How to Buy Airline Tickets

Along with variety of existing destinations to explore and to discover, travelers are interested on gaining information's on how to buy airline tickets at affordable price. Presently there are numerous amounts of sources from where a traveler can purchase their air flight tickets, but there are chances in landing up in paying up more the price for their air flight ticket. With increase in the coast of air flight tickets, travelers tend to drop the idea of an exotic holiday vacation. But with the help of proper sources and proper information one can easily get rid of the increasing airfare. A travelers need to be acquire some forethought and little flexibility and they can reach their desired destination in a very convenient and comfortable manner without even breaking the bank. No doubt buying an airline tickets can be a hassle but with help of new upcoming modern technologies many travel would love to explore the world choose traveling through air flights so that they can reach their traveling destination as soon as possible.

Gone are the olden days where the travelers used to think that buying airline tickets in an cheap and affordable price is as simple as calling their favorite airline or their old traditional travel agents and swapping over their credit card number for buying airplane tickets for their desired destination. Travelers can remove the headache of purchasing cheap airline tickets by making the arrangements on the World Wide Web. You just simply need to fill up the asked details. First a traveler must choose their departure airport or city and their destination airport or city. Then, select the dates they want to leave and return along with preferred time of day for the trip, and probably whether you want to go first class. One of the best tricks for purchasing air plane tickets is via Internet travelers can come across a wide vertical of websites featuring on various ways in finding good air flight deals, cheap tickets, discount offers and many more features. Several travel websites are very well updated with technology that allows for the information on airplane tickets available in the market.

Various websites promotes various travel search engines, trip planners, tourist boards, guides, travel forums, travel related queries, and travel related doubts, travel blogs and so on. Travelers are advised to keep themselves updated on airfares and its availabilities, by watching the news and reading the newspaper. It will be a wise decision to look up on limited-time promotional fares from major airlines and airline companies just starting up.

However, a travelers fun and excitement can be reduced in case they discover that their co passenger paid a third what you did while purchasing your airplane tickets for the same flight and same destination. To avoid such situations, travelers should be more flexible with their flying dates while buy their airplane tickets. Look out for refund, if the traveler has any voucher, coupons or previously unused ticket they need to speak regarding this with airline authorities while booking the tickets.

Wednesday or Tuesday is perfect for purchasing air flight tickets; most travelers like to get away on weekends- Sunday or Saturday. On Weekdays as the traffic is light airline authorities offer cheap tickets to their customers, it may cost significantly less in compare to flying on Sunday or Saturday. Even there are peak seasons and off-peak seasons for every destination, buy your tickets accordingly. Best time on purchasing your airplane tickets is by reserving 21 days ahead book even earlier for holiday flights, especially in November and December. "Ticket Consolidators" are also a best option that should be kept in mind while buying the airline tickets. Check the travel section of the newspaper for mire information on such tickets.

Deitz Brown welcomes you to search for airline tickets online on travel portal Globester. Be sure to check back frequently because fares are changing frequently. Search and book for your favourite destinations e.g. for Beijing go for Beijing Flights and enjoy your travel.

Airline Industry Guru Terry Trippler Shares His Thoughts on Travel for Baby Boomers

Airline expert Terry Trippler has seen a lot of changes in the travel industry since he first started traveling by air. In the nearly 40 years since he took his first step inside an airplane, the industry has revolutionized itself many times over. BabyBoomerTrips.com interviewed Mr. Trippler to see just how much the industry has changed.

BabyBoomerTrips.com: We would like to take you back to a time when you were first starting to think about traveling independently? Can you relay some personal travel experiences from when you were just starting to travel on your own? Were your travel experiences very simple, such as going to "the lake," or the nearest "big city," or was it something more exotic like backpacking through Europe, hiking through Nepal, or taking a Volkswagen van cross-country? How much planning was involved back then, and what were your information sources?

