Search Results for: blog airline cheap seats the catch

In Search of Cheap Seats

A few weeks ago, Southwest Airlines added yet another fee to its ever-expanding list of ala carte charges.  Now, you’ll have to fork over $40 at the gate if you want to board the plane with the first group of passengers. The discount carrier doesn’t offer assigned seats like United and American Airlines, but will bump you to the coveted group “A” boarding if you cough up the extra cash.  The offer begins 45 minutes before the flight departs, though is only available if the slots are not filled by elite and business select passengers who pay upfront for the … Continue reading →

The Challenge of Finding Cheap Airfare

As if finding cheap airfare wasn’t hard enough, some carriers are now making the job even more challenging. Online travel aggregate sites, such as Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity are designed to allow travelers to compare airfare prices without having to spend hours visiting dozens of individual airline webpages. The popular online travel agencies provide the convenience of one-stop shopping for customers, but charge the carriers commissions of roughly $10 to $25 a ticket which they say eat into their profit margins. Unfortunately, more and more airlines are looking to get out of the aggregate site line-up. For example, earlier this … Continue reading →

More Ways to Find Cheap Airfare Online

Regular readers of this blog know that I am all about finding new ways to take the hassle out of the time-consuming process of tracking down the best online airfares. I’ve shared a few of my standbys in previous blogs and have a few more to add in this post. BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS It’s not a bad idea to add a few new fare-comparison websites to your list of “regulars.” I’m guilty as anyone when it comes to sticking with tried and true favorites such as Kayak, BookingBuddy.com, SideStep, Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, but several new fare-comparison websites have joined … Continue reading →

Finding Cheap Airfare Online

I’ve written about strategies to find the cheapest airfare in cyberspace in previous blogs, but in the last few weeks I have discovered a couple of new sites that are worth mentioning. Since most of my family lives 5,000 miles away from me I regularly scour the Internet in search of discounted airfare. However, there are times I get lazy and visit just a few particular online travel agencies. As such I often miss out on cheaper fares not available through those types of booking websites. For example, last year new carriers such as Skybus and Virgin America began flying, … Continue reading →

Airline Cheap Seats—The Catch

The catch. There’s always a catch. First, it was the pretzels, then the pillows and blankets, now one low-fare airline is about to sock it to us again. According to news reports, Spirit Airlines will soon become the first big U.S. carrier to charge customers for all checked luggage. According to the company, travelers booking flights that depart after June 19 will be allowed one carry-on bag “with the option to check additional bags for a fee.” Spirit executives explain the new policy as something that “liberates customers from being forced into paying for services they do not desire or … Continue reading →

Flying Between The Hawaiian Islands—Right Now Cheaper Than Dinner For Two

People who travel between the Hawaiian Islands are pinching themselves right now. Is it a dream? Are they hallucinating? Or, is it really true? Airfares for $19? Unbelievable! Unheard of! (Keep in mind one-way fares between the islands average $82.50.) But, the news is true and travelers in the 50th state are ecstatic. The only catch… you need to act fast. The offer is only good for a limited time. So what is fueling this plummet in prices? The introduction of Mesa Air Group’s go! Airlines. (For more info on Mesa and the history of outrageous inter-island airfares read my … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Holiday Travel Deals

  Today is considered one of the busiest travel days of the year, along with the day after Christmas and January 2nd.  If you are looking for deals on a holiday getaway, your window of opportunity isn’t completely closed.  According to travel experts, you can still score last-minute savings on flights to some destinations if you travel on Christmas day.  You can also save a little money if you take-off three or four days after December 25th. Another way to save is to book online.  Check the websites of individual budget carriers, as well as travel aggregate sites. Flying on … Continue reading →

Paying for End-of-the-Year Travel

How has the current economy affected your holiday travel plans? According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the 2012 Christmas travel season could be the busiest in six years.  However, thanks to an unstable financial future most Americans won’t be taking to the skies to get to grandma’s house this year; rather, they will be hitting the road.  AAA is predicting that 93.3 million Americans will hit the nation’s highways during the holidays. That’s 1.6 percent more than last year and just 400,000 people shy of the 2006 record, according to the auto club.  AAA says a record 84.4 million … Continue reading →

Can You Still Save on Holiday Travel?

A few weeks ago, commercial carriers, hotels and car rental agencies were scaring people into completing their holiday booking STAT! If you bought into the hype and made reservations thinking you’d be hit with horrendous prices if you waited a single second longer, you’re likely kicking yourself right now. Turns out, supply currently outweighs demand, and now prices are inching down. There is still time to score savings when making your Christmas travel plans. Visiting popular aggregate sites such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Kayak can help simplify your search for reasonable rates. However, don’t limit yourself to the meta-search sites. … Continue reading →

More Ways to Save on Travel

The Internet is home to a myriad of travel aggregator sites, which allow you to comparison shop and hopefully walk away with a decent price on airfare, car rentals or accommodations. However, there is a lot more to finding the best price available than following the prompts on one of these mass-marketed sites. If you really want to save a bundle on travel expenses, you should follow the advice of people in the know. Travel experts often share valuable money-saving tips in an effort to help fellow vacationers stretch their dollars. Some of the best travel-related tips I’ve received and … Continue reading →