| 1. Auction sites | | | | an agent always mention your frequent flyer number |
| A flight auction site is a site which auctions off their | | | | so that the reward miles can be credited to your |
| available offers to the person who offers the highest | | | | account. This is beneficial for regular travellers. |
| price. You put in a bid as to what you are willing to | | | | Many airline-linked credit cards offer you free return |
| pay and if your bid is accepted you will end up with | | | | trips as an incentive if you successfully apply for a |
| the flight. | | | | card. So buy something that you would normally buy |
| It is likely that the price you will end up with will be | | | | and pay in full when you get your statement. |
| considerably cheaper than a conventional ticket to | | | | 8. One-stop shop |
| the same destination. However, you can only specify | | | | Avoid the middleman. If you find a flight through an |
| the destination you wish to travel to and the | | | | online comparison site, put the flight details into the |
| departure and arrival dates. Things such as preferred | | | | airline's own website. Booking directly through the |
| airline and the flight times are usually out of your | | | | airline will quite often save you up to $23 or 15GBP. |
| control. | | | | Budget airlines aren't always cheapest, you will always |
| 2. Apex tickets | | | | get the cheapest fare direct from these airlines own |
| You can save up to 60% when you book | | | | websites, as almost all other ways of booking will |
| non-flexible, non-refundable apex tickets. They must | | | | charge a service fee. |
| be booked and paid for well in advance of departure, | | | | 9. Charter/no frills/standby flights |
| varying between seven days and a month, a | | | | Charter flights are provided by package holiday |
| minimum stay abroad is required and no stopovers | | | | companies to transport their passengers. If you're |
| are allowed. Ideal for the flexible, committed traveller | | | | going to a traditional package holiday destination, you |
| as there can be up to 12 different fares for the | | | | may be able to find one super-cheap. As the |
| same seat in economy class. | | | | operator books the whole plane, there's occasionally |
| 3. Courier travel | | | | spare seats, which they can offer very cheaply to |
| A little known way of obtaining cheap flights is by | | | | flight-only customers. It's worth going direct to |
| signing on as an air courier with a courier company. | | | | charter airlines and asking them for top last-minute |
| The courier company purchases the ticket from the | | | | charter deals although local travel agents can often |
| airline and sells it to the courier for a really cheap | | | | beat them. |
| price in return for their work. | | | | No-frills or budget airline tickets have to be booked |
| Check the company is officially recognised by a | | | | directly via the airline's website. They offer no extras |
| trustworthy source. A good place to check is 'IAATC | | | | such as entertainment or assigned seating but the |
| - International Association of Air Travel Couriers'. | | | | cost can be as low as $20/13GBP, depending on your |
| They have lots of information and advice on the | | | | destination. |
| most trusted courier companies, the best offers to | | | | Standby fares are suitable if you're flying off-season |
| various destinations and up to date information on | | | | and a reasonable option if you can wait around until a |
| last minute flights. Alternatively, just look up "courier | | | | seat becomes available. High season is a bad time to |
| companies" on the internet or in local directories. | | | | fly standby because most airlines overbook flights, |
| Anyone who is over 21 can become an air courier. | | | | making it difficult to find a spare seat. |
| Check each company's conditions before signing on. | | | | 10. Flexibility |
| After signing up as a courier you will usually be | | | | Vary the airports you arrive and depart from. Check |
| required to show up at the airport at a certain time | | | | at least three different departure points to the same |
| to be given instructions as to where to meet the | | | | destination. Check those airports which are in close |
| courier agent (the person you are handing the | | | | proximity to your initial departure point and check the |
| baggage over to at the destination airport). | | | | prices. Budget airlines often use smaller, less busy |
| Couriers can save up to 75% off the regular air fare | | | | airports to fly from and to. Likewise for the |
| price. Destinations are limited however and the length | | | | destination you are planning to travel to, check |
| of stay usually varies between 14 and 21 days. | | | | secondary airports to the initial destination you plan |
| This is a good option if you are looking for a unique | | | | to go to. Prices differ between airports in the same |
| and interesting way to save money on your airline | | | | area. |
| ticket. | | | | Travelling through the night and midweek will be |
| 4. Ticket consolidators | | | | cheaper and there will be no weekend supplement. If |
| Buy tickets through consolidators (ticket brokers) | | | | you fly before June and after August fares drop |
| who buy blocks of tickets and sell them at a discount | | | | sharply - typically by 200GBP/$313 a head. |
| to help an airline fill up all available seats. Check the | | | | The sale price on an airline ticket is not always the |
| travel section of the newspaper or online under | | | | lowest price available. You may be able to find a |
| 'Ticket Consolidators.' | | | | lower price on a non-sale ticket from another airline. |
| 5. Promotional Flight Sales | | | | Budget airlines aren't always cheapest, so use a |
| Budget airlines have free 'flights sales' (or technically | | | | screenscraping comparison site where your trip |
| $1 or 1GBP) to build up a customer base or promote | | | | details are zipped to scores of budget airlines, normal |
| their newest routes and services by slashing fares | | | | airlines and brokers, to find the cheapest quote. |
| and offering free return tickets. Always check the | | | | Low-cost airlines often announce flight sales that |
| sale price says "includes taxes or charges" though, or | | | | offer cheaper flight deals on selected dates. People |
| it can still add up to $47/30GBP each way. Keep up | | | | with flexible travel dates and destinations tend to |
| to date by subscribing to their newsletters. | | | | scoop up the best bargains. They're willing to fly any |
| 6. "Code share" | | | | carrier at any time from any airport in their area. |
| When you find a flight, ask an agent if it is a | | | | Call the airlines between midnight and 1 a.m. Monday |
| "code-share" flight. That means the same flight is | | | | to Friday to get cheaper tickets. Most people are |
| offered by two different airlines. Copy down the | | | | unaware that at midnight, airline agents revise and |
| name of the other airline and check into what they | | | | load new fares into their computers. The best fares |
| are charging. Only one of the airlines will be operating | | | | are just after they have done the updating. |
| the flight. The actual operator always offers this | | | | According to various travel agents, the best time to |
| flight for less, so book with them. | | | | book is 11 months before you're due to travel. The |
| 7. Frequent flyer schemes | | | | flights have just been released and there are plenty |
| Several airlines offer frequent flyer programmes as a | | | | of cheaper seats available. |
| reward for flying with their airline. Go to the airline's | | | | Remember - Whatever ticket price you're quoted, |
| website which you are interested in joining and go to | | | | make sure it includes any extra charges. They can |
| their frequent flyer section. Simply enter your details | | | | bump up a ticket price by $100/64GBP or more. |
| and you will be issued with your personal number. | | | | Some ads for low fares don't include taxes, fees etc. |
| Then, whenever you book a flight online or through | | | | |