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