How to Book a Flight
Never booked a flight before? Look, we were there. Maybe someone else has always done it for you. Maybe you just graduated from college and your parents were always making travel arrangements. Or you just … have never flown before.
Either way, it’s ok if you haven’t booked your own flight yet. Everyone is a beginner at first. So let’s get this straight.
Know which airline you need
To find out which airline you need, start with where you are going and where you are going.
Are you flying domestically or internationally? Not all domestic airlines fly to the same cities. For example, if you’re trying to get to Miami, you don’t want to fly Southwest or JetBlue ; they only fly to Fort Lauderdale, which will give you an extra 45 minutes by car or taxi. So make sure the airline you choose is heading to the correct city.
If you are traveling on an international flight, most countries have their own carriers and they are often better than US airlines. For example, if you are traveling to Portugal, you can book a flight through TAP Portugal ; if you are going to Mexico you can book through AeroMexico . These airlines often offer better fares than American carriers. Plus, even before you land, it’s just fun to feel like you’re getting to know a new country and culture.
Reservation
There are several ways to book a ticket. You can book your ticket online through the airline’s website, online through a third-party website, by phone, or in person at the airport.
Online (airline website)
When you book tickets on the airline’s website, the booking page usually appears first. It will offer you a round trip option, which means you book a flight to your destination and back home. Or you can change it to “one way” – which means you will fly inward, but not fly back.
You must enter the name of the city you are leaving from, but it is better to enter the three-letter airport code for that city. For example, if your hometown is San Francisco, then your three-letter code is SFO. In many major cities, you will find that there are several airports, so you need to narrow down which one is closest to you or which airport your airline departs from. You can see the full list of airline codes here .
You will then enter your destination and re-check that three-letter code to make sure you are traveling to the correct airport. Select the date you want to leave and the date you want to return. Once you have selected the dates, you will add how many people are traveling and a site that will provide all the flight information for the dates you selected.
At this stage, you will decide what you need for your trip. Want a non-stop flight without stops or connections? Double check if your flight allows this option; otherwise, you can always choose the option with less parking time. Is the price most important? Each airline offers the opportunity to see your results in order from minimum to maximum.
Selecting “advanced search” when booking a flight will allow you to get as much information as possible about your flights.
Third Party Sites
People often use these sites as a way to check prices with multiple airlines at once. Some of these sites include Expedia , Travelocity, and Kayak . The booking process is the same, but after you enter your departure, return, passengers and seating class information, the site will present you with several airline and price options. You can filter your options by preference non-stop versus stopover. It also allows you to display the cost of flights from lowest to highest, or even choose which time of day you prefer to fly. Note. We generally do not recommend using third party sites; Changes and cancellations can be difficult, you may not be notified of changes to your flight, and your personal information could be compromised.
By phone
Some people feel comfortable booking over the phone because they think it is safer and protects against identity theft. To book in this way, you only need to call the airline’s customer service and provide all your information to the customer service agent. You will also pay by phone with a credit or debit card and they will send you a confirmation email and phone number.
Do not hang up or disconnect from the customer service agent until you receive confirmation. After receiving confirmation, double check that all information is correct, including the spelling of your name, date of birth, and passport or ID number.
Made? Okay, now you can hang up.
In the airport
No, you cannot show up on the day you want to fly out and buy a ticket – if you have no money or you are just lucky. However, if you live close to the airport, you can reduce some of the booking fees in other ways. You need to head towards the departure airport (not the arrivals area). Go to the window of the airline you want to buy a ticket from and an agent will guide you through the entire process.
Seat selection
As for choosing a seat on the plane, first, find out the levels. You have Economy Class, Business Class and First Class.
Classes
Most airlines have more than one economy class tier; typically you will see basic and premium economy class options. The difference is usually in seat width and legroom, although this varies by airline. It could also mean that your carry-on baggage is not included in the fare and you must pay for it as well.
For low-cost airlines such as Allegiant, Spirit and Frontier, seat selection may not automatically be included in the base ticket price. Looking at the table of seats on the plane, you will notice the price for the selected seat – it will be added to your total. Certain other airlines may also charge extra for more legroom and you will see these prices in their seat tables.
