How to Find Cheap Flights Within Europe

Many people dream about a European holiday, but such a journey may seem out of reach for budget travelers. It can be done on a tight budget, however, with careful planning and an extra effort to reduce transportation costs as much as possible.


Step1
Consider flying into London and then getting a separate flight to your European destination on one of the low-cost airlines. This may save you a lot of money because there are often excellent seat sales between North America and London.

Step2
Check out the numerous low-cost airlines that are now operating out of England. Many North American travel agents may not know much about these relatively new options, so use the power of the Internet to help you hunt for good fares to various European destinations.

Step3
Do lots of price-checking online, as well as by phone or through a travel agent. Some airlines offer special discounts just for their online customers, while you may get the best deal on other airlines if you call and discuss fare options with a customer service representative.

Step4
Check on flights leaving from airports other than London Heathrow. Many of the cheaper airlines depart from Gatwick, Stansted or Luton. When using an online search engine, try typing in "LON" for the airport code instead of "LHR" - this is more likely to produce results from all of London's airports, not just Heathrow.

Step5
Compare fares between various destinations before making your final decision. You may find that it is a lot cheaper to fly into Bologna and take a train to Venice than it would be to fly directly into Venice, for example.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to be flexible in your travel planning, and remember that there are many different ways to reach your destination. The European rail and ferry network is a viable alternative to flying if you have a little extra time, and you can also take buses (often called "coaches" in Europe) to get to most destinations.
  
• Sign up for the e-mail newsletters that are offered by many airlines. They'll provide you with regular updates about seat sales, last-minute specials and service changes.
  
• Start comparing prices just a few months in advance of the time you plan to travel if possible; if you book too far in advance, you may miss out on seat sales, but if you book too late, you may have to pay a much higher fare.
  
• Remember that many of the online travel search engines will not produce results from the smaller airlines; you may need to visit a number of different Web sites to find a wider variety of travel options.

By eHow

How to Buy Airline Tickets Online

The Web lets you search easily for the best fares and never puts you on hold for a travel agent. But beware: even if a site searches multiple airlines, it may not offer the cheapest fares possible - some sites have special deals only available to them. Investigate several sites before you purchase your tickets.

Step1
Check several computer reservation systems and online ticket brokers to find available flights and get an idea of price ranges, or click the box for "airline ticket" in the eHow shopping list and choose the "shop online" option for price information. Prices vary from broker to broker, and some have special deals.

Step2
Check an airline's official site for any deals offered only through the airline itself. Many of the best deals are offered for flights that week.

Step3
Access the site that offers the best deal. When prompted, enter necessary information such as time and location of arrival and departure, number of passengers and flight class (first class, economy, etc.).

Step4
Notice if the site gives you a choice of delivery options. If it does, choose the one that's best for you. If the site offers an "e-ticket" option, that's usually best because you don't have to pay any shipping charges or be available to receive a shipment.

Step5
Pay by credit card on a secure server. If you're not comfortable with online credit card transactions, you may be able to pay by check. If you can't find any information on alternative payment methods on the site, contact the site's administrators.

Tips & Warnings

The best fares, especially for international destinations, are usually found through consolidators. Consolidators typically focus on specific areas, such as Eastern Europe or South America.

By eHow

How to Purchase Cheap Airline Tickets

Passengers on the same flight rarely pay the same price for their tickets. Numerous factors determine ticket prices, but the surest way to get the best deal is to be thorough, be flexible and know where to shop.


Step1
Be thorough. Don't rely just on travel Web sites for the best deal; call airlines and travel agents, and ask about promotional or special fares. Look for Internet specials on Web sites of smaller airlines such as Southwest Airlines (southwest.com), JetBlue Airways (jetblue.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), AirTran Airways (airtran.com) and WestJet (westjet.com). Also browse your local Sunday newspaper's travel section and major travel magazines.

