Comments on: 25 Rules to Grow Rich By #23: Airline Tickets http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:22:21 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tickets for tomorrow http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-322555 Tickets for tomorrow Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:12:51 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-322555 Find really cheap airline tickets, Dirt cheap airline tickets at tickets for tomorrow. We have a list of really cheap international airline tickets, and dirt cheap airline tickets, cheap airline tickets. Book your very cheap airline tickets now hurry up at www.ticketsfortomorrow.com Find really cheap airline tickets, Dirt cheap airline tickets at tickets for tomorrow. We have a list of really cheap international airline tickets, and dirt cheap airline tickets, cheap airline tickets. Book your very cheap airline tickets now hurry up at http://www.ticketsfortomorrow.com

]]> By: Susan http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-129779 Susan Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:57:47 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-129779 Never be afraid to complain. A very specific complaint letter with legitimate concerns (rude staff, insane delays, habitual cancelling of flights) is effective. I've gotten many travel vouchers this way. At worst you'll usually get $25 voucher or an in-airport coupon you can use to grab a meal. http://www.theinnovativetraveler.com Never be afraid to complain. A very specific complaint letter with legitimate concerns (rude staff, insane delays, habitual cancelling of flights) is effective. I’ve gotten many travel vouchers this way. At worst you’ll usually get $25 voucher or an in-airport coupon you can use to grab a meal.

http://www.theinnovativetraveler.com

]]> By: Susan http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-129771 Susan Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:50:56 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-129771 Unless I'm booking travel for a holiday weekend, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, I usually start looking 6 weeks in and compare all sites and see if I can even shave off $5 in booking fees from one site. My best fare to date was flying from NY to Atl (stayed in Atlanta for 5 days) then Puerto Rico and back to NY for $250 including tax. Don't forget to delete your cookies now and again, search with flex dates and nearby airports. Some sites will remember you and keep showing you fares you looked at before. Sherman's Travel also has great last-minute deals. Check out more travel saving ideas at: http://www.theinnovativetraveler.com Unless I’m booking travel for a holiday weekend, Thanksgiving, or Christmas, I usually start looking 6 weeks in and compare all sites and see if I can even shave off $5 in booking fees from one site. My best fare to date was flying from NY to Atl (stayed in Atlanta for 5 days) then Puerto Rico and back to NY for $250 including tax.

Don’t forget to delete your cookies now and again, search with flex dates and nearby airports. Some sites will remember you and keep showing you fares you looked at before. Sherman’s Travel also has great last-minute deals.

Check out more travel saving ideas at: http://www.theinnovativetraveler.com

]]> By: Lana http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-5596 Lana Wed, 07 Feb 2007 22:38:07 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-5596 I've worked as a travel agent and one thing I tell all my friends is that they need to be aware of any special fares they may be eligible for. If you're a student (of any age, though some fares are restricted to certain ranges), under 26, a teacher, or married to someone who's any of these things, you may qualify for specialty student/youth rates. (Even the teachers.) Also, a lot of tours skewed toward the "younger" crowd (under 35) offer better prices than traditional tour companies. For instance, traditional tours to exotic places like India or the Galopagos Islands can cost thousands of dollars, whereas tour companies that target a younger crowd offer tours under $1000, including accomodation, transportation, and some meals. One last thing--most airlines only forecast flights out 10 months, so it's pointless to try and plan a trip over a year before you'll take it. But at the same time, airlines price their fares by seats--meaning that if they have 10 seats at $300, once those are gone, the next cheapest may be 10 seats at $350, and so on. Buy up the cheaper fares when you can, because once they're gone, you're stuck paying more (and possibly sitting next to someone who potentially paid hundreds of dollars less than you did). I’ve worked as a travel agent and one thing I tell all my friends is that they need to be aware of any special fares they may be eligible for.

If you’re a student (of any age, though some fares are restricted to certain ranges), under 26, a teacher, or married to someone who’s any of these things, you may qualify for specialty student/youth rates. (Even the teachers.)

Also, a lot of tours skewed toward the “younger” crowd (under 35) offer better prices than traditional tour companies. For instance, traditional tours to exotic places like India or the Galopagos Islands can cost thousands of dollars, whereas tour companies that target a younger crowd offer tours under $1000, including accomodation, transportation, and some meals.

