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The airline ticket
is probably going to be the biggest single expense of your trip in
and out of Europe, especially if you are coming from Australia or
New Zealand. The worst thing you can do is buy your ticket up at the
last minute. Although there are some great deals on short notice,
you are more likely to get a cheaper flight if you booked well in
advance and you can also choose your seat in the flight. If you were
still unsure about leaving, than buying a ticket early is a
great boost. Once you have a ticket, it feels like there's no
turning back.
The airline ticket is probably going to be the biggest single
expense of your trip in and out of Europe, especially if you are
coming from Australia or New Zealand. The worst thing you can do is
buy your ticket up at the last minute. Although there are some great
deals on short notice, you are more likely to get a cheaper flight
if you booked well in advance and you can also choose your seat in
the flight. If you were still unsure about leaving, than buying a
ticket early is a great boost. Once you have a ticket, it feels
like there's no turning back.
Depending on your standard of comfort and your budget, there is
always an airline that can cater to you. Just remember that with
airlines, you always get what you pay for. If you opt for cheap
airlines, you are more likely to ride on older planes with greater
safety risks and likelier delays. However, it's good to know that
there are already a lot of very airlines that cater to the middle
market. Before you buy a ticket, it is advisable to do some
research first. Ask about several airlines from a travel agency,
or talk to people who have recently come from Europe. Check for
frequent-flier programs, booking options, discounts for pre-booking
and the cancellation policies of each airline. You can check the Web
for information, as most major airlines have their schedules, prices
and policies on the Internet.
If you think you will be flying in connected flights, make sure that
the airlines that you are riding have certain partnership agreements
that make it easier for you to travel between borders. Most airlines
offer frequent-flier programs that can give you free flights or
other benefits like seat upgrades. Your rewards are based on the
number of kilometers that you flew with that airline or with its
partners, or you can gather points by using affiliated travel
services like hotels or car rentals. It would make sense for you to
choose your home country's carrier plane so you can use the free
miles for future domestic flights. Just remember that frequent-flier
flights have limited seats and are not available during peak seasons
like Christmas.
Check your ticket restrictions. You may be subject to
cancellation penalties, unexpected refunds policies, seasonal limits
and stopover limits. If you have a discounted ticket, the
conditions attached can even become more restrictive.
You can also get a discount return ticket if Europe is the
only continent you plan to visit. If you fly to one destination, but
have to return home from another, an open-jaw taken is your best
option to save backtracking time. Open-jaw tickets are more
expensive than regular return tickets if they can let you see more
of a region especially when the distance between your starting and
endpoints is great. If you're not sure about your return date, you
can purchase a one-way ticket. It can cost more than half of
a return ticket, but can be a very liberating option. However, many
countries will not give you a visa unless they see that you are
flying with a return ticket. You will have to show your travel route
as well as proof that you have enough cash to keep you afloat the
entire time. If you have a two-year Commonwealth working visa, a
one-way ticket can be of great help to you.
If you plan to travel to more than one continent, your best option
is to get an RTW ticket. This is a ticket that gives you unlimited
time, usually a year, to go around the globe in one direction with a
predetermined number of stopovers. There are a lot of RTW
combinations, so if you want to visit more places in less travel
time, this kind of ticket is usually much cheaper than trying to
buy individual tickets as you go.
You can get ticket discounts if you travel with a group.
Other airlines offer discounts for teachers, students and holders of
youth cards.
Avoid buying secondhand tickets that are usually worthless
and do not match your identification. Immigration officials will
most likely stop you from getting on that flight anyway. Once you
have a clear idea of your travel plans and the amount of time can
afford to be away, purchase your airline ticket directly from an
airline company, from selected travel agents, or through
reputable travel magazines.
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About the author:
Michael Russell - Your
Independent guide to
Europe Vacation.
You may
also be interested in...
European Flight
travel laws
Getting Cheap Airfare
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