Another important factor in organizing a trip is the time. For one reason or another, time is never enough. This could further complicate your plans, make you take hasty decisions and spoil your entire experience in one way or another.
Therefore, in order to enjoy a truly satisfying trip, one must be able to organize it quickly, easily and least but not last, for a small amount of money.
Internet is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to achieve the formula fast + easy + cheap.
Before...
Let’s take for example the purchase of an airticket or low-cost airtickets l. Just a few years ago it was a far more complex task than it is today. To buy a ticket one had to go trough travel agents or get it directly from the airlines or air companies themselves. As there were only paper tickets, passengers had to get their tickets from a bureau and appear much earlier at the airport in order to check-in.
...Now
Nowadays, the fastest way to access most of the airline’s offers is Internet. With only a few clicks, you could easily find and compare thousands of offers from low-cost companies and regular carriers.
On the one hand it allows you to explore all the available options by yourself and find the most appropriate solution to your budget and requirements. On the other hand, you can modify your trip in order to take advantage of the eventual discounts, promotions, and last-minute proposals. Once you have made your choice you can book, pay and get your ticket online, without even leaving your home or office. If you buy an e-ticket, it can be delivered to you via email or fax. In case you buy a standard ticket, it may be delivered to you by courier.
Discount airfares
For a long while now, the intense competition has been pushing the airlines to be extremely creative in terms of their offers. While low-cost airline offer cheap air fare at the expense of part of the comfort onboard, (free catering, limited carry-on luggage), the regular carriers strive to keep up..
Besides all the loyal customers’ campaigns and air miles benefits, most airlines have introduced aggressive promo campaigns in order to never lag behind. As a result, the offers of the regular carriers are very often quite similar to those provided by the low-cost airlines.
In other words, your chances to get your hands on an attractive airfare are extremely high. However, to get a real good deal, you should probably consider a few basic rules.
Airtickets online
(Basic Rule!) Buying and booking tickets online, always comes cheaper than buying directly from a travel agent or over the phone.
The earlier you plan your trip, the better!
As any other purchase, that of an airline ticket also requires a market research. The earlier you start searching, the wider the array of options you will have. For instance, the prices of the flights on the same destination fluctuate, based upon the dates. If you pick a flight a day earlier or a day later, that could save up to 60 % of your ticket price.
A similar option is opting for secondary airports, close to your intended destination or choosing a stopover flight instead of a direct one. In both cases you have to calculate the additional expenses that might result from the change, to make sure that the offer is worth it.
Book early
(Basic Rule!) It doesn’t matter whether you have chosen a low-cost company or a regular one – the earlier you book your flight, the lower its price will be. Airline ticket prices usually rise 21 days, 14 days, 7 days and 3 days before departure date. Try booking before these deadlines and you will probably get a great price for your ticket.
Buy Late
If you don’t have to travel on a particular date and flexibility is something you can afford (which is a very important condition), then try the last-minute airfare deals. Usually these are the tickets the airlines have failed to sell. When speaking about great deals, these are some of the greatest, as those tickets are usually sold for about 10 to 40% of their initial value.
Do not rush
Don't rush into booking the first cheap airfare you find. There's always a chance to come across a better one. So once you find a suitable flight, make sure that the same offer is not available at a lower price.
Get a Refund
If the airline loweres its fares after you've purchased your ticket, you can ask for a refund.
Refund policies vary from airline to airline, still you should be able to get redeemed or at least get certain compensation!
Consider an Air Pass
Many national carriers promote tourism in their countries by offering the so-called Air Passes. If you're about to travel extensively to a certain destination, an air pass might be your most effective way to reduce your travel costs.
