How To Get The Best Air Fares:

Getting the Best Air Fare for your Money:

There is a wide variety of air fares available to travelers. This fact sheet will help you choose the one that’s best for you.

Be flexible in your travel plans in order to get the lowest fare. The best deals may be limited to travel on certain days of the week (often Tuesday through Thursday, or Friday night through Sunday morning) or particular hours of the day (e.g., late-night departures). This applies to each of your flights, not just the first flight in your itinerary. After you get a fare quote, ask the reservations agent if you could save even more by flying a day earlier or later, or by taking a different flight on the same day. Or simply ask the agent what the lowest fare is, and what you need to do to qualify for it.

Discount seats are usually “blacked out” during holiday periods. However, you might be able to get a discount fare if you fly on the holiday itself (e.g., New Year’s day).

Plan as far ahead as you can. Most airlines set aside only a few seats on many desirable flights at the lower rates. The real best bargains often sell out very quickly. On the other hand, if a particular flight is not selling as well as expected, air carriers sometimes make more discount seats available for a particular flight just before the advance-purchase deadline expires. For example, if the lowest fare has a 21-day advance-purchase requirement but is sold out for most dates, and you can go any time, ask about fare availability on flights 21 or 22 days from when you call.

While planning ahead is a good general rule, if you can bide your time you might encounter a “fare sale.” Many airlines put seats on sale for brief periods several times a year (although you usually can purchase tickets for flights weeks or months after the end of the sale period). It is difficult to predict when these sales will occur, although they often fall during times when people are less likely to buy airline tickets (e.g. early autumn or right immediately after New Years).

In a large metropolitan area, the fare could depend on which airport you use. For example, if you are going to Southeast Florida and plan to rent a car, it might not make much difference if you fly to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, except for ticket price. Also, a connection (change of planes) or a one-stop flight is sometimes cheaper than a nonstop. Always check on alternate airports and routings when pricing a ticket.

Look into all airlines that serve the market you are interested in, including low-cost carriers that offer low fares. Many times the major carriers will match the fares of a low-cost airline between the same cities; but often this will only be for a certain limited number of seats on each flight. On a low-cost carrier, find out what you get for your money: baggage transfers from one carrier to another, meals, advance seat assignments, etc. Note that small airlines sometimes have only one flight per day in many markets, and they frequently will not reroute you on another airline if your flight is canceled or delayed. In such cases you may have to wait until the next day to fly.

Ask about all restrictions on your fare. Typical requirements for discount fares include purchasing a round-trip ticket, buying the ticket a certain number of days before departure (e.g., for many fares, at least 14 or 21 days before you leave), purchasing the ticket within 24 hours of making a reservation, staying over a Saturday night, traveling during a certain time of the year, staying no more than 30 days, and, as discussed below, refund/change restrictions.

Ask about your ability to change or cancel your flight if you need to. Even if you get sick, you cannot assume you will get a refund. In fact, most discount tickets now are non-refundable, but can be applied toward the purchase of other tickets on the same carrier. You must usually pay an administrative charge and any difference between the fares for the old and new flights when you do this.

Consider using a travel agent. Agents usually do not charge a fee  and they can tell you about “consolidators” and other sources of discounted seats that are not available directly from the airline. However, consolidator seats can have even more severe restrictions than the airlines’ own deep-discount fares, particularly if the flight is delayed or canceled. A few travel agents sometimes have access to special deals with a particular airline (either discounts or extra services). If you are flying to a popular foreign destination, or to Las Vegas or Hawaii, ask the travel agent about Public Charters. These charters sometimes offer lower fares, but again with significant restrictions that are spelled out in an operator/participant contract that you should review carefully.

Ask the travel agent if the city where you live or the city where you are going is an airline “hub.” If it is, fares may be higher than for flights to other nearby cities because of reduced competition. Someone who lives at a hub might save money by leaving from another nearby city, even if they end up connecting through the hub to get to their destination.

A number of airlines send e-mail messages every week to receive notification of last-minute fare specials for departures within the next few days. See the airlines’ World Wide Web sites for information about these programs, or call their reservations line. For a list of airline web sites, go to http://www.airlines.com (Do not assume that an airline reservation agent or travel agent will be aware of the fares offered to e-mail subscribers.)

Many airlines offer a seniors discount off any fare to travelers over a certain age. In addition, some carriers offer bereavement and emergency illness fares with varying documentation requirements and discounts.

If you are a member of an airline’s frequent-flyer program and you are considering buying a promotional or deep-discount fare, ask if that fare will earn frequent-flyer miles.

After you buy your ticket, you may wish to call the airline or travel agent once or twice before departure to confirm your reservations and check the fare. Fares change all the time, and if that same fare goes down before you fly, some airlines will refund the difference. But you have to ask.

Capt Bob

TSA International Air Security Measures

TSA Institutes More-Focused Air Security Measures

Published on: April 5, 2010

The Transportation Security Administration will begin using new security measures this month for all air carriers with international flights to the United States, replacing the emergency measures put into place after the attempted Christmas 2009 terrorist attack. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that the new protocols reflect the most current information available to the U.S. government and will apply to all passengers traveling to the United States.

