6 Travel Tips to Save on Air Travel Expenses
Almost everyone wants to travel if they can afford it. Many people in the USA and other countries travel to other places, whether in their own country or to another country. More and more travelers hit the airways every year. Since there are so many people traveling it makes the travel industry a huge industry.
It’s a complex industry loaded with lots of insider travel secrets. Never before has it been faced with the challenges of today. With the never ending increases in fuel prices and the constant threat of terrorism the travel industry has been forced to make cuts and changes. Almost certainly any price hikes are invariably passed on to the consumer.
Some things that we took for granted, like taking two carry-on pieces of luggage are things of the past. It is usually one small carry-on now and a big extra fee for more. Luggage weights are reduced in some cases with high fees if overweight. Other additional penalties – I mean fees are now common that were not extra charges in the past.
Changes keep happening in the travel industry. When they do, it sometimes means it is more expensive or harder to find good deals that you can personally take advantage of or to save money on your travel expenses.
If the consumer is to be able to function affordably within this industry he must learn as much as possible about their policies, practices, procedures and even their vulnerabilities. The savings will go to the educated and the persistent. If you can find a travel agent who actively seeks out the best deals, that’s often a better way to go, since it saves you the hassle of searching for yourself.
Here are six tips to help you save on air travel.
1. Two round-trip tickets can sometimes be cheaper than one. You just use the leg of the ticket you need, one going and one coming. This is called back to back ticketing and is frowned on by the airlines but is legal in most cases. Check the legality of this method before using and of course the cost savings to make sure it is worthwhile.
2. Lots of discount deals are found on the internet. However, just because they indicate discount savings they’re not always the best deal. You really need to shop and compare. Some websites collect a volume discount fee which affects the price of your ticket. Check the newspaper for travel specials especially in the Sunday travel section.
3. Buyer beware is always a good policy when checking out potential travel deals. Where you book and buy your hotel room could determine the quality and location of the room you get. A hotel determines the room you receive based on what you paid. If you got a deep discount you could be placed in a less desirable location such as near the ice machine or elevator. They would never admit this but to avoid the situation deal directly with the hotel’s website.
4. Use alternate airports and save. Many large cities have two or even three airports. Some are cheaper to fly into and out of than others. In smaller cities it may pay you to drive a few miles (even a hundred miles) to another city and utilize their airport. This practice can save you hundreds of dollars. The smaller airports are usually more user friendly and offer cheaper or even free parking.
5. Check alternate airlines for best destination airports. Sometimes where you want to go is not served by your preferred airline. In those cases it is sometimes better to take a different airline that lands closer to where you need to go. It can sometimes be lesser cost than your preferred airline. Example; I needed to go to Colorado Springs, Colorado, from Ontario California, but the airline I preferred landed in Denver Colorado, well over an hour from my destination. I checked around and found another airline (that I had never heard of) that went directly to Colorado Springs. The cost was even cheaper, resulting in a shorter trip plus saving about $50 round-trip.
6. When flying don’t wait until the last minute. However sometimes you have no choice. Last minute deals on airlines can be found and hotels can sometimes save you a significant amount of money, but you must be flexible. Empty seats or vacant rooms bring no revenue so it’s a win-win situation for both airlines and hotels. Keep tabs on these by signing up for e newsletters or search the web.
Nowadays very few travel services are complimentary. With overall higher costs of airfares and business in general, almost everyone is trying to at least cover their costs. The more you know, the more you’re able to do for yourself and find better deals that can save your hard earned money. the more you’ll be able to save.
Travel Tips & Packing a Carry On!
Uploaded to YouTube on May 15, 2014
Christine shares her travel tips.
Airline Travel Tips
Uploaded to YouTube on Mar 28, 2012
Scott McCartney on Lunch Break shares his favorite simple travel tips. Put a shoe you wear when flying into the room safe with your passport so you’ll never leave the passport behind when you leave. Tear off little paper with the room number when you check into a hotel and keep it handy so you don’t have to remember. Print boarding passes in advance to claim your seat and reduce chances of getting bumped.
We discuss the perils of calling home from a business trip when you’re having fun and your spouse is ankle deep in diapers, proper prep for TSA body scanners, tips on cash aboard and why you should ribbon your black suitcase and put a business card inside.
