Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
flights to less-serviced destinations
. See
the “Getting There” sections of the
individual country chapters for detailed
information.
FLYING FOR LESS: TIPS FOR
GETTING THE BEST AIRFARE
• Passengers who can book their ticket
either
long in advance or at the last
minute,
or who
fly midweek
or
at
less-trafficked hours
may pay a frac-
tion of the full fare. If your schedule
is flexible, say so, and ask if you can
secure a cheaper fare by changing
your flight plans.
• Search
the Internet
for cheap fares (see
“Planning Your Trip Online,” above).
• Keep an eye on local newspapers for
promotional specials
or
fare wars,
when airlines lower prices on their
most popular routes. You rarely see
fare wars offered for peak travel times,
but if you can travel in the off-months,
you may snag a bargain.
• Try to book a ticket
in its country of
origin.
If you're planning a one-way
flight from Johannesburg to Bombay,
a South Africa-based travel agent will
probably have the lowest fares. For
multileg trips, book in the country of
the first leg; for example, book New
York-London-Amsterdam-Rome-
New York in the U.S.
•
Consolidators,
also known as bucket
shops, are great sources for interna-
tional tickets, although they usually
can't beat Internet fares within North
America. Start by looking in Sunday
newspaper travel sections; U.S. trav-
elers should focus on the
New York
Times, Los Angeles Times,
and
Miami
Herald.
U.K. travelers should search
in the
Independent, The Guardian,
or
The Observer
. For less-developed des-
tinations, small travel agents who cater
to immigrant communities in large
cities often have the best deals.
Beware:
Bucket shop tickets are usu-
ally nonrefundable or rigged with
stiff cancellation penalties, often as
high as 50% to 75% of the ticket
price, and some put you on charter
airlines, which may leave at incon-
venient times and experience delays.
Several reliable consolidators are
worldwide and available online.
STA
Travel
has been the world's lead con-
solidator for students since purchas-
ing Council Travel, but their fares are
competitive for travelers of all ages.
Tips
Getting Through the Airport
• Arrive at the airport 1 hour before a domestic flight and 2 hours before
an international flight; if you show up late, tell an airline employee and
he or she will probably expedite you to the front of the line.
• Bring a current, government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or
passport. Children under 18 need government-issued photo IDs for inter-
national flights to most countries.
• Speed up security by removing your jacket and shoes before you're
screened. In addition, remove metal objects such as big belt buckles. If
you've got metallic body parts, a note from your doctor can prevent a
long chat with the security screeners.
• Use a TSA-approved lock for your checked luggage. Look for Travel Sen-
try certified locks at luggage or travel shops and Brookstone stores (or
online at www.brookstone.com).
