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Thursday, October 9, 2008

What Is Wholesale Airfare And Why Is It Good For You?

Wholesale airfare is a term that you've probably heard or seen when looking for cheap airfare on the Internet. Wholesale airfare is airfare purchased in bulk at a discounted rate. However, to get wholesale airfare deals you need to purchase more than just 4 tickets.

Travel consolidators and online travel services purchase airfare in bulk from the airlines in order to receive a significant discount. The exact number of tickets a travel consolidator needs to purchase to receive a wholesale airfare discount varies and often depends on the terms negotiated in the contract between the two parties.

But regardless of how many tickets need to be purchase for a travel company to get a wholesale airfare discount, they end up getting tickets at a much lower rate than purchasing a single ticket directly from the airline, giving travelers a solution to flying for less.

Wholesale Airfare and You - How You Get the Deals
When a travel company/website purchases airfare in bulk, they pass the savings on to you, the traveler. It's just not possible for a single traveler to purchase enough airline tickets to receive the wholesale airfare deals and discount flights travel consolidators and companies get.

have to practically purchase half of the seats in the entire plane to receive the discounts travel companies get. Travel consolidators and online travel sites can leverage their business to get the best discounts and deals on airfare and turn around and offer them directly to you.

Without wholesale airfare discounts, everyone, including travel consolidators and companies, would end up paying much for more airfare.

What to Look Out for with Wholesale Airfare
Before you search the web for wholesale travel deals, you need to be aware that not all travel websites are the same. Some have you bid on fares while others don't provide you with all details about the flight (i.e. airline, flight times, seat location, etc) prior to purchasing (like Priceline).

Some can't even offer an online, real-time option to finding ticket availability. Rather, they end up manually searching for available airfare and calling you multiple times just to situate a flight that fits your itinerary.

So before you hit the web in search of cheap airfare, remember that not all travel sites are set up the same. Be sure to read the details involved in purchasing tickets. You'll find that sometimes getting discounted airfare from certain travel sites is more difficult than others.

For more travel information and savings, visit http://www.cfares.com.
About the Author
cFares is the first choice thousands of knowledgeable travelers are using right now to save hundreds of dollars on low airfares. For wholesale airfare deals, visit www.cfares.com.

How To Find Cheap Airfare.

Air travel is no longer considered a luxury only available for the wealthy and is now almost essential to our way of life. Instead of driving hundreds of miles to visit friends and family, attend a business meeting, or enjoy a vacation hotspot, a flight can whittle your travel time to a couple of hours instead of a couple of days.

Also, more and more individuals are seeking to explore all corners of the world where car travel is prohibited. Although air travel is a great deal less expensive today than in days past, everyone is always looking the best deals available. If you are in the market to find cheap airfare, consider your options before you buy the first ticket available.

In days past, the only way to buy an airline ticket was to either visit your local travel agent or purchase the ticket directly from the airline. The introduction of the World Wide Web rocked the airline industry, as well as the job stability of the travel agent, as individuals were able to book their own flights.

Today, there are countless websites devoted to finding the cheapest flights possible, including favorites like Travelocity, Orbitz, Expedia, and Priceline. Additionally, all airlines have websites devoted to their fares and deals, which may beat the fares offered at the alternative sites.

When it comes to finding cheap airfare, consider the options, including time of travel, destination, origination, airport selection, and travel dates. If you have the luxury of a flexible schedule, consider traveling during the off season.

Typically, flights around holidays, early spring when schools are on spring break, and the summer are more expensive than the other times. A good rule of thumb is that air travel is cheaper when children are in school. Often, airlines offer sales and special rates that end in late May and begin again at the end of August.

However, not everyone has the luxury of flying in these off seasons, so the next variable is the destination and origination. Depending on your location, you may want to look at several different airports in your area.

Since different airlines use different airports as their hubs or regional operating areas, the airport of origination plays a large part in the final fee you pay. The same theory goes with the destination. Choose larger airports instead of smaller ones, since adding a commuter flight to your bill can greatly inflate the price.

Finally, look to the specific dates of travel. For most destinations, the prices for flights on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday are less expensive than those leaving on the other days of the week.

Also, ensuring you spend at least one weekend at the destination—known as a Saturday layover—can bring the price of the ticket down dramatically. Most websites offer flexible searches, which allow you to focus on the price of the ticket instead of the schedule of the flight.

When it comes to purchasing the actual ticket, using an Internet-based company is usually the best way to go. If you are in need of a rental car or hotel room, consider purchasing a package. Unlike traditional tours, packages include only hotels, rental cars, or both along with an airline flight, making it perfect for individuals who still want to travel on their own but save money in the process.

Also, when searching for flights or packages, look to the airline’s websites in addition to the afore-mentioned websites. In many instances, purchasing a flight directly off an airline’s website can be cheaper. Additionally, many airlines run frequent flyer bonuses with online purchases, so you can earn the maximum miles for your flight.

One great way to get the cheapest airfare is to enroll in frequent flyer programs. Even if you do not intend to fly a great deal, these programs include other ways to earn, including popular online purposes, hotel stays, and car rentals. Furthermore, most airlines have associated credit cards that allow you to earn miles with each and every purchase.

About the Author
Mike Barus specializes in cheap air fare and travel

3 Ways To Get The Lowest Airfare Possible

The easiest way to break the traveling budget is with your flight. It’s hard to find the lowest airfare out there these days, especially with the myriad of companies trying to tell you that THEY have the lowest airfare prices, or know where to find them. Lucky for you, there are several ways to take a bite out of the cost of flying.

Here are some tips and techniques to make sure you are getting the lowest possible airfare. Please note that the advice given here is just that: advice. Companies mentioned are not better, or worse, than any other organization out there that claims to offer the lowest airfare possible.

Lowest Airfare Technique #1: Courier It
Without a courier, many important packages that are working their way through the flight system would be stuck in customs an awfully long time. Therefore, courier companies “hire” people to transport their packages for them in a set.

All that you have to do is forfeit your baggage space, and you can receive some of the lowest airfare prices available. There isn’t actually a “payment” that is exchanged here; you are providing a service, but in return you are only getting the lowest airfare that the company can afford.

Also, scheduling can be a bit of a pain in the butt – you may have a quick stopover in one place you wanted to visit, and days in another that really doesn’t interest you. Plus, can you imagine flying to Paris with only your overnighter bag? Those with light luggage and really flexible schedules may love this option, though.

Lowest Airfare Technique #2: Bid
Online services like Priceline can be risky. However, if you are willing the tradeoff of ‘maybe’ getting a ticket with some amazing deals, it’s a great route to go. The idea behind these types of companies is that you post a bid on their web site for the lowest price you are willing to pay for airfare.

Then, you wait. Once you’ve bid, its set in stone; if someone accepts the bid, you are required to follow through. If no one does, then you’re off the hook (although also without your lowest airfare!). I would recommend this option only to people who have highly flexible itineraries.

Lowest Airfare Technique #3: Special Offer Pages
Every airline has a ‘special offers’ page on their web site.

Do you check them out regularly for the lowest airfare deals before booking a flight? If you bookmark all of the airlines catering to your geographic area, and any areas that you plan on traveling to,

many of these ‘special fares’ will be better (in most cases, much better) than any search engine lowest airfare peek-a-boo that you do. There are several finer points to watch with these lowest advertised airfares, though; look for hidden charges, read the fine print, make note of any restrictions, and take action quickly (because most of these special offers are a limited time only).

About the Author
For more air travel tips, visit my website: http://www.airtravelhelp.info