There are a few of ways to save on flight tickets. First, it is
important to understand how fares are calculated and to know the factors
that determine the ticket price.
Ticket price depends on
1) FeesTicket price includes a number of fees:
- Airport
fee is charged by the airport, municipal or state authorities. The fee
is used for maintenance and construction of terminals, provision of
security during take-off and landing, operating of the airport, and
additional services.
- Fuel fee covers airlines' fuel expenses.
- Service
fee is a tax for the service of ticket purchase charged by the airline
at the check-in desk or by the agency selling the tickets.
2) Flight classIt
depends on the level of comfort the passenger wants. He/she can choose economy,
business or first class. The higher the class, the more expensive the
ticket.
3) Fare rulesThere are standard and special fares:
- Standard fare doesn't have any limits and offers flexible ways of payment, booking and issuance of ticket.
- Special
fare has some limits, which doesn't influence the quality of service.
It limits the ticket's expiry date, possibility of refund and changes.
That is why these tickets are cheaper.
4) Day of flightSaturday and Sunday flights are usually more expensive than the weekday ones.
5) SeasonsTicket
price also depends on the season. There are so-called high and low
seasons –when the consumer demand for tickets to certain destinations
increases or decreases. The higher the season, the more expensive the
ticket.
6) Exchange rateThe currency exchange rate at
the moment of purchase may differ from the rate at the moment of ticket
search, it can influence the price of flight as well.
7) CompetitionIf
there are many competitive offers for certain destinations, the airline
companies have to lower the price of flight, and vice versa.
How to save on booking?
- Buy
the ticket in advance. First the airline companies sell the cheapest
seats in order to encourage the sales. So, the earlier you buy the
ticket, the cheaper it will be for you.
- Don't
delay the purchase. Cheap tickets are sold out very quickly. If you are
lucky with the "hot" offer, book the ticket without delay.
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday tickets are usually the cheapest. Weekend and holiday flights are more expensive.
- Choose the connecting flights. Direct flights are more convenient, but their price is higher than that of the connecting ones.
- Use the discounts. There are special prices for children, students, teachers, pensioners, tour groups, etc.
- Tick the “Bonus Card” option if the passenger participates in the airline's bonus program.
- Use the detailed search: when you book a ticket do not choose “Exact date” but “+/–3 days”. So you can choose the best price.
- When
you select the flight class, tick the “Any” option. The system can
arrange all the classes of travel and offer you the best option.
What you should not forget during purchase of flight ticket?
When
you buy a ticket at the special fare, do not forget about the fare
conditions. The cheaper the ticket, the stricter the fare conditions:
- Limited
stopover option (a stop during trip for more than 24 hours, except
North America, where a stop for more than 4 hours is considered as a
stopover; Central America and Panama, where a 6+ hour stop is considered
as a stopover): as a rule, it is allowed only with a surcharge.
- Changes to tickets are not permitted.
- Cheap tickets may be non- or partially refundable.
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