Lowest Airfare Can Sometimes Cost You More
Posted: Tuesday, June 03, 2008
by John Lopinto
Expertflyer.com
Today's business climate has forced most companies to operate in the "lean and mean" mode. This is probably evidenced most with everyday expenses such as business travel. While our willingness to help the company reduce necessary costs for travel and entertainment by securing the lowest possible airfare available, the reality is that oftentimes the lowest airfare is not necessarily a cost savings for the company but an additional expense.
While most business (and frequent) travelers feel good about doing their part by booking the lowest possible fare, they may be doing themselves and their company a disservice. The first disservice would be to themselves because the lowest fares often do not give the most elite qualifying points for their frequent flyer program. In fact, some of the lowest fares may not qualify for frequent flyer miles at all, depending on a flight's specific route.
As with many companies, sales reps and executives are their most frequent travelers. Many times a sales rep will know exactly when they are leaving on a trip but are uncertain as to when they will actually return and have a need for an open-ended ticket. This means the purchase of a full fare ticket or at the very least, changing an existing ticket with a penalty of $75 or more. Each fare bucket offered by an airline comes with its own set of restrictions and many times purchasing a ticket that is not the lowest fare available (but not full fare), will allow flight changes without penalty and provide maximum frequent flyer points.
Many airline websites allow customers to purchase one fare and "up fare" the purchase to a higher fare by the calling the Web Services phone number for that airline. This allows travelers to avoid penalties incurred by booking the ticket through a reservation agent while also giving them credit for any "online booking mileage bonus points" the airline may be offering.
Basically, what this all means is that "knowledge is power." Understanding what is available to you is the key to securing the right ticket for your needs, saving money in the long-run for your company and maximizing the travel experience while minimizing the frustration often associated with airline travel. John Lopinto is Partner and co-founder of Expert Travel Services, LLC which owns and operates ExpertFlyer.com, the leading online information service for frequent flyers. A 100,000+ mile a year frequent flyer, Mr. Lopinto travels extensively throughout Asia, Europe and North America to bring his unique perspective to the travel industry for the frequent flyer. As a top-tier elite member for an international airline and alliance, Mr. Lopinto has first hand knowledge of life as an air traveler at all levels of service and experiences.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Yes good advice for anyone. Basically don;t judge a book by its cover and the package [Easter Bunny] Sadly this is the world today. yet, many will take your advice and save. best wishes.Hi Robert. Thanks for your comments. I couldn't have said it better myself. Most travelers, even the most seasoned, don't realize the number of fare choices they have on a single flight. More helpful tips to come. All the best,
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