How to Book Flights in Advance

Buying airline tickets in advance can save you money and time. You have more options for available flights (often at better prices) and a wider choice of seat selection- especially useful if you are traveling with children. So book a flight in advance to save on frustration.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dates you wish to fly.
• Internet (if booking online)

1. 
    
   Book Flight Online

   To start your online booking, go to a travel web site (such as Travelocity.com, Expedia.com) or directly to the airline’s website. (This example uses JetBlue.com’s booking site.)
   
   Perhaps the cheapest way to book a flight in advance is online. You can make your own flight arrangements in the comfort of your home or book online using any public computer (local library, university library, friend’s computer, etc.).

2. 
    
   City Departing From

   Select the Round Trip or One Way ticket option. Click inside the “Where From” text field to display a list of cities. Select the city you will be leaving from. (Ft. Lauderdale, FL in this example)
   
   Do the same to select the city/Airport you are flying to.

3. 
    
   Month to travel

   Click inside the “Date to Leave” field. A convenient calendar pops up. Scroll through the months to display the month you wish to travel. (December 2009 in this example.)

4. 
    
   Travel Date

   Select the date you want to fly out. (Dec 22 in this example).

5. 
    
   How Many Traveling

   How many people will be traveling? Select how many 1) Adult(s) and 2) (Children) if any.

6. 
    
   Search button

   When you have all your parameter fields filled in, click the Search button.

7. 
    
   Departing Flights

   The Search results display a list of flights departing on the date you specified. Select the time of day you wish to depart.
   
   The prices listed are for one adult traveler. Prices vary depending on time of day the plane is scheduled to depart.

8. 
    
   Return Flight

   Select the flight and time you wish to return. Click the Confirm button when you have finished your selections.

9. 
    

   Make sure you read and understand any travel restrictions / requirements the airline has posted. This could prevent you from any surprise fees or charges that are not listed with the ticket price.

10. 
     
    Confirm Itinerary

    The Confirm page lists your flight selections Going Out and Coming Back. It shows the cost of each ticket (for each adult and each child). This page shows the Departing and Returning flight information, as well.

11. Once you have approved and confirmed your flight itinerary, the Confirmation screen asks you for your billing information (credit card, etc.). Who’s paying for the tickets?
    
    Once you have approved and confirmed your flight itinerary, the Confirmation screen asks you for your billing information (credit card, etc.). Who’s paying for the tickets?
    
    Once you have paid online, a new screen will show the seating chart on the plane.
    
    Traveling alone and want an aisle seat? Like to sit toward the front of the plane for quick disembarking? Or simply want 3 seats together to keep an eye on your children? Booking well in advance is a great way to save frustration and improve your chances of traveling more conveniently.

Tips & Warnings

• Caution There are Disadvantages to booking in advance. If you need to change your flight arrangements for any reason, there can be a hefty fee (up to $100 per ticket changed). It’s best to book online in advance when you are confident that you will be able to stick to the original travel plans.

Resources

• Basic Office Software articles