How to Buy an Open-Ended Airfare Ticket
By Chris Joseph
For the golf traveler, an open-ended airfare ticket is one available option. It allows for flexibility when departing and returning from a trip, as long as it is used within the specified time frame. This can be especially advantageous for a golfer who is a retiree and is not restricted by a tight schedule. Because of its flexibility, it can be more expensive than a round-trip or one-way ticket, and open-ended tickets are not offered by every airline. As a result, a little extra effort may be needed to find the right ticket at an affordable price.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Pinpoint the time frame in which you wish to travel. Generally, the closer the time period that the ticket is good for, the cheaper your ticket will be. While this may limit your flexibility, it can result in keeping the cost of your open-ended ticket down.
Use an online tool that includes the selling of open-ended airfare tickets. One such website is FareCompare.com. By entering your search criteria, you will be able to locate a variety of airlines that offer open-ended tickets so that you can make comparison as to price and flight availability.
Contact the airline directly for any additional savings. The airline may offer special rates that are only available to those who go to the airline's website directly. After you obtain the airline's fare, compare it with the one you obtained from the online tool and see which is cheaper.
Make use of any golf publications that you may receive. Golf magazines often include advertisements for travel discounts or coupons that may be applicable to open-ended airfare. The cost of an annual subscription can easily be covered by the savings in airfare.
Retain the services of a travel agent to simplify the process. If you are planning multiple trips or have a complex itinerary, the travel agent can make all the arrangements for you, as long as you have a general idea of when you will be traveling. While you will have to pay the agent a commission or fee, this can be offset by the savings in travel costs.
About The Author
Chris Joseph is a freelance writer residing in Pennsylvania. He has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and the Internet on a variety of topics, including several on golf for GolfLink.com. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from York College of Pennsylvania.
Photo Credits
Modern airliner taking off image by JoLin from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>
