive markets have boosted air travel.

There are of course newer rules and safety precautions to be taken, all for a safer journey.

Air travelers must carry all aerosols, gels and liquids in 3-ounce or smaller sized containers. Bigger containers, which may be half full, or else toothpaste tubes that may have been rolled, are restricted.

Except for some prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicines, baby food and breast milk, and other essential liquids, nothing much can be carried. The travelers must do away with their zip-top, quart-sized plastic bag placing it on a conveyor belt or in a bin for X-ray examination.

Like any other trip it is important to know how to plan for your air travel also. You should be clear about how to reach your destination and through which route. It is also important to be able to understand which will be the shortest and the cheapest route for you. Knowing where you’re going and how to get there safely is as important as the trip itself.

It is important that you pack well and intelligently for your trip.

It is always preferable that you travel light and take things, which are only essential with you. Your hand baggage should comprise of things you might need during the flight. Apart from necessary medicines and other essential personal items nothing much should be a part of your hand luggage.

Those prone to air sickness or allergenic to any particular kind of food should inform the flight attendants well in advance. Travelers who might be suffering from serious ailments like heart problems, hypertension or any such related symptoms should intimidate this to the cabin crew so that necessary steps might be taken in case of an emergency.

Physically disabled passengers should avail of the facilities part of every flight for their comfort. For those passengers with special needs pre-board screening officers are trained to look after accommodate such air travelers. They are also dedicated to ensuring the safety and comfort of these passengers during the screening procedures.

It is a must for all passengers to take careful note of all air travel regulations and safety measures administered by the staff and crew within the flight. One must keep a check on alcohol consumption during the flight as a respect towards co-passengers.

These days keeping in mind the number of children traveling by air, special arrangements are usually made for their entertainment as well as safety. Devices such as child restraint seats, games and other such facilities are quite common in most airlines. Parents are advised to be careful about their child’s travel papers, during flight or even later.