Discount Airfares Review

A lot of you have asked me - Do you know where to find discount first-class airfares? And I’ve had to admit it - they’re hard to find - I wish I could help! So when I stumbled across this quick Q&A from the San Jose Mercury News, it naturally caught my eye.

This article gives advice as good as anything I’ve seen for getting a bargain first-class airfare so I just had to put it on my blog. The links in the article aren’t clickable, so here are the links for the sites mentioned if you decide to check them out:

Airawards.com
Executiveclasstravel.com

There’s always a few good travel tips in the second question about travelling overseas for my Amercian readers

Of all of the gorgeous and glamorous sites to take a holiday, more and more individuals are going for Europe. There is a great amount of history and charm; it is no great shock numerous air carriers and travel companies have been offering discount airfares to Germany, Romania, Italy, and other European countries.

Germany is one of the oldest countries in the world - it dates back to the formation of the Holy Roman Empire when the German tribes ruled the lands. Magnificent castles and stately manor houses prompt tourists’ memories of an era when knights and gallantry were not just words. The artwork, whether painted or sewn in the form of draperies has summarised that age so immaculately. These days travellers can go to see museums and go around a number of the more glamorous estates. Discovering discount airfares to Germany can provide more spending money for accommodation and numerous other fun activities.

Don’t Jump to the Online Sites

Prior to deciding to purchase your discount airfare to Germany through an online travel web site like Orbitz or Priceline.com, consider checking out the airline’s site online that you intended to fly with. Airline companies have been known to present weekly, and sometimes even monthly incentives on airfare across the country and worldwide. It can be astonishing how low their discounts can go; providing passage to such spots as the Maldives, The Orient, and Europe for less than you might have thought. Discount airfare to Germany could very well be easier to find than a red car on any given day - and you will have a much better tale to tell to your mates, without even mentioning all of the pictures!

Go Prepare Your Trip!

There are plenty of travel web sites in the sea, so to speak. And the majority of them are marketing trip deals for next to nothing. But is this good? Are you able to trust what you come across, or should it come with a ‘buyer beware’ statement attached to it? It can be quite a responsibility to book a fun, memorable vacation for you and your mates.

There is a lot more to keep in mind to attend to than simply finding discount airfare to Germany. Obtaining what you desire as quick as possible makes each phase of the planning process that much less demanding. Find out if the online travel site you are thinking of buying through has a consumer help center, with both an email address and phone number. It is mostly preferable to have the opportunity to talk to a live person versus an standardised email response.

Is wherever you like to sit! When people ask me what the best seat on a plane is, this is what I tell them. Because really, it is all about personal preference.

If you would like some general comments about the different areas on the plane though, well here goes:

• An Aisle seat means that you will be disturbed by others (usually when you’ve just got to sleep) but at least you can get up frequently. You also tend to have more room because you can lean into the aisle - just watch out for carts coming down!
• A Window seat means you will have to be the one doing the disturbing to get out of your seat, but if you settle down for a snooze you will be in peace. You’ll have no extra room to move though so keep that in mind - although you can lean on the side of the plane. But remember you get to look out of the window - an advantage for obvious reasons!

Do you like to sleep on the plane? If you’re lucky enough to be able to fall asleep just after meal service and will sleep through, then a window may be the business, as you’ll have support for your head and shoulders. If you’re not a person who sleeps on aeroplanes, then an aisle seat may have more appeal, as you can get up and wander about a bit without disturbing others.

If you can get an exit row seat - welcome to heaven on earth! The added leg room can turn a horrible flight into a delightful one - especially if you are 6 foot tall and above.

If turbulence bothers you, over the wing (center of gravity) will have the least movement. The front of the plane tends to be quieter. The rear of the plane is louder, back behind the engines.

So its really entirely up to you - weight up the pros and cons of each and make up your mind. Unless of course you are considering a middle seat - which has none of the pros and all of the cons! Making them without doubt the worst seats on the plane.

Enjoy your next flight!

Furthermore to my latest post on bereavement fares, I found this article from the Dallas Morning News by Tom Parsons. He indicates that rather than specific bereavement fares, simply looking for a package deal including flights, accommodation etc may actually be your best bet. It also provides some tips for arranging for a refund in the case of the death of someone close to you.

With online travel sales booming, it is as important as ever to make sure you are getting what you pay for. CBS produced an interesting piece on what they call a ‘growing web of travel trouble’. Take a look to reinforce that you should check out the companies you book with before you buy.

A question I have had posed towards me a few times lately has been…

Is there such thing as a Disability fare?

Unfortunately, I have never come across such a discount fare. However, most airlines are well equipped to make your flight as safe and enjoyable as possible. Here’s a couple of tips if you require special assistance:

• Advise the airline prior to your arrival of any special needs you have.
  Listen to the boarding instructions - most airlines will help people with a disability and young families before the rush of the rest of the public.

Hopefully this has answered any queries you may have, if not get in touch with me and I’ll try and find out further for you!

I recently came across an unfortunate situation of a good friend of mine, who had a death in the family and needed to fly interstate for the funeral. Now I pondered whether to post this, because mainly I like to focus on holidays and business trips, but I decided to go ahead and post because realistically, many people may be able to save costs when their mind is focused on their loved one.