Step2
Be flexible. Avoid peak vacation months and holidays, buy as far in advance as possible, fly midweek and off-hours, and stay over Saturday night. Better yet, put your vacation on stand by until a fare war erupts.

Step3
Research all the major online travel agencies such as Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and lastminute.com. Each has a unique arrangement with the airlines and may offer different fares on the same flights. Each site also offers numerous package deals and last-minute bargains that change daily.

Step4
Book your flight as part of a travel package that includes car rental and hotel accommodations. Such deals are sold in bulk to tour operators who resell them to the public at prices that are usually far less than standard a` la carte rates. Most major airlines offer their own vacation packages, such as United Vacations (unitedvacations.com).

Step5
Consider the name-your-own-price ticket providers such as priceline.com and Hotwire.com. You can save up to 40 percent over the lowest published airfares, but it's not without risk: The exact airline, flight times and routes are not disclosed to you until after you've purchased your tickets: think red-eye and layovers.

Step6
Purchase from a consolidator--a wholesaler that buys discount tickets in bulk. It's an excellent resource for cheap international tickets. The Sunday travel section of the New York Times and Los Angeles Times are the best sources for consolidator fares, but they're often nonrefundable or have brutal cancellation penalties.

Step7
Look into courier flights, where companies hire a courier (you) and use your excess baggage allowance for their time-sensitive business cargo

Tips & Warnings

• Many charter operators sell their discount vacation packages only through travel agents, so don't rely solely on Web-based fares.
  
• Last-minute airfare specials are often available through free weekly e-mail announcements from airlines. They're usually announced on Tuesday or Wednesday for travel that Saturday, and tickets must be purchased online.
  
• Try to book a ticket in its country of origin. For instance, if you're planning a one-way flight from Paris to Rome, a France-based travel agency will probably offer the lowest fares.
  
• Lowest-price fares often require one to three weeks' advance purchase, are nonrefundable, require a certain length of stay, and carry stiff penalties for changing dates and destinations.

By eHow

How to Upgrade an Airline Ticket

Airline upgrades are awarded to passengers based on available space, frequent-flyer status and the fare paid.


Step1
Increase your chance of getting an upgrade by using one airline for all of your travels.

Step2
Be friendly to the ticket agent. They are required to follow certain procedures, but a little friendliness might help and certainly couldn't hurt.

Step3
Ask the ticket agent casually whether there are any seats available in first class.

Step4
Trade in frequent-flyer miles for an upgrade, if you have miles.

Step5
Check to see whether your frequent-flyer program offers special upgrade deals. If the flight isn't full, the agent might upgrade you when you check in.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are a lower-level frequent-flyer member, you may be able to pay for your upgrade and still spend less than what you would have paid for a first-class ticket.
  
• If you are making a connecting flight and the service wasn't great on the first leg of the flight, politely complain to the ticket agent. A ticket agent might give you an upgrade if you have a legitimate complaint about inadequate service.

By eHow

How to Fly for Free

Aching for an exotic vacation but short on funds? Drastically discounted or free fares can be yours if you're willing to pack light, travel solo and work for a courier. Complete a few simple tasks, save yourself hundreds of dollars--and collect frequent-flier miles to boot!

Step1
Decide where and when you'd like to go, but be sure to choose a destination outside of North America. There are no courier flights within North America.

Step2
Find a courier company by looking in the Yellow Pages under "Air Courier Services," "Air Transportation" or "Courier, Air Travel."

Step3
Be prepared to offer a $500 deposit that will be returned to you a couple of weeks after the completion of the trip.

Step4
Make your reservation through the courier company's travel agent. Call the airline a few days in advance of your flight to verify your reservation and request a seat assignment.

Step5
Pack sparingly. You can only take carry-on baggage since your check-in space will be used for the company parcel.

Step6
Upon arrival, carry out your agreed-upon responsibilities, such as delivering a manifest to a representative at the destination and completing paperwork.

