JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - If you're planning a flight for the holidays and haven't bought a ticket yet -- do it soon. If you wait much longer, Consumer Reports said you'll likely see prices jump.
But don't worry, its investigators found the best way to book a cheaper flight.
"When you're planning your trip and you're planning to fly, what is really the most important thing to you?" News4Jax asked a local traveler at Jacksonville International Airport.
"I like knee room plus a good price," he said.
But which booking site will give you that good price or the best deal? Consumer Reports compared nine sites, searching for the cheapest nonstop round-trip flights on five busy domestic routes. Users simultaneously searched for the exact same itinerary at the same time to the same airport.
They found there can be big differences. For example, in one search for round-trip flights between New York and Miami, the cheapest fare Google Flights came up with was $597, but on Priceline, the cheapest was $459.
And despite its name, CheapOAir never came up with the lowest fare on any of the routes that Consumer Reports checked.
"We found you'll increase your odds of finding the lowest fare if you search for flights multiple times over multiple days with and without your search history cleared on your browser," said Mandy Walker, Consumer Reports money editor.
Also, you should check the airlines' own sites to see if you can find an even lower fare. You can find all airlines that serve a given route at google.com/flights. Fares can vary considerably for flights just hours apart and at nearby airports. Consumer Reports found Kayak makes it particularly easy to search for other options.
When you use price-comparison sites, specify the city you want to depart from, not the airport. Most sites will then show you the flight options for any of that area's airports.
As for the best time to shop for flights, the CEO of FareCompare told Consumer Reports it's 3 p.m. on a Tuesday. That's when the greatest number of cheap seats are available. If you can be flexible with your travel days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are generally the cheapest days to fly. But bargains can pop up at any time, so don't stop searching.
If you like more comfort when flying, Consumer Reports recommended that you check SeatGuru.com for information about most airlines' seating plans -- including size, limited recline or leg room.
With prices changing all the time, Consumer Reports said it's a good idea to check the day after you book to see if you can find a better deal. The consumer watchdog also said, by law, you can cancel without penalty for 24 hours after you book it, as long as you're not traveling for at least a week.
If you are worried about delays and making a connecting flight, Consumer Reports gave a little advice to help ease your stress. Sitting in the front can save as much as 15 minutes when deplaning -- though you might have to pay a little more for that seat. Also, avoid booking the last flight of the day.
You do have rights if you are bumped involuntarily from a flight and are delayed. You may be entitled to up to $650 if the fight is domestic and $1,300 if it's international, according to Department of Transportation regulations.
http://www.news4jax.com/consumer/consumer-reports/consumer-reports-find-cheaper-flights
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
Thursday, April 7, 2016
David Cameron warns cheap flights in Europe could be put at risk by Brexit
Cheap flights between European locations could be put at risk by the UK leaving the EU, David Cameron has suggested.
The Prime Minister sought to cast doubt on the ability of low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair to freely operate routes between EU member states after a Brexit.
He made the remarks as he sought to counter arguments from Leave supporters, including London mayor Boris Johnson , that the UK could prosper by emulating Canada’s free trade deal.
The PM warned Canadian airlines can operate routes from Canada to Europe but not within Europe.
Mr Cameron also argued there would be struggles for television companies, financial services firms and other businesses in being able to easily access markets in EU countries.
The Prime Minister made the claims as he sought to rejuvenate his campaign for a Remain vote at June’s referendum following an Easter holiday in Lanzarote.
Despite pleas from some pro-EU campaigners to offer a positive outlook on Britain’s future, Mr Cameron used an appearance in Birmingham to frequently emphasise the dangers and uncertainty of an exit.
Read more: Scientists overwhelmingly oppose 'Brexit' according to latest poll
His comments came as a poll indicated that Downing Street’s tactics, labelled Project Fear by critics, were working, with the Remain camp on 51% and Leave trailing on 44%.
The Orb poll for the Daily Telegraph found that only 5% said they are undecided, with those who currently say they do not know how they will vote more likely to back the Remain campaign on June 23.
When certainty to vote is taken into account, the campaigns are virtually tied, with Remain on 49% and Leave on 48%.
Speaking to PwC workers in Birmingham, Mr Cameron said: “Now, Canada has - or is about to have - the biggest free trade agreement there is with the European Union and some of the principal proponents of Britain leaving the EU have said we should have a Canada-style deal.
“But here’s the rub - the Canada-style deal does not have really any good provisions about services.
“Let me just give you a couple of examples - a Canadian airline can fly between Canada and a European city but it can’t fly within Europe.
Read more: EU campaigners at war over Brits' healthcare abroad
“What does that mean for easyJet or for Ryanair, for companies like that that are so vital in terms of the cheap air flights that we all enjoy?
“Let me give you another example - if you’re a television station, if you’re located in Britain you can broadcast all the way through the European Union, not if you’re a Canadian television station under the deal.
“Think of financial services, and you help so many financial services companies, with our arrangements inside the single market if you’re located in Britain you can trade in any European country.
“If you’re Canada, your financial services companies won’t be able to do that - they have to set up in each and every European country.”
The PM added: “If we leave the European Union, and if we have a deal like a Canada free trade deal, it will be very bad for our economy.
“It will be bad for jobs, it will be bad for investment and it will be particularly bad for services industries that need those markets.”
Read more: Airbus bosses send letter to thousands of employees warning of Brexit risk
Earlier, Mr Cameron also warned leaving the EU would be an “act of economic and political self-harm” and would not help the beleaguered British steel industry.
In reply to the comments made in the Telegraph, Vote Leave’s chief executive Matthew Elliott said: “The greatest act of economic self-harm is that we sendBrussels £350 million every week in return for handing control of our economy and democracy to EU judges.
“It is deeply regrettable that the PM is basing his campaign on doing down Britain and ignoring the free trade zone from Iceland to Turkey that we will be part of when we vote Leave.”
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