Business Class is more expensive but offers more legroom. This class also offers a better selection of food and drinks that are included in the price of your flight and, depending on the length of your flight, a greater choice of in-flight entertainment.
First class benefits also vary by airline. Typically, you’ll get first-class lounge access, outlets, a full food and drink menu, a dedicated crew of flight attendants for service, and much more seating. You can also get anything from a bathroom set and fully reclining seat to a private suite and a private bathroom with shower. You will usually find extravagant amenities on international flights.
Where to get on the plane
The plane will always take off first class at the front of the plane, business class immediately after and economy class behind the two. Let’s discuss economics as most of us will be there.
First consideration: Are you looking for a window seat, in the middle, or an aisle seat?
Window seats are best if you enjoy watching the scenery or feel motion sickness and want to see the horizon. It is also best if you want to sleep, because you have a place to rest and you will not be disturbed by the row mates who step over you to get to the bathroom. It’s also a great option for kids – they won’t be able to roam the aisles as easily.
An aisle seat is best if you enjoy getting up and stretching. It’s also more convenient when you need to go to the bathroom because you don’t have to squeeze past other people in the process or wake someone up.
Then there’s that damn middle seat. I personally don’t know anyone who likes the middle place. However, if you are traveling with other people, this is a good way to keep you all together. Sometimes I put my son in the middle seat when I travel with my family.
The next consideration: are you sitting in the front or back of the plane, or heading to the middle zone?
Remember what you need when you leave the plane. Will you be at your final destination? Will you need to check your bags during the transfer? Do you have baggage that will go through baggage claim?
If where you are going is your final destination, you may want to consider taking a seat closer to the back of the plane. I always choose to sit in the back of the plane when I know I’m at my final destination, because I know other people will need to get off the plane much faster than me. Likewise, when I check in my luggage, I usually prefer to sit further away on the plane because I know that no matter how quickly I get off the plane, my bags will never wait there.
However, if the first destination is not my final destination and my checked baggage needs to be checked at the time of transfer, I will sit closer to the front.
The middle of the plane, where the wings are located, is your best bet if you are prone to motion sickness or fear turbulence. There will be less movement in this area. They also include exit rows that give you more legroom, but you must agree that in case of an emergency, you will be assisted to sit there. Pregnant women and children under 16 are not allowed to sit there.
Baggage
Most airlines will allow you to bring one personal item and carry-on baggage. A personal item is simply a wallet or small bag, such as a laptop bag, that you take with you on the plane.
Carry-on baggage must meet certain size criteria based on airline policy to fit in the hold or under the seat in front of you. Usually, an adult backpack-sized item meets the needs of what you need to put in your carry-on luggage. There are no airline-to-airline standards, and international flights may have different rules than domestic ones. But a good start for sizing is 22 x 14 x 9 inches. Again, you need to always check the airline-specific criteria because the dimensions are not the same for all airlines.
Checked baggage are bags that you authorize the agent to place in the cargo hold of the aircraft. They will put on a white sticker with your passenger information and when you arrive at your destination, you will collect your luggage at the baggage claim area. This option is usually provided free of charge on international flights not operated by low cost airlines. Checked baggage may also be included for First Class, Business Class or Priority Airline Program members. In most cases, your checked baggage should weigh no more than 50 pounds, and if you are flying Business or First Class, or are participating in an incentive program, 60 pounds. Like carry-on baggage sizes, checked bags do not have a standard size, but you can bet on a bag that does not exceed 62 inches if you add up its length, width and height.
Depending on how much you check, the value of each checked bag will be different, starting with the first as the lowest. For a Delta domestic flight, the first bag costs $ 25 and the second one costs $ 35. However, for international flights, Delta’s baggage fees list varies by seat class, destination and country of origin.
Be sure to record all baggage prior to completing your booking. You also need to make sure that if you have to pay for the bags, you do so in advance, otherwise you may end up paying a lot more. For example, Spirit Airlines will charge you between $ 65 and $ 75 for carry-on baggage that you did not pay for prior to check-in.