We’ve all done it. You’ve gone from one airline site to the next, looking to see which one flies to your destination, cheaper. Maybe you’ve upgraded and now search Orbitz or Expedia to compare the fares of multiple airlines. Or perhaps you’ve faked a college ID and pursued the student-discount. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
But when you hit your mid-30’s, the fake ID option feels dishonest and looks childish. So for you lonely-planeters and clever business travelers, here’s a little process that may prove itself through popular-use. Hit a search-en-masse site like TravelZoo and get a sense of the airline that has the flights that best suit you. Then, call the airline direct, and ask for the cheapest seat on that flight. Don’t forget to ask if there are any promotions at that time. If you’re nice, they’ll tell you how to get it at the best rate.
Want to take it to a higher elevation? Buy-in to a rewards program (American Express charges $40/year) and have all of your frequent flier accounts linked together. That way, no matter what you charge, you can apply your frequent flier miles to the airline that best suits you, on a per-flight basis.
* Also, note that there is often zero-flexibility when booking flights thru some of the travel services sites like Orbitz (experience tells us best). Once booked, you’re locked in. Also note that a few airlines now “guarantee” that their cheapest fares are online.
“No flying machine will ever fly from New York to Paris …[because] no known motor can run at the requisite speed for four days without stopping.” ~ Orville Wright
“If god wanted us to fly, he would have given us tickets.” ~ Mel Brooks
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