Terry Trippler: My first independent travel was in 1967 when I rode with my brother to his Marine base in Memphis -- and flew back from Memphis to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I had never flown before and I was on a Delta flight from Memphis to Chicago connecting to an Ozark Airlines flight from Chicago to Sioux Falls. The Delta flight was late and when it arrived it was an electra 4-engine prop -- noisy and not real smooth. When the flight attendant came with the dinner I turned it down -- didn't quite know what I was to do with it. Imagine -- now knowing what to do with food -- talk about a novice! We arrived in Chicago late and I had a 10 minute connection to Ozark. Again, I had never flown before -- let alone ever been in an airport like Chicago O'Hare, but I just started to run in one direction and saw a sign that listed a bunch of airlines that were in another terminal and Ozark was one of them. By running -- and simply following the signs -- I arrived at the Ozark departure gate in time to board. (I may not have known how to eat the dinner on Delta but I knew how to read a sign and follow arrows). When I got on the Ozark flight is was a new DC-9 jet. So smooth and quiet so I immediately thought that Ozark must be a much bigger and better airline than Delta. At that time my information source was what I thought was the only source -- the airline. I went to the Sioux Falls airport and walked up to the counter and bought a ticket. I thought that is how it was to be done. In a way, that is how it was done by many travelers at that time.

BabyBoomerTrips.com: In your early travel days, how did you view the idea of flying to some distant country or a third world country? How does this compare to now?

Terry Trippler: The idea of flying to some distant country or third world country was completely out of the question. Today -- I feel no differently.

BabyBoomerTrips.com: A fair amount of time has elapsed since you first started to travel independently. How has the travel industry changed since that time? How have your personal travel habits changed?

Terry Trippler: Travelers are much more educated and capable now than before. In 1968 when I began working for an airline, our goal was not only to convince people to fly our airline but we were also trying to convince the general public "to fly." Flying was a new experience for many people. In 1971 I escorted charter tours to Las Vegas and the Bahamas and with 252 people on-board it was not unusual to have well over half who were taking their first flight. Today, flying is no longer an "event" but just "how to get there". When I was working for the airline in the late 60's, people "dressed" to fly. Today, they "barely dress" to fly. My personal habits have changed drastically. Unless I can get a seat up front (business or first class) I will not go.

BabyBoomerTrips.com: Do you still have a "Dream Trip"? If so, where/what would that be?

Terry Trippler: My wife and I have our dream trip and we take it every 5 years or so. We met in Hawaii (I was her tour escort) so we love Hawaii. Our dream trip is first class air to Honolulu and 7-10 days at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel in Waikiki. We can relax on the beach or around one of the many pools with excellent service in a lush setting. When we want -- we have Honolulu and Waikiki available to us for night life, etc. We rent a car a few days and drive around the island but more and more we are finding just relaxing on the beach or at the pool -- with several good books -- is truly a "dream vacation" for us.

BabyBoomerTrips.com: List your top 5 favorite travel destinations

Terry Trippler: Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Portland, OR, Disney World in Orlando, Great Lakes resorts in Michigan and Minnesota

BabyBoomerTrips.com: In your opinion, what do you think some of the hottest baby boomer destinations will be in the near future?

Terry Trippler: While many will explore the world -- particularly Asia and Australia-New Zealand, I believe many boomers will stay closer to home -- opting for traditional U.S. destinations -- particularly on off peak seasons ( i.e. between Labor Day and November 15, the first part of January, between Easter and Memorial Day).

Biography of Terry L. Trippler

With over 37 years of commercial travel industry experience, Terry Trippler is considered America's foremost authority on the airlines and the rules that govern their operations. Mr. Trippler began his career as an airline ticket agent and has since held several industry positions from which he perfected his trade. Today, he specializes in airline rules and regulations, earning respect within as well as outside the travel industry for his impartial and balanced view of the air transportation industry and its effects on the consumer. His mission is to educate the travelers as to their rights and responsibilities, as well as to offer constructive input into the fair operation of our nation's air transportation industry.

