Simplifying The World Of Booking Your Airfare Online

There is no better feeling than knowing you are going on a vacation. You’ve picked the destination. Soon enough you’ll be relaxing and exploring your chosen getaway. And maybe it’s even a break from the little ones.

This feeling of euphoria can come crashing down when you realize the ticket to your place of relaxation, will cost you an arm and a leg. This is where online travel agencies pride themselves on helping you knock a few pegs off, the cost of a flight to respite.

The online travel agencies grossed over $150 billion in 2013, so it’s fair to say this is a market worth being successful in. The airline companies themselves have been working feverishly to upgrade their own online booking sites, and have been slowly drawing people away from the third-party sites.

With airline companies offering their own discounts and traditional travel agencies following suit with their own special discounts, are the online third-party travel agencies still the money saving wonders of yesteryear.

So many websites advertise as the best place to find the best airfare, but which ones are actually providing this service? And which ones are actually easy to use?

As someone who has travelled and lived all over the world these past nine years, I still feel online travel agencies hold relevance for finding the right flight for you.

Without further ado, here is a list of my top sites for finding the most affordable flight.

5. Seatguru.com the name says it all, the site focuses on finding you the best flight while also making sure you have the best seat in the house – or plane in this case. Easy layouts of each plane’s seating arrangements help you decide whether you want; easy access to the door to be out first, extra leg room, or just making sure you are able to recline your seat.

4. Expedia.com was launched by Microsoft and is one of the bigger websites out there trying to find you that one-off-deal. The site is very functional and has different subsidiaries that can help with all your vacation needs such as hotels, car rental and cruise lines. The amount of ads on this site makes it a little overbearing, and the use of pop-ups with an extras option can also irritate at times.

3. Travelocity.com is one of the oldest online agencies around having come onto the scene in 1996 – I didn’t even know they existed back then. The site is straight to the point with an uncluttered home page and is a breeze to use. Now being owned by Expedia, it has many of the same functions encompassing the all-in-one solution. The cancellation options for this site are a little hazy on their FAQ page so be wary of this, but with business hubs all over the world, and now part of a larger company, their customer service outfit is very helpful with any questions.

2. Skyscanner.com use to be my go-to website when I wanted the cheapest airfares, but over the last couple of years has been pipped by the number one site below. It’s fair to say though Skyscanner is still a great air ticket tool for finding those online deals. It has a slick minimalist feel to the site and great options for checking next day flights, and changing currencies if need be. Their ‘everywhere’ option in the ‘to’ box is particular handy if you feel like a last minute trip without breaking the bank.

1. Momondo.com is by far, in my experience, the mac daddy of online travel agencies. The site is very well laid out and has the most functional features of all. The estimated price bar above the search results give a great indication on how much you could or could not save by flying out a day before or after. The tabs that show the cheapest, quickest and best options above the search results give you another great perspective on what is on offer for your particular flight. And when looking at the flight details they are simple and easy to read, helping you avoid an irritatingly long stop over at an airport you will greatly regret – done this more than once, not very pleasant. 

As with anything research is the key and unless you’re in a bind, checking all services online or not will save you more money and give you greater options. Happy hunting, and safe returns.