My friend went ahead and contacted a number of different airlines, explained that she needed tickets at short notice to attend a funeral, and asked what they could do for her. She was offered by a number of airlines what is apparently known as a ‘bereavement fare’, at a discount of approximately 50% off the normal fare. She was required to present them a copy of a death certificate, a letter from the funeral home, and/or a certificate of relationship to qualify for the fare. Also, different airlines had different policies, ranging from discount upon presentation of these documents, to charging full fare but promising reimbursement upon receipt of the documents.

Not all airlines offered this however, so the moral of the story would be - if you are in this unfortunate position, at least make a few calls to see what the airlines can offer you. They’re not always as cold-hearted as some would make out!

More and more residents of the UK are traveling to the Philippines in search of sun and fun. As good as the exchange rate is – getting yourself a discount airfare goes even further in giving you the opportunity to live like a King or Queen. Follow our tips and you can join in on the fun, and still have money in your pocket at the end of it all!

Take a Look At Some Different Airlines

There are lots of different airlines that are going to be able to provide you with discount airfare from UK to Philippines but you have to be sure that you are finding them on your own. Your best chance of finding discount airfare UK to Philippines is going to be to look through the rates that the different airlines have to offer you, and try to find one that fits your needs. What you are looking for might not be something that is advertised. You actually might have to look for it for awhile if you need to travel on a budget. As always – bounce the different companies off each other. Ask for something extra. Name your own price. If they say no – well you haven’t gone backwards have you.

Choose An Alternative Date

In order to get discount airfare from UK to Philippines, your best bet is going to be to fly in the off season. This means that if you can book your flight in the middle of the week, and even go at odd times during the day, you are going to find that flights are much cheaper. This is something that a lot of people have looked into, and it is true – if you can get airfare during the week, you’ll find that it is cheaper and much more worth it.

No matter what, you are going to want to look for discount airfare from UK to Philippines online. This is going to be the place where you find the best rates, no matter how you decide to get them. You should remember that online is often the cheapest route today, so find some sites and get searching. However, don’t go with the first discount airfare from UK to Philippines that you find - you are going to want to shop around for awhile, because chances are that you’ll find something better.

Just remember that you are going to want to expand your criteria to offer the airlines the best chance of getting you discount airfare from UK to Philippines that meets your needs. The more flexible you can be, the better your chances are of finding cheap flights. Bon voyage!

If you are planning to travel to the Philippines you simply must check out Philippine Dreams, where you will find everything you need to make it the trip of a lifetime, or even your new home! Highly recommended!

If you fancy yourself to travel to the UK and spend some of your hard-earned now Pounds, then here is 3 great tips to get you a discount airfare to London so you spend your money when you get there, not on getting there.

1. Take a look at Priceline

With Priceline, you can name the price you are willing to pay for your airfare to London, and they will try and get you that price through one of their sponsored offers. For example, the cheapest airfare to London that you can find might be $500, but you could request a $400 ticket and let Priceline work it’s magic. They might offer this price to you, providing you try one of their sponsored partners – for example, applying for a new credit card.

If you don’t mind a bit of give and take to get yourself a great discount airfare to London, then definitely take a look at Priceline. However, if you don’t like the idea of the strings attached, then go tip 2.

2. Go with an established Discount Airfare site

Sites such as Expedia and Auto Europe are renowned for their ability to offer airfares at a discount to the major airlines prices. Simply fill out the web site with your preferred dates and destination and see what price they can offer you.

You may want to look at some British websites as well but always factor in the conversion of the currency. Don’t be fooled by a 200 pound ticket to mean $200; it will be much more than that. Many websites give better deals if you book your lodging with them as well. If you are not planning to stay with friends or family while in London, then you can get a good deal by booking both online.

3. Don’t fly into Heathrow

A lesser known way to get your discount airfare to London is by choosing an airport other than London Heathrow (LHR). Although this airport is more centrally located especially if you have business or pleasure in London, flights to and from it are relatively more expensive than Gatwick airport (LGW) which is a little further off. However, the cab fare may more than compensate for your choice of airport so decide where you’ll be staying and pick the airport before you choose which carrier can offer you a discount airfare to London.

I trust that these tips give you all you need to get some discount airfares to London, so you can spend your money on the good stuff! Bon voyage!

Everyone has had one – the horrible plane journey to or from your holiday destination. The time you have got off the plane and vowed to never fly again. Here are 3 keys to ensure that every flight is the worst flight of your life:

1. Make sure you sit between the 2 biggest people on the plane

This one is a sure fire way to get a crook neck and the wonderful experience of squeezing your shoulder blades together for hours at a time. Make sure that when the polite air stewardess asks you if you have enough room you reply, “Of course, I couldn’t be more comfortable”.

2. If possible, arrange to fly in the worst weather conditions possible

If you are a bit queasy in the stomach like me, nothing will ruin your flight more than a good dose of turbulence. Eating sweet lollies for breakfast before your flight will only serve to increase the chance that you go reaching for the little paper bag with the photo development ads as soon as possible. And just when you start to feel better now you’ve emptied the contents of your stomach, arranging a thick fog to hover over the airport to give you the chance to circle around for a further hour will top things right off.

3. Be sure to spill your drink at the start of the flight, and encourage your neighbour to do the same

There’s nothing like a hot coffee in your lap to wake you up on your red-eye flight. Or the Coca-Cola of the klutz sitting next to you. Either way, the earlier you can manage this in your flight the better, and when tidying up it always helps if you’re sitting in the window seat as far away from the helpful stewardess as possible.

Hopefully these occurrences are a lot rarer for you than they are for me. Do you have a horror flight story? I’d love to hear it (and I’m sure others would to)!