Terry Trippler's widely regarded domestic and international travel expertise has resulted in his being quoted in major leading publications throughout the world, and has lead to extensive broadcast exposure in international, national and various local media markets. Terry has also consulted with members of the current administration of the U.S. Government regarding the state of the airline industry. He has acted as a factual witness for various law enforcement and private law firms throughout the country regarding airlines and ticketing procedures.

Corporate information
BabyBoomerTrips.com is owned by ConventionZoo, Inc, which also operates ConventionZoo.com, the world's first all-in-one convention portal for attendees and planners. Offices are located in Los Angeles, CA and Duluth, MN.

Airline Pet Safety

There was a recent story that hit the news about two to three weeks ago. Fourteen puppies were loaded safely onto an American Airlines flight from Tulsa to Chicago. The plane arrived at Chicago O'Hare at about 9 o'clock in the morning on Wednesday August 3rd. When the animals arrived a morbid truth had to be realized. Seven of the puppies are now dead.

Five of the canines died shortly after arrival and two more would die later at a veterinarian's office. An investigation has been ongoing for the past few weeks. The autopsies are scheduled to come in any day. Speculation and criticism are currently the only things being embraced. An American Airlines spokesperson has said that the cargo hold is kept between 50 and 70 degrees.

"More than half of the 122 dogs that have died in the last five years according to the Department of Transportation were short-faced or pug-nosed dogs, like an English Bulldog or a pug. Don't ever travel with those in the cargo hold," Peter S. Greenberg, a CBS News Travel Editor, said.

Aside from these breeds, how do you make sure your canine is going to arrive safe on the other end? Granted there are only so many things you the traveler can do, but all the same, doing them may make all the difference. It should also be noted that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requires your dog or cat to be at least eight weeks old and done weaning before they can travel by air.

First, take your pooch into the vet prior to any long trips in the air. A simple kennel cough or minor health issue could turn south very quickly if hours in a cargo hold are required. The next thing becomes selecting an airline approved pet carrier that is also the correct fit. These carriers come in both hard-sided and soft-sided models. Please realize that soft-sided carriers are more suitable for carry-on travel. The use of these models in luggage holds is just negligent, especially when they can fit directly under your seat most of the time. Please follow the manufacturer's recommendations when it comes to selecting the size of the carrier. A properly size carrier will allow your pet to Lie down comfortably, stand up and turn around. Ventilation and comfort are also key factors in traveling with your pet.

Follow these guidelines from the Air Transport Association:

    Clearly display your name and address
    Use arrows or other marking to indicate the top of the kennel
    Include food and water dishes (both empty), which are secured inside the kennel and accessible from outside
    Show a food and water schedule and, if any food is necessary, include an ample supply in a bag attached to the outside of the kennel
    Contain no more than one adult dog (or puppy between eight weeks and six months old that weighs more than 20 lbs.) or one cat per kennel. (Two puppies or kittens that are between the ages of eight weeks and six months old and under 20 lbs. each may share the same kennel if they are personal pets of comparable size and are socially compatible with one another)
    A general rule of thumb is that your pet must be able to stand comfortably in the kennel and be able to turn around while standing in the kennel
    Contain absorbent material or bedding, such as newspaper
    Display labels on top and on at least one side with the words LIVE ANIMALS printed in 1-inch-high letters

For more information on pet carriers and airline travel visit

Airlines Hiring Flight Attendants - Where Do You Look?

Web searchers interested in becoming a flight attendant the world over are Googling 'airlines hiring flight attendants' for the express reason that becoming a flight attendant has either been a lifelong dream or they consider that now is as good a time as any to break free and do a job that has lifestyle.

And while an airline job lifestyle is a big draw card to having an office with a view, so too are the benefits of becoming a Flight Attendant. Obviously the vacation travel benefits and participating hotel discounts are pretty hard to beat, but so too are the little known perks like car hire, great credit union deals, profit sharing plans and human resources support to name a few.

