Years ago, the only way you could book a flight was to pick up the phone and call an airline. If you wanted to compare flights you had to call every airline in existence. Now you have more options. The convenience of the Internet has made it extremely easy to search through available flights and find the best deal on the market. You now have four main options for booking a flight with an airline.
Go to a trusted online travel search site to book your flight with an airline. Type in the city or airport where you would like to leave from and fly into. Designate whether this is a roundtrip or one-way ticket, and enter your desired travel dates or select "flexible dates." Search for flights on a wide variety of airlines and book the one that best meets your requirements. Popular booking sites include Travel.com, Priceline.com, Orbitz.com, CheapTickets.com, Expedia.com and Travelocity.com.
Call or visit a travel agent in your area to book a flight with an airline. Travel agents have a direct line to special packages and flight deals being offered by various airlines and know all of the obscure tricks involved in getting the best rates. Give tentative dates so that the agent can suggest an exact flight package that will meet your budget. Reserve the flight with a direct payment to the agent.
Call your preferred airline directly to book a flight. You must give exact details about your trip to the customer service representative to get a quote. You may have to pay an additional booking fee for using a live representative. You can also book flights on each airline's official website (see a complete list below under "Resources").
Call your corporate flight booking office if you work for a major company. Most corporations allow you to book business and personal flights using this travel service as a perk. The rates are discounted. Call the 800 number provided by your company (ask your human resources department), give your employee identification number and provide the representative with details about your travel dates and destination.
