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Basic tips to get your search for flights started... |
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When buying and booking flights doing your homework is the key to success. As soon as you know where you are travelling to and rough dates, do as much research as you can into the different ways of reaching your destination.
It is also a good idea to do as much research as possible about your destination. good places to look include: |
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- Newspaper travel sections
- Guidebooks and their websites
- Your destination's tourist board website
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You can also refer to the Terminal Information section of this website to find out which airlines fly from this airport!
Finding out which airlines fly to your destination is a great way to start your research into finding the best deals
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Before you book a flight... |
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| The World's airlines make thousands of changes to their ticket prices every day so it is well worth doing as much research as possible. Check the travel section in the paper, travel websites and have a look at teletext for special offers on flights. |
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Get as many quotes as you can but you must be prepared to commit to a good deal straight away if you feel it may be withdrawn, even if it means paying a deposit to secure the deal.
Be flexible. Think whether or not you can add or take away a couple of days from your holiday if it means you will get a better deal. Think about which airports are cheaper to fly from and to. Consider flying at inconvenient hours. All of these factors could affect the cost of your flight. |
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| Try ringing the travel agents and airlines as late or early in the day as possible because they may be less busy and so have more time to look around for good deals. If you play your cards right you could even ask if they know of any up and coming deals that are not yet advertised. |
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| Nested Tickets |
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One way of getting the best prices is to buy what are known as nested tickets.
Nested tickets only work when a regular midweek fare is over twice the price of an excursion fare (includes a Saturday stopover) to the same destination.
For example, you have been quoted £150 for a flight from Heathrow to Belfast return going out on a Monday and coming back on the Friday of the same week but you can find a return that requires you to stay for a weekend and is priced £75 or less, it is worth buying a nested ticket.
Buy a £75 excursion return ticket leaving on Monday and coming back late in the next week. Then buy another £75 excursion return ticket with the outgoing flight from Belfast on the Friday of your return to Heathrow. The return journey of this second ticket should be dated early in the next week.
By doing this you basically get two return flights for the price of one! If you nest the tickets with consideration of future travel dates in mind you can make use of all the tickets and save money. It is a little confusing but if you do the research then you are bound to get a cheaper deal. |
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| Split Tickets |
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Another option to consider is buying a split ticket. This means that you break up your journey buy changing at an interim airport as opposed to flying direct to your destination. This can often save you money when booking a flight.
Ask your travel agent as they will be able to help you buy both split tickets and nested tickets. But be sure to check first as some travel agents do not offer these tickets. |
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| Budget Airlines |
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With budget airlines you must book as early you can for the best prices.
Don't assume they are always the cheapest option because their prices can sometimes be more expensive than normal airlines as the departure date draws nearer.
Don't be fooled by flights priced at £1. Budget airlines rarely advertise all the taxes that must be paid until you are on the verge of making your purchase. This can add about £20. |
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| Book online as this usually saves a few pounds. |
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Avoid Delays and Increase Your Legroom When You Book a Flight... |
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| Follow these rules and you will be sure to avoid delays and even get a little more legroom on your flight. |
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- Most major tour operators who have their own airline such as Thomson let you pre-book seats for a fee when buying a package holiday.
They also often offer supplements that give you better in-flight meals and a bit more legroom.
www.thomson.co.uk
- When booking a flight ask which kind of plane you will flying on then look to see if there are seat plans on the airline website.
If the airline will assign you a seat tell them which seat number you would ideally like, perhaps an exit seat for more space.
- To avoid delays book flights that are the first or last to leave an airport on that day. Also avoid code-sharing tickets. This is when two airlines are taking you to your destination.
Moving baggage between different airlines at a stopover can increase the chances of things being delayed so look for the most direct flights if your aim is to avoid delays.
- Ask about the plane's seat pitch in the class you are travelling. This means the distance between your seat and the one in front of it - your legroom. Experts say 31 inches (79cm) should be the minimum for a 6ft (1.83m) person on a long flight.
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Booking Flights and Upgrades... |
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When you want to try and get an upgrade the most likely way is to get bumped.
When passenger numbers calculations go wrong the airline must ask the passengers if anyone will volunteer to be bumped on to the next available flight.
If the delay is more than several hours you are most likely to get travel vouchers, cash or an upgrade.
If the wait is less than that you will be offered a phone card, food voucher, temporary pass to the executive lounge or, a room at an airport hotel.
Ideally you want travel vouchers as they will be worth more than any cash offered. You do have the right to ask for cash as well. |
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Booking Flights Through Travel Agents... |
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It is important to remember when booking a flight with a travel agent that they are often paid a commission from the airlines to secure you as a passenger so remember to push for the best deal that you can.
It might be worth you asking your travel agent if it is worth you shopping around the airlines yourself. Don't be fooled by vague promises of major airlines and hotels from your travel agent. Ask for precise details and be sure not to get sucked in by any special deals that end up having small print you were not told about.
If you are tempted by offers in the Sunday papers from companies who buy seats in bulk on planes do consider them but don't stop shopping around. Be particularly careful if you are going for last-minute deals. |
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| Cut Out the Middleman |
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- If you work for a large company or you are a member of a union ask if they can help you get good deals through their agent. You may benefit from the privileges earned from them.
- Brochure prices for holidays can almost always be bettered by booking the flight and accommodation by yourself especially for luxury holidays.
- Have you ever thought about being a courier? Carrying an item in your luggage for a business can save you at least £100 on most flights. But you must be very flexible so only backpackers tend to take up this option.
- Many city breaks in Europe can be arranged by travellers because of the large choice of destinations offered by the budget airlines. Booking hotels direct is easier than ever because most have websites and accept email or telephone bookings.
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Book Flights on the Internet... |
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If you go to the big comparison sites like Expedia and visit all the sites of the airlines that go to your destination you can see a breakdown of who is flying where for how much and when.
As long as you make sure that the flight is covered by Atol (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) and that you stick to the big UK-based sites you should be fine. Always make sure the site's server is secure by looking for the padlock symbol on your browser.
Once you have paid for your ticket you should receive an email confirming your details. The law states that this email must confirm your Atol protection.
It may also be worth visiting Priceline.co.uk which allows you to bid your own price for flights. Airlines will sell you a ticket if you have made a reasonable offer and if they can. Don't bid really low as it will be rejected straight away. Try bidding at about 20-30% lower than the regular advertised fares. Remember most flights offered have severe restrictions so check the small print !
Increase your chances of getting to the best offers first by signing up to the email mailing lists of major airlines. Visit www.ukfrenzy.co.uk regularly. This website monitors the internet for any coupon deals and has a special travel section listing all the airlines' special offers.
It sometimes pays to check travel newsgroups and see if anyone has spotted a good deal. Go to groups.google.com and start by searching for "rec.travel" or "rec.travel.air". If you have a question don't be scared to ask other users for advice because they will help you. |
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Travel Agents and Fare Searchers ... |
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| Below is a list of travel agents. Browse through their websites and compare prices to get the best deals. |
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Travel Agents and Fare Searchers ... |
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Below we have listed some major airlines which fly from the UK and their websites. You can also visit out Terminal Information page to find out which airlines fly from the airport.
Use the drop down menu at the top of the page to browse other airports and which airlines fly from them. |
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