It's common for those interested in becoming flight attendants to simply want to find out those airlines hiring flight attendants because that's what you do when you want a job in most industries. Find out where it is, submit your resume and go for the interview. Sadly for most however, that is a long way from reality and there is a rather different process that the airlines hiring flight attendants go through.

Mostly because of the sheer weight of numbers that apply for the position. Certainly there are the recognised favoured airlines that attract large applicant numbers because they are either sentimental or frankly they just pay better and have 'those great travel benefits' that appeal to everyone. But applicant numbers may also be large because the variety and type of flying available is about as diverse as the number of airlines that fly the skies which can be just as appealing.

Again, it depends on what you value as lifestyle. For some it's living out of a suitcase on long international routes and for others it's travelling their own country and enjoying layovers in places that they have always wanted to go but have not yet been to.

There is also variety in the responsibilities on offer as a flight attendant. With airlines that fly the bigger aircraft types such as the Boeings, Air Buses and Larger Embraiers, you become part of a crew of three or more and will be lead by a Cabin Manager who rightly takes care of the management of the flight and the crew.

However if you are the sort of person that wants to get out on their own and run the show by yourself then you'll step right into that responsibility from day one with smaller commuter and hub airlines. Many of them are a one flight attendant operation and sometimes two so it really can be a pleasant and enjoyable experience to literally crew your own office.

As far as Googling 'airlines hiring flight attendants' - about all you'll find is flight attendant schools telling you that they are the only ones with this hiring information and if you do a course through us we can put you in touch with those airlines actually hiring now.

The best advice; stay clear of such banter, save your money and search the airline that you want to work for. You'll find out a lot more from their web site career sections with a few exceptions as some airline career pages are either brief or not there. However that is the minority. Obviously when they put the word out that they are looking for flight attendants the news travels fast however, so hook into some flying forums and even social network sites where like minded people network.

By all means receive information from trusted sights about whose hiring and what you need to do to get the job because there are some great content sites out there but hang onto your money from those offering to either fast track you if you do their course or that they have exclusive 'contacts' or affiliations with airlines. Unless of course you can see real value in what they offer you in the course content or associated information they have to offer.

Certainly becoming an aircrew member is a competitive field and you will have to do all you can to get ahead of other applicants because a flight attendant position is recognised as just too good to miss out on by so many. If this is your dream waiting to happen however, go for it, you won't regret it.

TJ is a committed aviation tragic who has flown for nearly two decades and is passionate about the industry. His web site and self Authored manual, 'Flight Attendant Interviews Made Easy,' reveals the airline application process from A-Z for those who want their dreams to take flight too.

How to Get the Best Deal on Airline Tickets

Airline tickets are items which are increasing in price these days. Perhaps it is due to the fuel increase which is currently being seen throughout the world or other associated reasons. Whatever the reasons, finding a good price on an airline ticket is difficult for many individuals, especially if you happen to be flying to or from remote locations throughout the world. The good news is that there are ways to still find great deals on transportation tickets of this kind and be well on your way to a great vacation or prosperous business trip without traveling broke.

One of the best ways to find a good deal on tickets for airlines is to review the selections and purchase these items online. You can go to the individual airline websites, use travel websites or buy them from others who may be selling their transferable airline ticket. If you are hoping to go on vacation and don't have a set destination in mind, simply peruse your airline destination options and buy those tickets which are least expensive. The Internet provides wonderful avenues for not only searching for desired airline tickets but purchasing them at discounted prices as well.

Another way to get a great deal on an airline ticket is to take advantage of sale fares offered by the airlines themselves. Many airlines will advertise special destination prices for specific time periods. These specials can reap wonderful prices on tickets for your air travel. You may find it advantageous to sign up for web deals via email through one or more airline carrier as this will allow you to get information on special deals delivered directly to your email address. If you want to go on vacation but don't know where to go, these deals offered by the airlines may help you to decide which location to visit.

