| International travel is an expensive and time-consuming | | | | right option if you have a few twists in your trip. And |
| exercise. Many of us go on international trips either for | | | | both these options may not give you access to the |
| business or work related trips, to visit families, for | | | | promotional and discount fares. The best bet will be to |
| studies in foreign countries or just for a vacation. Here | | | | call a travel agent and let them do the job for you. |
| are some tips to make this travel pleasant and easy | | | | Travel agents are a good source to get great deals. |
| on you and your pockets. | | | | They can help you in finding deals with more than one |
| Planning your trip: | | | | airline and can offer tickets for discounted prices. They |
| Plan your trip well in advance, if possible. This presents | | | | have access to almost all airlines and have the |
| you an opportunity to get better air ticket deals. | | | | expertise to search for the cheapest tickets in the |
| Airfares for international travels are seasonal. There | | | | market. Travel agents are a great source of |
| are three main seasons: Low, Shoulder and Peak. | | | | information. Do not hesitate to ask them questions. |
| Traveling in peak season is always the most | | | | They can provide valuable tips on how you can save |
| expensive. If your trip is not time bound, plan to travel in | | | | money. Travel agents deal with more than one |
| the low season to get cheapest and low airfares. For | | | | traveler at a time and hence may not be able to give |
| travel in peak season, shop for deals well in advance. | | | | you the details in the first call. Give them your trip |
| This assures you good price, your choice of airlines | | | | details and give them some time and they can come |
| and your choice of dates. If possible, keep the travel | | | | up with really good deals for you. Travel agents are |
| dates flexible, as that would help you in getting lower | | | | easy to spot as many of them have websites. A |
| fares. There is a notion that you can get cheap air | | | | travel agency with excellent customer service is an |
| tickets if you wait till the last minute. This is not | | | | asset. Travel sites like Travel World Services, Low |
| necessarily true and during the peak season, you may | | | | Fare Always etc. offer personalized over-the-phone |
| run the risk of not getting a seat on any airlines at all. | | | | services on travel to various destinations across the |
| There are many ways on how you can save money. | | | | world. |
| Many airlines have different fares for weekday and | | | | There are several travel agencies around the world. |
| weekend travel. If you are planning to break your | | | | However, it is important that you choose the right |
| journey midway, some airlines offer free stopovers | | | | travel agency, which offers the best customer service |
| while others charge a fee. Sometimes, direct / | | | | at the cost of a few additional dollars. This is better |
| non-stop flights are expensive than the ones with one | | | | than booking the ticket online or offline through a travel |
| or more stops. Less known airlines can offer hard to | | | | agency who may offer really cheap deal but may end |
| resist deals. You can either call individual airlines to get | | | | up not delivering you the ticket or not confirming your |
| their air fares and then compare or search on travel | | | | seats. |
| websites, which offer online booking facilities. While | | | | So the first step to planning your next international trip |
| calling individual airlines can be a time consuming and | | | | is to get yourself a really good travel agent. |
| tedious process, online booking sites may not be the | | | | |