With the explosion of the Internet, calling the airline reservation desk to book a flight is no longer necessary--in fact, it may cost you. Many airlines are now charging fees to book through a phone representative, encouraging customers to go online, either directly to the airline's website, or to the many airline ticket comparison and booking sites on the web. No matter how you decide to reserve your ticket, browsing the Internet for tickets before you book can save you money.
Identify the specific flight you want. No matter which method you choose to reserve or book your tickets, the process will go faster (and be cheaper) if you know the exact flight information. By using the Internet to find your ticket, you can save a considerable amount of money. Start on a site such as SideStep.com, FareCompare.com or Priceline.com. With these sites you can compare all airlines that fly to your destination simply by entering your desired departure and arrival information.
Once you've found a ticket at the time and price you want, don't reserve it just yet. Visit Farecast.live.com, a site that not only compares ticket prices, but also makes predictions about whether ticket prices will fall or rise before your departure. Enter your departure and arrival information to get Farecast's advice on whether to purchase/reserve your ticket now or wait.
Visit the airline's website directly. Here you will find specific information about reserving the ticket you want. If you choose to reserve your ticket over the phone, you can visit the airline's website to find out if there is an extra charge to do so.
Check the terms and conditions of your ticket reservation. This is also something that can be done on the website of the airline from which you decide to purchase your ticket. This information will tell you if you can change or cancel your ticket, and if penalties or charges will apply in this situation.
When ready to book your flight, use the airline's website or reservation desk (by phone) to do so, rather than using a third-party site or agent. Booking on the airline's website will typically save you money over using price comparison sites or travel agents, as both typically charge additional booking fees.