An additional way to get good airfare prices is to use your airline miles whenever possible. If you are planning a trip ahead of time search for the best credit card that will offer you the best way to quickly gain these miles. For those who travel quite a bit, using airline travel miles will help to lower the cost of your tickets if not get you a completely free airline ticket. You may also be able to use extra airline miles for food, drinks and access to VIP lounges in various airports in addition to getting a discounted airline ticket or free upgrade from coach to first class.

Lastly, airline deals can be had by purchasing more than one airline ticket. Sometimes airlines will offer companion fares where you purchase one ticket at full advertised price and then get a second one for free or half the price. Either way you are saving money if more than one individual is traveling at the same time. Again, this information can be gained by visiting the airline's website or calling the airline directly to see what type of deals is being offered on airline tickets.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on cheap international airline tickets and cheap airline ticket to Florida at

First-Class Airlines, And The Rest

Airlines assign their customers to different classes. I like to do the same to the airlines, and I have about as many different classes as a trans-Pacific jumbo jet.

In first class, I put airlines that give me a fair deal, a comfortable seat and as reliable a ride as the infrastructure and weather permit. Southwest and JetBlue are both first-class airlines by my standards. For travel to and from Brazil, I also include TAM.

Delta and Continental occupy my second tier (although Continental's recent merger with United might affect its standing). A bit further down the aisle are the old leviathans: American, United and USAir. I will fly them, but not happily and not if I have any other choice. Finally, I maintain my own personal no-fly list of airlines where I have experienced or observed unacceptably poor customer service. I won't buy tickets on these airlines for myself and try not to do so for my family or business associates. My no-fly list currently includes AirTran and Spirit, though if Southwest's plans to acquire AirTran go through, Spirit might be left as the sole member of this less-than-prestigious club. I recognize that these are subjective judgments and many travelers' opinions differ from mine.

When an airline goes out of its way to treat me well, I go out of my way to give it my business. So, even though Southwest only sells online tickets through its own site, I don't mind taking the extra time to check its site in addition to looking at an online travel agency site like Orbitz, Travelocity or Expedia. Since I fly Southwest so frequently, I'm familiar enough with its routes to know when a flight might be available to take me where I need to go.

But when a second- or third-tier airline decides to make its flights harder to find, I'm likely to just choose a different airline. Which is why I probably won't be flying American Airlines anytime soon.

American decided in 2009 that it was no longer interested in paying the people who bring in a large portion of its business. CEO Gerard Arpey said, "I can see a day, and maybe I'm dreaming here, where those folks who are the intermediary between us and our customer have to pay for access to our product rather than us paying them to distribute our product."(1)

Now, tired of waiting for that day to arrive on its own, Arpey is taking action.

Airline ticket information is ordinarily processed by global distribution system (GDS) services, which compile data from different airlines and then deliver it to both online ticket sellers, including the likes of Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia, and offline travel agents. Hoping to reduce costs by bypassing the global distribution systems, American Airlines developed its own system, called Direct Connect, to deliver information directly to travel agents. At the same time, it pushed to reduce the fees it pays to travel agencies to display and sell its flights.

So far, however, travel agents haven't been willing to go along with the program. Paul Ruden, senior vice president of legal and industry affairs for the American Society of Travel Agents, complained that getting information through Direct Connect would be more costly for travel agents without giving them any benefit. "American is saying 'We want to have control over the data that comes to you, and you will bear the burden of reintegrating the information.' The problem with their way is it is inefficient and expensive for everyone else," he said.

In November, disputes over Direct Connect and fees led American Airlines to announce that it would not renew its contract with Orbitz, the smallest of the top three publicly traded online travel agencies. Meanwhile, Expedia decided on its own not to renew its contract with American.

Sabre, a major GDS service that was established by American in the 1960s but which became independent about a decade ago, responded to American's attack on the online travel agencies by pushing American flights toward the bottom of its listings. American is suing to stop the process, but Sabre maintains that it has the right to use the order of its listings to defend the status quo that makes its business model function. "We are confident that the court will affirm Sabre's contractual right to protect our customers' interests and support airlines that value transparent and efficient comparison shopping," Nancy St. Pierre, a spokeswoman for Sabre, said in a statement.