One last thing–most airlines only forecast flights out 10 months, so it’s pointless to try and plan a trip over a year before you’ll take it. But at the same time, airlines price their fares by seats–meaning that if they have 10 seats at $300, once those are gone, the next cheapest may be 10 seats at $350, and so on. Buy up the cheaper fares when you can, because once they’re gone, you’re stuck paying more (and possibly sitting next to someone who potentially paid hundreds of dollars less than you did).

]]> By: Kenny http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-1037 Kenny Thu, 14 Dec 2006 05:06:56 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-1037 I rely on 2 sites when I look to travel, granted I always travel to the same location. 1.) http://www.farecast.com/ This site has been very useful for me since I always get a good view at the average price for a given trip. 2.) http://www.travelocity.com/ Their last minute packages (air + car or air + hotel) are amazingly priced but only good if you are traveling with 2 people since their packages are priced with 2 travelers in mind. For example their weekend trip to ATL from DC with a mid-size car is about $350 out the door for 2 people. That's a price which is hard to beat. I rely on 2 sites when I look to travel, granted I always travel to the same location.
1.) http://www.farecast.com/
This site has been very useful for me since I always get a good view at the average price for a given trip.
2.) http://www.travelocity.com/
Their last minute packages (air + car or air + hotel) are amazingly priced but only good if you are traveling with 2 people since their packages are priced with 2 travelers in mind. For example their weekend trip to ATL from DC with a mid-size car is about $350 out the door for 2 people. That’s a price which is hard to beat.

]]> By: The Finance Buff http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-1035 The Finance Buff Thu, 14 Dec 2006 04:41:22 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-1035 Watch out for change fees! If you book too early, you increase the chance that you will have to change the dates. Most airlines will stiff you $100! Southwest is the only airline I know that doesn't charge a change fee. Watch out for change fees! If you book too early, you increase the chance that you will have to change the dates. Most airlines will stiff you $100! Southwest is the only airline I know that doesn’t charge a change fee.

]]> By: Ellen http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-1011 Ellen Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:43:26 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-1011 It's also worth signing up for frequent flyer programs with several major airlines. I fly with Northwest a lot, just because it's a major carrier through my (small, regional) airport, and I get frequent--about weekly--ticket offers through e-mail that are often a THIRD of what are available in online searches. Checking into JetBlue and Southwest are also good options, although they don't fly everywhere. They don't show up on Orbitz/Hotwire/etc., but keep them on a list to check, if they happen to service an airport near you. (I wish the two of them ever connected at the same airport--I have one, and my parents have the other!--but they don't, which lessens the convenience.) It’s also worth signing up for frequent flyer programs with several major airlines. I fly with Northwest a lot, just because it’s a major carrier through my (small, regional) airport, and I get frequent–about weekly–ticket offers through e-mail that are often a THIRD of what are available in online searches.

Checking into JetBlue and Southwest are also good options, although they don’t fly everywhere. They don’t show up on Orbitz/Hotwire/etc., but keep them on a list to check, if they happen to service an airport near you. (I wish the two of them ever connected at the same airport–I have one, and my parents have the other!–but they don’t, which lessens the convenience.)

]]> By: Amy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/12/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/comment-page-1/#comment-1010 Amy Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:31:35 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2006/11/13/25-rules-to-grow-rich-by-23-airline-tickets/#comment-1010 I usually fly Northwest Airlines, and I've found that 6 weeks in advance is the cheapest time to buy. The prices actually drop steadily until 6-8 weeks out, then climb again. I use Northwest's "check x days before/after" option, to see a grid of the lowest fares and which days are cheapest to fly. Thanksgiving day and Christmas day are always the cheapest holiday fares. I use Expedia/Orbitz/etc to compare fares, but they don't have info on the low cost airlines, so I research those separately. And it's still in beta, but <a href="http://www.farecast.com/" rel="nofollow">Farecast</a> looks useful if you live in/near a big city. I usually fly Northwest Airlines, and I’ve found that 6 weeks in advance is the cheapest time to buy. The prices actually drop steadily until 6-8 weeks out, then climb again. I use Northwest’s “check x days before/after” option, to see a grid of the lowest fares and which days are cheapest to fly. Thanksgiving day and Christmas day are always the cheapest holiday fares.

I use Expedia/Orbitz/etc to compare fares, but they don’t have info on the low cost airlines, so I research those separately. And it’s still in beta, but Farecast looks useful if you live in/near a big city.

]]>