| Unless you are planning a short domestic | | | | When looking for discount travel, you |
| trip, the cost of airfare is usually a | | | | should also explore non-traditional |
| deciding factor in an overseas trip. | | | | methods of finding flights. Websites |
| Most people with moderate incomes simply | | | | like offer reverse auction systems, |
| can't afford to fly regularly, as much | | | | that is: you place a bid of what you're |
| as they would like to. There are, | | | | willing to pay on a given route on a |
| however, some people out there who are | | | | given date, and if it turns out that an |
| flying all the time on regular incomes. | | | | airline is willing to release a seat for |
| The secret to achieving this is a | | | | that price, your credit card is billed |
| willingness to be flexible and shop | | | | an a ticket is issued. |
| around with airfares, as well as | | | | Another good avenue to explore is |
| employing some tried and true discount | | | | "bucket shops" - companies who buy bulk |
| travel techniques. | | | | tickets from airlines at a heavy |
| The key to getting a cheap flight is to | | | | discount. They don't have the choice |
| shop around, and the internet makes this | | | | that travel agent has, of course, but if |
| easy for almost anyone to do. There are | | | | you're flexible you can often get a good |
| a plethora of websites that will conduct | | | | deal. A typical bucket shop system will |
| searches around the world for cheap | | | | work as follows: you give them a |
| airfares. Although the internet is a | | | | week-long window during which you'd like |
| valuable tool in discovering cheap | | | | to fly and some destination choices, and |
| airfares, it's important that you don't | | | | then if something comes up at the last |
| rely on it entirely. Many sites claim | | | | minute you can have it at a heavy |
| they are searching "all flights" for the | | | | discount. |
| cheapest possible fare, but you really | | | | Another rarely explored discount travel |
| don't have any way of knowing what they | | | | technique is to look into bucket shops |
| do and don't have access to. Oftentimes | | | | and travel agents located in ethnic |
| the cheapest flights can come from the | | | | neighborhoods. Often, foreign airlines |
| airlines themselves, and you'd be well | | | | sell discounted tickets to these shops, |
| advised to check their sites as well in | | | | which in turn serve an ethnic community |
| your search. | | | | regularly traveling to their home |
| No matter how much research you do | | | | country. These shops have access to |
| online, you should always visit some | | | | tickets from airlines that often aren't |
| travel agents. Keep in mind that these | | | | available at your regular travel agent, |
| people make their livings selling | | | | and can offer a significant savings. |
| airfares, and will often have access to | | | | The important thing to remember in terms |
| deals that aren't available to you | | | | of discount travel is to explore as many |
| online. Think of it this way: if you | | | | avenues as you can. The more flexible |
| really could always get the cheapest | | | | you are willing to be, the cheaper your |
| flight online, travel agents would be | | | | fare is likely to be - but even if |
| out of business. The fact that they are | | | | you're stuck with rigid dates, a |
| not suggests that good deals are to | | | | compressive search will often result in |
| found the old fashioned way: by visiting | | | | airfares that are significantly lower |
| the office of a travel agent. | | | | than those commonly advertised. |