Buying Your Flight Ticket Online

Tips and "Methodology"

Some tips and a certain methodology for those who want to buy their tickets exclusively online...

To Start...

1 - First and foremost, remember that due to the internet, there are no longer any real rules or strict logic when it comes to searching for airfares. Everything changes constantly and quickly. Sometimes, it’s simply luck—being online at the right moment—that secures you the best deal...

2 - As soon as you’ve set your destination and roughly your dates, start your search. Even if booking early isn’t—or no longer—always a guarantee of the best price, for high-demand cities or dates, it still increases your chances of finding available seats.

3 - Have a rough idea (even vague) of the price to expect for your destination and travel period. For this, you can refer to the Flight Price Guide as well as other travelers’ experiences.

4 - Initially, assume you’ll depart from the airport in your city or the closest one. Whatever your destination, offers with pre-routing will be available.

Initial Searches...

5 - Always start your search using one (or occasionally two) flight comparison tools. This helps clear the ground and gives you an idea of what to expect. Note not just the prices but also the flight details and potential extra costs of the displayed offers.

6 - Visit the websites of the airlines that seemed interesting on the comparison tool. Run the same search for each and compare the results. You might be surprised...

7 - A comparison tool almost never lists all airlines flying to a city. So, go to the website of your arrival airport; there, you’ll find all the airlines serving it. Then, visit the websites of the carriers missing from the comparison tools and check if there are flight options and at what price from your departure point. With a little knowledge and occasional extra research, you might find good flight combinations.

8 - Take stock of your searches. Generally, you’ll start to get a clearer idea of prices, possible carriers, and flight details. Often, fewer than ten offers stand out, which you can then refine based on factors like proposed schedules, number and duration of layovers, airline quality, etc.

Variations

9 - You’ve checked flights for specific dates—now, if you’re flexible, repeat the process by adjusting your departure and return dates by two or three days. Almost always, you’ll get different results from your first search. You’ll just need to compare to see which dates might be best for your flight.

10 - You’ve checked flights to a specific destination—now, if your trip includes one or more other (very) large cities, it might be worth looking at their air service. This could yield different results, sometimes revealing a more suitable destination.

11 - If you live outside a major city, also search for flights departing from the capital or other regional airports, then compare, factoring in any additional costs (and constraints).

12 - By exploring all these variations, you’ll get a broader view of your options. With practice, you’ll quickly see whether a particular option is truly worthwhile.

When to Book?

13 - Now that you have all the information you need, you can identify what seems to be your (or your top two or three) "best flight(s)" and at what price.

14 - Should you book right away? There’s no definitive answer, as prices for your destination may rise or fall in the coming days or weeks. Like the stock market, it’s up to each person to decide what they consider a good price or value for their flight and then buy when the time feels right. You can also ask other travelers for their opinions and advice.

15 - Still, if your departure is far off, you can wait to see trends for your destination. However, it’s important to search regularly.

16 - Those concerned about "IP tracking"—where the seller adjusts prices based on your previous searches (meaning if you don’t buy immediately, the price may go up on your next visit)—can switch computers or IP addresses for their searches, especially on the day of purchase. The same goes for those who think prices or booking fees vary based on website traffic or connection times. In that case, they should favor late-night hours (2–6 AM) or avoid weekends, early evenings, or the 12–2 PM weekday slot, when traffic is highest.

17 - Lastly, once you’ve bought your flight ticket, there’s no need to keep checking if prices have changed. If they drop later, you’ll only end up with regrets...