Reviews on Airfare Pricing

Follow our step-by-step process for finding the lowest possible price for your next airline ticket purchase!

Did you pay more than you wanted for your last airplane flight? Most people do, thanks to the wily pricing techniques of the airline industry. But industry expert and blogger Sam Sellers has a time-tested technique for efficiently finding the lowest possible fare.
Click here to get the book
So whether your next trip is for business or pleasure, follow Sam's advice to fly the route you want for a fare you can afford.

You'll also find advice for reserving a good seat and preparing for low-hassle travel, as well as information on using frequent flyer miles, credit cards that provide flight discounts, and recommended methods for tracking deals. Appendixes provide links to major airline home pages and flight-route maps, an explanation of the pesky taxes applied to your fare, and more.

Read this book to learn the answers to questions such as:

* Which of the many travel Web sites should I use?

* Why do flight prices seem to go up as I check them?

* What sort of flexibility on my part will save money?

* What's a smart way to bid for a bargain on Priceline.com?

* Are there special ways of saving money on international flights?

* How can I best use my Web browser to switch quickly
between travel sites while researching cheap tickets?

By Sam Sellers - Pick up a copy at the Book for Travelers

Before packing your bags and grabbing your laptop, there are some green options you can consider for you and your traveling buddies... If your not by yourself.

If your with an entire team...

It is estimated that a three-day meeting of 100 people can use more than 20,000 kilowatts of power and produce more than a ton of trash.

Here's how you can minimize these numbers with green preplanning before you travel:
1. Choose greener transportation, look for direct flights, and if you have a choice of carriers, take a few minutes to research which ones are protecting the environment.

2. Book green accommodations: The hotel industry is working hard to keep pace with the needs and concerns of its green-minded clientele. Rather than booking the usual accommodations, do your homework. Web sites of most major hotel chains will indicate some of the activities and initiatives being taken to become more sustainable.
For example, Marriott has embarked on a company wide plan to cut 25 percent of its energy consumption over the next 10 years. It has also introduced biodegradable cutlery in many of its restaurants and recycling bins in meeting rooms.

Meanwhile, in Boston the Seaport Hotel is composting and using chemical-free bleach for cleaning, while in California, the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Resort has been named the nation's first LEED Gold Certified Hotel for its energy-saving efforts.

The point is, there are hotels that are taking green measures, and with a little research you'll find them in almost every city and town.

3. Position yourself well: One of the easiest and most overlooked areas in which you can save money and the environment is how you get around the city that you are visiting. Car sharing and carpooling should be the norm.
Hybrid vehicles should be reserved well in advance.

If, however, you can select a hotel that is centrally based for your business needs, you may be able to avoid car rental completely and utilize a shuttle to and from the airport or train station. Public transportation, bike rental, and, of course, walking are all excellent means of getting around locally if you've positioned yourself well regarding your business needs.

4. Hold greener business meetings: If properly planned, business meetings can be decidedly greener. Open windows, skylights, and vents in advance to cool the room rather than use air conditioning. E-mail agendas to attendees to save paper. Set up recycling bins, and if possible buy fresh produce for snacks from local growers. You can also make sure all lighting and electronic equipment is only in use when necessary. In fact, some meetings can take place in low lighting by utilizing sunlight. The idea is to think through in advance the possibilities of utilizing as little power as possible during your meeting.

5. Shut down before leaving: The number of computers, lights, and climate-control systems that people leave turned on at home or in the office during business travel is staggering and incredibly wasteful. Not only do you want to make sure everything is turned off but you can lower the furnace and water heater as well.

Many appliances use energy even while off. Unplugging just a few can boost your energy savings substantially. Scan your home and office before traveling to make sure you are as waste-free as possible.

6. Travel light: Cars and airplanes use more energy when they are heavier. The lighter the load, the less energy used. For any equipment you may need to carry, use rechargeable batteries rather than carry extras.

7. Try to minimize waste: Bring along a canvas bag for your shopping needs, a refillable water bottle, and your own washable mug as well as other items that will save you from using disposable (often nonbiodegradable) items along the way.

Happy Green Travels

Bing

Bing is a decision (search) engine from Microsoft officially announced on May 28, 2009. It combines technology from the Farecast and Powerset acquisitions, as well as new algorithms and a more colorful page design, to attempt to understand the context behind the search, which Microsoft claims gives users better results.

Bing as a brand is also an attempt to eliminate the confusion caused by Microsoft's "Windows Live" branding. Bing is now everything "search" related, whereas Windows Live encompasses the remnants of Microsoft's consumer software products.

A Word from Bing Travel
Microsoft indicated that the 2009 holiday fares would be approximately at the same level as back in 2007 and certainly lower than in 2008. Information provided via Bing Travel, a vertical of the Bing decision/search engine, reveals that travelers would be able to enjoy fares that are more than 17% lower than for the 2008 holiday season. The Redmond company said that, for Thanksgiving, airfare for domestic destinations would cost on average $327, namely a 22% drop compared to the same period of last year, and at 2007 levels. Travellers who are looking to jump on a plane for Christmas will pay 17% less than in 2008, 8% more than in 2007, on average some $353.

The lower prices can of course be associated with the weakening economy. The global economic downturn has impacted customer demand, with airlines among the heaviest hit. Cutting airfare is nothing more than a strategy to attract more business, but don't expect the trend to continue as the economy will start to strengthen again.

"In last year's holiday travel forecast I talked about the 'perfect storm' of record-high oil prices, fuel surcharges and very high airfare. Oh, how quickly things change," explained Bing Travel Fareologist Joel Grus. "As the economy fell into recession last fall, fares came down dramatically and have remained low through 2009. Airlines have cut capacity to the point that we will see pretty full planes, but at least for now, fares are still depressed. Early signs of a rebounding economy could increase consumer demand, pushing fares back up."

Grus advised travelers to buy their tickets as soon as possible as the probability for prices to go up will increase as the holiday season approaches. At the same time, he noted that the best month for hunting airfare discounts is October, especially the first two weeks.

In addition to lower airfares, Bing Travel data also reveals that travelers will be able to take advantage of cheaper hotel rates. In this regard, Microsoft indicated that in September, October and November hotel rates would be 13% lower compared to the same months in 2008.

By Marius Oiaga