Advance Purchase
Fares/Penalty Fares
The lowest fare may often be obtained
by making reservations at the earliest possible date. Airlines
offer discounts for 3, 7 and 14 day advance purchases. Round-trip
excursions fares with 7 and 14 day advance booking/purchase generally
include penalties for change or cancellation, require same day
ticketing and the traveler must be staying over a Saturday night.
Travel-On agents will advise you of the applicable restrictions
on all bookings that qualify for these low fares. Penalty fare
tickets should be purchased at the discretion of the traveler.
Advance Purchase Fares/Discount
Coach Fare
For mid-week travelers, making reservations
early and having flexibility will improve availability of discount
fare options. Most airlines limit the number of seats that can
be sold at the lower than full coach fare. Many discount coach
fares require a 3 or 7 day advance purchase, are available on
a one-way basis, and are fully refundable. Other discounted coach
fares may not require advance purchase, but generally sell out
early since only a small percentage of the coach cabin seat inventory
is allocated at the lower fare.
Wait-Listed Fares
If a discounted fare is available
in the market but sold-out at the time of booking, you will be
booked in coach class and waitlisted for a discounted, lower coach
fare. You will be notified if the discount fare clears the wait-list.
If it does not, the lower fare wait-list will be indicated on
your travel itinerary. Since these seats often do not become available
until shortly before departure time, travelers should inquire
at the airport ticket counter to see if the wait-listed fare has
cleared. Airline agents will not usually volunteer this information
without being asked.
Secondary Airports
Many metropolitan areas have two
or more airports that compete for air travel business. Often discount
airlines servicing an area's "secondary" airport are
able to offer discount fares, less congested surroundings, and
peak hour travel schedules. Markets offering multiple airport
options include Washington DC, New York City, Houston, Chicago,
San Francisco/Oakland and Los Angeles/Orange County.
Discount Airlines
Several discount carriers offer high
quality service at low fares with few or no restrictions. Discount
carriers are usually able to offer low fares because their schedules
are limited and they may use airports located outside the center
city. Examples of discount carriers are Southwest and America
West.
Travel at Off-Peak Hours
Traveling at off-peak times can often
result in savings of up to 20% off the peak fares. If travel schedules
are flexible, these less popular flights can result in significant
savings.
Unused Tickets
Airline tickets have monetary value.
When a trip is canceled, the entire unused ticket or partially
unused ticket (flight coupon) should be returned to Travel-On
immediately. If you ticket was issued electronically, advise your
agent that your trip was cancelled. If only part of the ticket
has been used, the unused portion will be processed for refund
and the credit will be applied to your account. |