How To Find The Best Airfares And Discount Airline Tickets

A few tips to make your travelling easier!

Have you ever wondered how to find the best airfares and discount airline tickets? Get the cheapest airfares by searching for last minute airline tickets or by booking early. You can get significantly lower airline tickets, if you know how to find them…

We search multiple sources to find the cheapest airfares which best suits your travel needs. We offer discount airline tickets from airlines not found on other sites. We have special fares individually negotiated directly with airlines and consolidators to offer you some truly unique deals and the cheapest flights that you can possibly find.

To find the best travel deals on discount airline tickets, it is important to know that airlines give better airfares to people who make their flight reservations in advance because they are trying to encourage people to book as early as possible. Airlines need an accurate estimate of the number of people and amount of baggage on a flight so that they can load the proper amount of fuel (meals and beverages also have to be loaded). Moreover, people who book last minute flights are usually flying on business, and therefore the business is paying for it. People flying for pleasure will usually know weeks, or months in advance, and can't afford the prices that a business would pay. Thus it is to an airline's advantage to set airfare rates according to the major differences between business and leisure travellers:

• Business travellers usually fly between 9am and 5pm, whereas leisure
  travellers can fly off-peak hours.
• Business travellers buy tickets on very short notice, whereas leisure
  travellers plan trips well in advance.
• Business travellers do not stay over a weekend (= Saturday night),
  whereas leisure travellers do.

So airlines typically give discount airline tickets for people who stay over a weekend, flying off-peak hours, and purchase tickets 7 days, 14 days, 21 days or 30 days in advance. Such airfares are known as excursion, discount, or supersaver fares. As well, further discounts are available if you meet a minimum stay requirement, often only over a weekend (usually Saturday night, though sometimes Sunday night as well). Some may also restrict the travel to a 30-day maximum stay at the lowest fare. Stopovers aren't allowed, except for the purpose of connection (if you want a stopover, you'll have to pay extra). Some fares may be limited to a particular routing (e.g., routes with connections cost less than nonstop flights). You may also be limited to flying during off-peak hours, with flights during the busiest times of the day costing more. Tickets are usually non-refundable and non-transferable, and may either be non-changeable or have a fee to make changes. Discount airline tickets require full payment at the time of your reservation.

For international excursion fares, also known as apex (Advance Purchase Excursion) fares, you must book at least 21 days in advance of the flight. Minimum stay is usually 7-10 days, and maximum stay can range from 3 months to a year. Midweek travel (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) is usually cheaper. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Fares often depend on the seasons, with discount airfare available during the off season.

Since a regular one-way ticket is usually more expensive than a round-trip excursion fare, it sometimes pays to buy a round-trip ticket and throw away the other half (if you're only going one way). If you do buy a round trip ticket and throw away the other half, make the first leg of the trip the destination, since some airlines will cancel the return trip if you don't show up for the first leg.

For many airlines, the airfare charged for international flights depends solely on the date of the first leg of the trip. The price does not vary no matter when the return flight is (so long as you stay over a Saturday night). You could buy a flight with one leg in March and the return in November, and it would cost the same as if the return was in March. For some of the lowest fares, however, there is now a 30-day maximum stay. Staying more than 30 days often increases the fare.

If you travel on off-peak hours and low volume days, the rates are cheaper. Thus to guarantee a discounted flight, you have to be very flexible about where you are going, what time and day you are leaving, and how long you want to stay. Off-peak hours typically include before 7am, between 10am and 2pm, and after 7pm, depending on the day of the week.

In addition to the Saturday night stay requirement, many airlines now give an additional discount for travel midweek (usually Tuesday and Wednesday, sometimes Thursday) when a Saturday night stay is involved. Some also provide discounts for travel on Saturdays. Flights usually aren't fully booked on these days. Most leisure travellers like to travel Sunday-Sunday, or at least not miss a large part of the week. Business travelers, of course, don't like to stay over the weekend.

Use our website to search for discount airline tickets, whether roundtrip, one-way or multiple stop trips. Your search results will be arranged and presented by best price, and airline.
Other Tips

Baggage Care and Attention - When you claim your bag at the airport, check it over before you leave the bag claim area. Look for any new damage on the bag, and to be sure that it was not opened and something taken (airlines have time limits for when these can be reported, and they will need to see the damage before opening the claim for damage or pilferage). The baggage service desk for the airline is normally right in the claim area; this is also true for Customs arrivals. It is especially important to fill out the misplaced baggage information before leaving Customs, as Customs will have special forms that may help the baggage clear without your presence at the airport. Bags should be left unlocked when checked in to prevent the risk of possible damage if your bag needs to be inspected during security screening.

Remove Your Shoes - Before the plane takes off, remove your shoes (if you are wearing socks and not BAREFOOT). The ascent and descent of the plane can cause foot swelling, and a flight without tight shoes on can make all the difference.

Remove Old Luggage Tags - One of the main reasons luggage goes to the wrong flights is because of old destination tags and check-in tags. Remove these so that the airlines don't get confused on the suitcase's destination.

Identify Your Bags as Fragile - When you first arrive at the check-in counter, request that your bags be deemed 'fragile'; this will keep them at the top of the pile and they will be among the first to come out in the baggage claim when your flight arrives.

Prevent Lost Luggage - Purchase luggage that is a colour other than black - because with the high percentage of black luggage out there, yours will stand out. Always put a strap around your luggage. Once again, this makes your luggage stand out. Carry a photograph of your luggage.

Keep Hydrated - For those travelling on a long flight, be sure to drink lots of water 2 days before, and no caffeine (or little caffeine) during the flight. This will help your body accustom to the air pressure and jet lag. Ask for fruit on the flight and try to limit salt intake.

Trip Insurance?
If you don’t have any existing medical insurance coverage that will apply during your trip, you should strongly consider travel insurance that will cover you while you are outside the country. Be sure to read the trip insurance policy carefully, noting any deductibles, exceptions or exemptions for pre-existing conditions, activities, diseases or areas of the world. You also want to see if the policy covers any medical evacuation costs, especially if you plan on travelling to an area of the world that may not be able to provide you the type of medical care you will need.

You may be making your travel plans months in advance. Many things can happen in that time that would cause you to have to cancel your trip and possibly lose your deposits. Cancellation insurance is available to return any non-refundable deposits or payments due to covered risks.