How to Find Cheap Flights Online
Use an online travel agency., Compare your results to a supplier website., Try a metasearch engine., Use various search tools.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use an online travel agency.
Online travel agencies (OTA) are online booking resources that allow you to conveniently compare airline offerings in one central location just by entering your travel dates and destination.Most OTA's have access to the flight inventory from various airlines which provides a way to view numerous flight options in one location.
Because of the large volume of business conducted by the OTA’s they are able to offer you the ability to search for flights without charging you a fee.One of the major benefits of OTAs is that the traveler is often exposed to more options than they knew they had, such as different flights, different routes, or different locations.
Perks include low rates on last minute tickets as well as packaged deals that include drastically reduced rates on hotel or car rentals.It’s important to consider all of your needs and all of your savings options when considering using an OTA.
You should never pay more for a ticket on an OTA site than you would from the airline’s direct website.
In fact, many airlines guarantee the lowest rate possible.
Popular OTA sites include makemytrip.com, Expedia.com, and Booking.com. -
Step 2: Compare your results to a supplier website.
A supplier website is a website that is owned directly by the airline, such as American Airlines or Delta.
The decrease in use of OTAs over the past few years has seen a resurgence in people booking flights directly through the airline website.
The primary advantage is cost, with more airlines offering special packages or resort credits that are otherwise not offered on third-party sites.Many airlines have spent millions of dollars updating their websites to allow for customization of flight options such as priority boarding or Wi-Fi access.
However, these luxuries are often offered at an additional cost.
One of the drawbacks to utilizing a supplier website is that comparing prices can be time consuming and cumbersome. , Metasearch engines are search engines that pull indices (or the databases of relevant sites) from many search engines such as Google or Bing.This allows the traveler to access a variety of information regarding airlines, flights, and costs all in one central location.
The user can then take advantage of any specials, sales, or promotions being offered by an airline.
The traveler is routed to the airline website when they are prepared to book their flight.
Popular metasearch engines include Google Flight Search, Hipmunk, and Hopper.One disadvantage is that not all airlines (especially smaller ones) are part of the metasearch engine’s database.
For example, Southwest Airlines has opted out of having their prices displayed on such search engines.Another disadvantage is that certain airlines pay to have their information listed at the top of the page, so sometimes the information provided by a metasearch engine may appear biased. , Though it may be time consuming, it may be worth it to compare prices among OTAs, airline websites, and metasearch engines.
By comparing each search, you’ll be able to see if any provider is adding additional fees or if a provider is offering a special promotion.
This works well if your travel plans (date/time) are firm.
Otherwise, you could get overwhelmed by all of the options presented. -
Step 3: Try a metasearch engine.
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Step 4: Use various search tools.
Detailed Guide
Online travel agencies (OTA) are online booking resources that allow you to conveniently compare airline offerings in one central location just by entering your travel dates and destination.Most OTA's have access to the flight inventory from various airlines which provides a way to view numerous flight options in one location.
Because of the large volume of business conducted by the OTA’s they are able to offer you the ability to search for flights without charging you a fee.One of the major benefits of OTAs is that the traveler is often exposed to more options than they knew they had, such as different flights, different routes, or different locations.
Perks include low rates on last minute tickets as well as packaged deals that include drastically reduced rates on hotel or car rentals.It’s important to consider all of your needs and all of your savings options when considering using an OTA.
You should never pay more for a ticket on an OTA site than you would from the airline’s direct website.
In fact, many airlines guarantee the lowest rate possible.
Popular OTA sites include makemytrip.com, Expedia.com, and Booking.com.
A supplier website is a website that is owned directly by the airline, such as American Airlines or Delta.
The decrease in use of OTAs over the past few years has seen a resurgence in people booking flights directly through the airline website.
The primary advantage is cost, with more airlines offering special packages or resort credits that are otherwise not offered on third-party sites.Many airlines have spent millions of dollars updating their websites to allow for customization of flight options such as priority boarding or Wi-Fi access.
However, these luxuries are often offered at an additional cost.
One of the drawbacks to utilizing a supplier website is that comparing prices can be time consuming and cumbersome. , Metasearch engines are search engines that pull indices (or the databases of relevant sites) from many search engines such as Google or Bing.This allows the traveler to access a variety of information regarding airlines, flights, and costs all in one central location.
The user can then take advantage of any specials, sales, or promotions being offered by an airline.
The traveler is routed to the airline website when they are prepared to book their flight.
Popular metasearch engines include Google Flight Search, Hipmunk, and Hopper.One disadvantage is that not all airlines (especially smaller ones) are part of the metasearch engine’s database.
For example, Southwest Airlines has opted out of having their prices displayed on such search engines.Another disadvantage is that certain airlines pay to have their information listed at the top of the page, so sometimes the information provided by a metasearch engine may appear biased. , Though it may be time consuming, it may be worth it to compare prices among OTAs, airline websites, and metasearch engines.
By comparing each search, you’ll be able to see if any provider is adding additional fees or if a provider is offering a special promotion.
This works well if your travel plans (date/time) are firm.
Otherwise, you could get overwhelmed by all of the options presented.
About the Author
Kathryn Peterson
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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