Kevin Crissey, who follows airlines and online travel agencies for UBS, explained the price difference American is fighting to The New York Times: For each domestic round-trip ticket sold by an online travel agency, American pays around $10 to $12 in fees, compared to the $2 to $3 it must spend to sell the same ticket through its own website. If American thinks saving that $7 to $10 is the best way to improve its profitability, it is welcome to try to do so. However, in turning down the services of the global distribution systems and online travel agencies, it is taking a huge gamble.

To succeed on its own, American will have to convince travelers that its flights are worth going out of their way to search for. Henry Harteveldt, vice president of Forrester Research and a travel and airline industry analyst, questioned why anyone would bother: "American doesn't have free checked baggage (like Southwest Airlines); it doesn't have Wi-Fi on all its domestic flights like Delta. American doesn't have the best on-time performance, the best baggage reliability nor is it the largest airline."(2)

With its mediocre customer service, so-so reliability and limited amenities, American has earned only an economy ticket, at best, but it's expecting customers to give it first-class treatment. That's not going to fly.

Trends In Airline Travel

Airline travel, especially during the holiday season, is often frustrating for passengers; and that's before anyone boards their flight. The process of going through airport security, while absolutely necessary, is perhaps one of the most detested parts of airline travel for most passengers. Those traveling with children have even more difficulty passing through security while dealing with small children, which is why the Transportation Security Administration has modified rules for airline passengers age 12 and younger.

The TSA implemented a new regulation that children 12 years of age and younger no longer need to remove their shoes to go through security checkpoints. In addition, the number of children this age that receive a pat down is now being reduced, though not completely eliminated.

Also, in the latest travel news, the TSA has approved the use of new privacy protection software that will eliminate the image of actual passengers as they pass through Advanced Imaging Technology at security. Passenger's actual images are being replaced with generic outlines of a person.

During the holiday season, airport officials ask that all airline passengers avoid bringing wrapped packages or gifts in their carry-on luggage. They have recommended that wrapped packages should be placed in checked luggage or shipped ahead of time to the passenger's destination.

Holiday travel is difficult enough when you have only to worry about yourself in the process; add a child - or several children - to that, and the experience of airline travel goes from difficult to nearly impossible. Airports are not known for providing child-friendly accommodations, which is why Cheapflights has introduced the Kids' Airport Diversion Guide for family-friendly holiday travel. The guide, which is the latest in airline travel news for families, provides parents with information regarding interesting exhibits, play areas and other entertaining distractions. The guide provides detailed descriptions of museum exhibits in airports, play areas and child friendly eateries that will keep kids entertained at airports around the country while they wait for their flight. Parents will appreciate the guide's help with expelling some of their kids' pent-up energy prior to boarding their flight.

Additionally, in the latest airline travel news, Spirit Airlines recently announced the airline is raising online booking fees for passengers that opt to purchase airline tickets online. The $8.99 online booking fee Spirit charged passengers each way for tickets has now doubled in price to $16.99 per passenger for each one-way flight. At the same time, international online booking fees dropped from $18.99 one-way to $16.99 one-way, to create an across the board flat fee for online booking.

In other airline news, Jet Blue will provide direct service between Puerto Rico and St. Maarten, beginning November 17, 2011, and Virgin Atlantic will begin return service to Vancouver, Canada, in the summer of 2012.

Also making the news, are airline-related statistics based on a recent Skyscanner study, showing that the new ABC primetime television series "Pan Am" has airline passengers yearning for the days of glamorous airline travel. Of the 2,500 airline passengers surveyed, 41% stated they missed the days when passengers could visit the captain in the cockpit. An additional 4% of passengers believe pilots should be wearing hats. Surprisingly, nearly 13% of passengers wish that airlines provided a smoking section for them to indulge in their nicotine habits. While Pan Am shows that air travel certainly has changed drastically in the past several decades, planes still provide their primary function, which is getting passengers to their intended destinations, only in less time than ever before.