| Finding cheap flights when traveling is always an | | | | compensate you for your missed connector |
| adventure. I have found a couple techniques work well | | | | necessarily (they will on flights all on the same ticket). I |
| for me. I recently booked tickets from Calgary to | | | | like to have at least 3 hours between international |
| Moscow and I will show you the comparison of prices | | | | flights if possible. |
| using the techniques there. | | | | I already did this for myself so I am going to use the |
| I personally use Expedia, Travelocity, EasyJet (Europe), | | | | cheapest flights I found. I typed in Calgary (YYC) to |
| the individual airline websites, and travel agents when | | | | London (LGW). I found a flight leaving the evening of |
| trying to find the cheapest arrangements. You might | | | | July 10th, 2007 for $588 including taxes with Air |
| know of other resources to try as well. | | | | Transat. It arrives the next morning and there is a flight |
| Local Tour Agents | | | | 3 hours later going from London (LGW) to Amsterdam |
| I usually get together a rough itinerary for a travel | | | | (AMS) with EasyJet for $59 including all taxes and |
| agent and then email a number of the tour shops | | | | fees. You arrive at 3:20PM, see a bit of Amsterdam, |
| around my city. They should get back to you with | | | | and stay the night in a hotel. The next day there is a |
| quotes. If they do not get back to you soon, they don't | | | | flight from Amsterdam (AMS) to Moscow (SVO) for |
| want your business. | | | | $259 including taxes. |
| Go Online | | | | Result: Now it takes me longer and I have to stay in |
| Next it is time for online research. This is where I | | | | Amsterdam for a night. They total cost is $906 all |
| almost always find the cheapest flights. Go to one of | | | | taxes included. This is half the price of our original |
| the sites I listed above or another one you have heard | | | | quote with Expedia. You are taking an extra day, but |
| of. | | | | saving over $900 per person. I think that is worth the |
| Type in Your Start and End Destination | | | | hassle really. |
| This is the worst thing you can do, but it is the easiest | | | | Go Back to the Travel Agents |
| and will show you the worst price you are looking at. | | | | No doubt, the travel agent will have quoted higher than |
| For Calgary (YYC) to Moscow (SVO) on July 10 2007, | | | | this. Go back to them with your number and get their |
| the cheapest quote on Expedia was $1,837. It was for | | | | opinion. They might think the stopover is to short or |
| Air Canada and Aeroflot-Russian Airlines. | | | | something else. They should match it and try to get it |
| Why is this so expensive? Expedia is going to book | | | | all on the same ticket for you. If they cannot, no biggie, |
| you all on one ticket. I am not certain, but I think this can | | | | just try and get them to match. Then you will have a |
| only be done through associated airlines. There are a | | | | travel agency that can help you if have any more |
| couple positives to this. | | | | problems. |
| | | | A good one to try in Canada is Flight Centre. These |
| 1. If there are cancellations or other problems, they will | | | | guys will price match and then give a $10 discount per |
| make sure you get to your end point regardless. They | | | | person for you. For a family of 4 that will give you $40 |
| airline you are on and the airline you will be connecting | | | | back on your trip to use for something else. Another |
| on will know your flight status and can sometimes | | | | one I have used it Travel Cuts |
| even make arrangements for you before you land. | | | | Conclusion |
| 2. You do not have to pick up your checked luggage | | | | There is an order to which I have found the cheapest |
| and re-check it in. If you even want a bigger scare, do | | | | flights. I will list them from the most expensive to |
| a round trip or multiple destination trip with your | | | | cheapest. I am using my recent flight purchase |
| "going there flight" and your "coming | | | | example. I needed to fly from Calgary to Moscow and |
| home flight". My wife and I were going Calgary, | | | | from Beijing to Vancouver. |
| Canada to Moscow, Russia and then Beijing, China to | | | | |
| Calgary, Calgary. The tickets are over $3,200 now and | | | | 1. Book a complete round trip online using only your |
| were over $5,000 when we first looked a month ago. | | | | starting and end destinations. This would be a round |
| Note: I am showing one way trips because of the | | | | trip or using the multi-destination feature. i.e. |
| nature of my trip. Try round trips on the online sites if | | | | Multi-destination flight of Calgary to Moscow and then |
| that suits your needs. Then try each way of your | | | | Beijing to Vancouver. Both flights on the same ticket. |
| round trip separately. Why? If there is more than 8 | | | | 2. Book each part of the one-way online using just the |
| hours between your stopover or you will already be | | | | start and end destinations. i.e. One ticket with Calgary |
| retrieving your checked luggage, there is no advantage | | | | to Moscow. One ticket from Beijing to Vancouver. This |
| to being on the same ticket. So booking a return ticket | | | | is the most expensive of the "no hassles" |
| with the same company makes absolutely no sense | | | | option. There is no reason for me to have both |
| unless it is cheaper. Find the cheapest round trip and | | | | sections of my flights on the same ticket because |
| then find the cheapest one way in each direction. | | | | they are almost a month apart and I will be retrieving |
| Break up the Flights Using Connection Cities | | | | my checked luggage. |
| There are a million possibilities here, but you can start | | | | 3. Book through a travel agent. They will be doing |
| guessing based on your own knowledge of geography | | | | number 2 on their own, but have better resources to |
| or by the stopovers you see in the previous list of | | | | look. |
| "more expensive" flights. | | | | 4. Book individual one ways flights on separate tickets |
| Pick cities to go to that are large and will have large | | | | through connection cities to your final destination. i.e. |
| airports with a lot of flights to choose from. I usually | | | | Ticket from Calgary to London, ticket from London to |
| look at London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Houston, | | | | Amsterdam, ticket from Amsterdam to Moscow, |
| Toronto, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, Seoul, Tokyo, | | | | ticket from Beijing to Vancouver. |
| and Copenhagen (just for my Russia trip). | | | | There are lot of other possibilities out there. If you |
| You will not have your flights on the same ticket so | | | | know of other good techniques and good websites, |
| keep that in mind. This means you must retrieve your | | | | post a comment and I will give you a link back. |
| checked luggage and re-check it in. They will not | | | | |