The new TSA procedures will replace the requirement of extra security screening for all passengers traveling to the U.S. from or through 14 countries that have been home to known terrorists — Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The new procedures will require additional screening only for those passengers who match a specific description of a known or suspected terrorist, including physical descriptions or travel patterns.

The new screening will be in addition to the screening of passengers whose names appear on terrorist watch lists. The U.S. government’s “no fly” list of suspected terrorists, who are banned from all flights to or within U.S. territory, currently includes about 6,000 names. The additional screening includes the use of explosives trace detection, advanced imaging technology, canine teams or full-body pat-downs, among other measures.

The country-specific procedures went into place after the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Dec. 25, 2009. A Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has been charged with boarding the plane with a bomb hidden in his underwear. One of the reasons the alleged bomber was able to board the flight in Amsterdam was that his name was not on the U.S. terror watch list. However, officials failed to even share a description of the suspected terrorist.

The new policy should significantly decrease the number of innocent travelers from the 14 countries who have been inconvenienced or delayed by the extra screening due to their travel route or home country.

Although the U.S. does not have the authority to screen passengers in foreign airports, if air carriers do not agree to follow the U.S. guidelines for international aviation security, they could be fined and potentially banned from operating flights to the U.S.

Janet Napolitano commended many partners around the world “who have taken steps to increase their own security measures through deployment of new technology, enhanced information sharing and stronger standards to keep air travel safe.”

Napolitano also commended the release of the Surface Transportation Security Priority Assessment, calling it another important step in efforts to protect the nation’s traveling public from acts of terrorism. The assessment was developed through engagement with federal, state, local and tribal government partners as well as the private sector, provides a comprehensive framework of recommendations to enhance surface transportation security. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.

Reproduced from an article from Travel Pulse Newsletter:  Capt Bob

The Wonderful World Of Disney

The Wonderful World of Disney

If you ask your child what theme park they would like to visit they will likely answer overwhelmingly Disneyland.   Disneyland is the number one theme park in the world and is promoted to entertain the child in all of us.  It all started with a little mouse named MICKEY.

Walt Disney first conceived of his world renowned parks in the early 1950’s.  He started building his dream in Anaheim, California and now his vision stretches around the world with parks in Orlando, Florida, Paris, France and Hong Kong.  Each park adds to Disney’s vision of the Magic Kingdom while keeping to the basic premise of his dream to delight and entertain the hearts and minds of young and old alike.

With Disney’s acquisition of Pixar Animations Studios in May 2006 has only added to the Disney’s proven entertainment power.   Pixar produces family animation films in the same fashion that Walt Disney first envisioned, family films that not only entertain but allows the child to come out in all of us.   Keeping in the same approach as Disney’s  Snow White, Cinderella, Peter Pan and Pinocchio, Pixar Studios has produced Toy Story; It’s a Bugs Life, Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo, Cars and The Incredibles. These film themes and characters are now featured attractions in all of Disneys parks. Disney is always finding new ways to appeal to the next generation of park goers plus providing wholesome family fun and entertainment for the whole family.

I would recommend a Disney vacation anytime of the year.  You do not necessarily need to stay at a Disney Resort Hotel to enjoy the experience.  Disney has partnered with major hotels usually within walking distance of the parks plus Disney offers free shuttle service to and from your Disney partnered hotel.  Also, keep an eye out for Disney sponsored Airline.  The sponsored Airline generally offers great deals to Disneyland and Disney World. Remember to always check for park hours during the winter and summer months and plan ahead to get the best value for your vacation dollars.  It really is a Magical Kingdom.

Capt Bob

Destination-Europe

Vacation in Europe

This maybe the best time to plan that long awaited European vacation. With the U.S. economy in such turmoil, tourism worldwide is down. What this means to you is more value and competition for your travel dollar. A wise and frugal travel shopper will not have to look too hard to find plenty of travel incentives, so don’t put your passports away just yet.
Pick your destination and start looking for the discounts. Doing a little research beforehand can save you hundreds of your travel dollars.
Airlines are looking for every travel dollar they can find. Currently, they are heavily discounting their seats just to generate revenue which means great savings for you. So shopping can really pay off. Don’t leave out the idea of business or first class seats. For long flights it is well worth the extra leg room and the service. Use your travel miles to upgrade from coach. Some airlines even sell first class and business seats at a discount to their frequent flyer card holders and coach ticket holders at the gate or at check in.
Some of the best buys are organized land tours. The value comes when you pay for your vacation in U.S. Dollars and not Euro’s. Most of the European operators have offices in the United States or are on the internet. Always remember to ask for their special incentive deals. Most of the time tour operators will discount their vacations packages for those last minute shoppers. Don’t feel left out if you’re not a last minute type, booking and paying for your vacation in advance most of the times will rate you a substantial discounts.
Cruise lines that operated in Europe are also heavily discounting their staterooms. This year most of the major cruise lines introduced more new ships than in past fifteen years and their staterooms are going unfilled due to over capacity. Most cruise lines are offer a variety of incentives to beckon the wise traveler to their cruises like offing children under the age of 17 free travel, free airfare to European gateways from the United States plus lower deposits, when you make your reservation, to on board credits just to name a few.
Check with your travel agent to make sure you are getting the best price for your vacation dollars. Your travel agent can take the entire headache out of planning your European Vacation plus they will get you the best deals.
Have a great Vacation.
Capt Bob