Tips & Warnings

• Couriers must join a courier organization such as the International Association of Air Travel Couriers. You can contact other couriers for referrals via Courier.org.
  
• Ask about earning frequent-flier miles.
  
• There is only one courier seat per flight.

By eHow

How to Purchase Cheap Airline Tickets

Passengers on the same flight rarely pay the same price for their tickets. Numerous factors determine ticket prices, but the surest way to get the best deal is to be thorough, be flexible and know where to shop.

Step1
Be thorough. Don't rely just on travel Web sites for the best deal; call airlines and travel agents, and ask about promotional or special fares. Look for Internet specials on Web sites of smaller airlines such as Southwest Airlines (southwest.com), JetBlue Airways (jetblue.com), Ryanair (ryanair.com), AirTran Airways (airtran.com) and WestJet (westjet.com). Also browse your local Sunday newspaper's travel section and major travel magazines.

Step2
Be flexible. Avoid peak vacation months and holidays, buy as far in advance as possible, fly midweek and off-hours, and stay over Saturday night. Better yet, put your vacation on stand by until a fare war erupts.

Step3
Research all the major online travel agencies such as Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com and lastminute.com. Each has a unique arrangement with the airlines and may offer different fares on the same flights. Each site also offers numerous package deals and last-minute bargains that change daily.

Step4
Book your flight as part of a travel package that includes car rental and hotel accommodations. Such deals are sold in bulk to tour operators who resell them to the public at prices that are usually far less than standard a` la carte rates. Most major airlines offer their own vacation packages, such as United Vacations (unitedvacations.com).

Step5
Consider the name-your-own-price ticket providers such as priceline.com and Hotwire.com. You can save up to 40 percent over the lowest published airfares, but it's not without risk: The exact airline, flight times and routes are not disclosed to you until after you've purchased your tickets: think red-eye and layovers.

Step6
Purchase from a consolidator--a wholesaler that buys discount tickets in bulk. It's an excellent resource for cheap international tickets. The Sunday travel section of the New York Times and Los Angeles Times are the best sources for consolidator fares, but they're often nonrefundable or have brutal cancellation penalties.

Step7
Look into courier flights, where companies hire a courier (you) and use your excess baggage allowance for their time-sensitive business cargo

Tips & Warnings

• Many charter operators sell their discount vacation packages only through travel agents, so don't rely solely on Web-based fares.
  
• Last-minute airfare specials are often available through free weekly e-mail announcements from airlines. They're usually announced on Tuesday or Wednesday for travel that Saturday, and tickets must be purchased online.
  
• Try to book a ticket in its country of origin. For instance, if you're planning a one-way flight from Paris to Rome, a France-based travel agency will probably offer the lowest fares.
  
• Lowest-price fares often require one to three weeks' advance purchase, are nonrefundable, require a certain length of stay, and carry stiff penalties for changing dates and destinations.

By, eHow

How to get a cheap last-minute airline ticket

Most last minutes flights are very expensive, but if you can travel with flexible times, then you can get good deals. Most airline sell unsold seats and at discount two to three days before departure.

Step1
The best bet is to go directly to the airline website, as the airlines will sell last-minute deals on a Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morningMost last-minute deals however require you to travel on a Saturday and return Monday or Tuesday.

Step2
You can go to last-minutes, website such as Travelocity,Expedia and LastMinuteTravel.com, there you will see all the last-minute deals to various cities across the United States.Make your that you subscribe to all your favorite airlines, as newsletters are sent frequently of all the last-minute deals. You can also gets last-minute news from website such as, BestFares.com, TravelZoo.com, webFlyer and smartertliving

Step3
Auction and discount website such as Hotwire.com or Priceline.com. is also an option to get last-minute. This option is only good if you are flexible, as these website do not allow you to see the flight time before you make the purchase.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to subscribe to your favorite airline, to get news letters of last-minutes deals
  
• Check the airline website on Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning
  
• Go to Auction and discount website, but you MUST be flexible to travel

By, lorrymill