How to Compare Air Fares
By Kate Evelyn
Taking frequent golf vacations is not cheap to say the least. If your golf travel habit is starting to hurt you in the wallet, try to do some comparison shopping to save some cash on your future adventures. A good way to start is to compare airfares. Because there are so many different places to buy airline tickets, there's a lot of potential savings to be had. You may even save enough to buy that new putter you've had your eye on.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Decide where you want to go; more specifically, which airport you would like to fly to. Determine how many people will be traveling with you. Think about whether you need to come and go on specific dates, and at specific times or if you have the option to be flexible. Record all of this information in a notebook.
Navigate to a fare comparison website, like Sidestep.com (see Resources). Click on the tab at the top of the page that says "Flights." Type in where you're flying to, where you're flying from, your travel dates, the number of travelers and the class of tickets you'd like. If you live near more than one airport and can be flexible, click the box before "include nearby airports." If you can be flexible in your return or departure dates, click on the "flexible" link next to each date option.
Look at the bottom of the search page. You will see the names of popular online travel sites. Click the box next to each site you'd like your comparison site to search. Click "Search." Wait for pop-up windows for each site to appear on your screen. Print each one by clicking anywhere in the window and then pressing "Control" and the "" key.
Look at all of your printouts so you can compare the prices side by side. Once you've determined the cheapest flight, navigate to that airline's website. Check the flight price on its website by clicking the "Reservations" tab and typing in the flight information. If you don't get a cheaper price this way, call the airline and ask if you can get a better rate.
Reserve your flight over the phone or online, depending on where you were able to get the best price.
Tips & Warnings
If you book your flight online, call the airline directly if you have any special requests, such as vegetarian meals.
Note the flight time and number of layovers for each flight. These issues can affect whether a flight is feasible for you or not.
About The Author
Based in Washington, D.C., Kate Evelyn has been writing professionally since 2000. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications, including "Elle" magazine, "Brass|CU" magazine and the "Credit Union Times." She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Western Maryland College.
