Air Fare Buying Tips
Remember the 24-hour rule. Passengers can change or cancel tickets within 24 hours because of a Department of Transportation (DOT) rule. Since most reservations are made on computers, when the regulation was first debated, it was often called the fat-finger rule. The 24-hour rule can be used to hold a low airfare while researching low prices or if you find later your connecting flight is at a different airport without available connecting time. (Think DCA/BWI/Dulles, LaGuardie/Newark/JFK, O’Hare/Midway.)
Price competition is different across many websites and travel agents.
Because of the emphasis on price competition, consumers may choose from various airfares. Comparing fares and schedules on the Web is easy, using airline websites or third-party reservation services.
Some airlines and other outlets charge a fee for tickets purchased by means other than the Web. On the other hand, a few airlines may charge a fee for tickets that are purchased via the Web. Also, be alert to new companies serving the market. They may offer lower fares or different services than older established airlines.
Here are some tips to help you decide among airfares:
- Be flexible in your travel plans to get the lowest fare. When searching flights and fares on the Web, you can usually specify whether your dates are flexible, and in the search results, the fares are generally listed from lowest to highest. If you are shopping by phone or in person, after you get a fare quote, ask the reservations agent if you could save even more by leaving a day earlier or later or by taking a different flight on the same day.
- Plan as far ahead as you can. Some airlines set aside only a few seats on each flight at lower rates. The real bargains often sell out very quickly. On the other hand, air carriers sometimes make more discount seats available later. If you had decided against a trip because the price you wanted was unavailable when you first inquired, try again, especially just before the advance-purchase deadline.
- Some airlines may have discounts that others don’t offer. The fare in a large metropolitan area could depend on which airport you use. Also, a connection (change of planes) or a one-stop flight is sometimes cheaper than a nonstop one.
- Many airlines charge extra for checked baggage, advance seat assignments, meals, or other services. Airlines include information on these fees on their websites.
- If you have a connection involving two airlines, ask whether your bags will be transferred. Ask whether your ticket will be good on another carrier at no extra charge if your flight is canceled or experiences a lengthy delay and whether the first airline will pay for meals or a hotel room during the wait.
- Most discount fares are non-refundable. If you buy one of these fares and cancel your trip later, you will not get your money back. In many cases, you can apply your ticket to another trip in the future. Many fares also have a penalty for changing flights or dates, even if you don’t want a refund. You may also have to pay any difference in air fares if your fare type is unavailable on the new flight.
- Call the airline or travel agent once or twice before departure to check the fare. Fares change. If the fare you paid goes down before you fly, some airlines will refund the difference (or give you a transportation credit for that amount). But you have to ask.
- Differences in air fares can be substantial. Careful comparison shopping among airlines takes time but can lead to real savings.
Schedules and Tickets
Consider the following when selecting a flight and buying a ticket:
- Check the on-time performance percentage for flights that you are considering. DOT requires on-time performance percentages for individual flights of the larger US airlines to post on airline websites. They are available by phone from those airlines upon request. Airlines must also post a special notice for flights that experience serious delays or cancellations. You can see aggregate information about airline and airport on-time performance and a list of the most frequently delayed flights in DOT’s monthly Air Travel Consumer Report. Also, the website of DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (www.bts.gov) contains detailed on-time performance data for the large US airlines required to report this information.
- When you buy a ticket, ensure all the information is accurate. Before you click “Submit” or make a final commitment to a reservations agent, review all the essential information, including the spelling of your name, the flight numbers, travel dates, and the cities you are traveling between. Use the form of your name on the photo ID you will show at the airport. (For an international flight, this will be your passport.)
- Look carefully at the “Stops” column and the departure and arrival times to determine whether the flight suits your needs. A “direct” (or “through”) flight with a single flight number can have one or more intermediate stops. A connection (change of planes) nearly always has a separate flight number for each flight, but sometimes the two flights are listed on the same line in schedules.
- Ensure all the information is correct — your name, the airports (if any cities have more than one), and the flight dates. Pursue any necessary corrections immediately. You can because of the 24-hour rule.
- You will need to show a government-issued photo ID when you fly. Your first and last name on the ticket must be the same as it appears on the ID you will be using. Your middle name is not needed. If your name has recently changed and the name on your ticket and your ID is different (or will be different by the time of your trip), bring documentation of the change (e.g., a marriage certificate or court order).
- Check passport requirements and visas. Many European countries (“the Schengen states”) require that your passport be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date from the Schengen area. For more information, see the Department of State’s Schengen web page at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/go/schengen-fact-sheet.html.
- Schedules sometimes change. Re-check your flights’ departure and arrival times a few days before your trip. On international trips, some airlines may require that you reconfirm your onward or return reservations at least 72 hours before each flight. If you don’t, your reservations may be canceled.
- Bring your ticket or printed confirmation to the airport. You may also be able to print your boarding pass from the carrier’s website within 24 hours of departure. This speeds up check-in and helps avoid tension while waiting in a slow-moving line at the airport.
- Payment by credit card provides certain protections under federal credit laws. When a refund is due, the airline must forward a credit to your card company within seven business days of receiving a complete refund application; however, the credit may take a month or two to appear on your statement. If you paid by credit card for a refundable fare and you have trouble getting a refund that you are due (e.g., you have a refundable fare, or you have a nonrefundable fare and the airline canceled your flight and you did not travel as a result), report this in writing to your credit card company. If you write to them within 60 days from the time they mailed your first monthly statement showing the charge for the airline ticket, the card company should credit your account even if the airline doesn’t. This procedure is beneficial if your airline ceases operations before your flight.
NOTE: In some cases, tickets purchased overseas in foreign currency can only be refunded in that same currency and country due to foreign government monetary restrictions. Consider this if you are considering buying a ticket in a foreign country.