It is always nice to get on a flight and know that you got to choose your price. If your travel times are flexible and you are able to fly on any airline, choosing your own price for airfare is an excellent option. You may be hesitant since the details of your flight will be unknown until your offer is accepted and your tickets are purchased, but this can save you a significant amount of money.

Visit a travel booking website that offers the option to choose your own price for airfare. Locate the option and choose "bid now."

Identify the city you will be departing from and the city you will be flying into. Choose the dates of your trip and the number of passengers in your party and select "bid now."

Choose the airports that you want to use from the options that are displayed. You may choose more than one near each city to increase the chances of your bid being accepted. Input how much you are choosing to pay for the round trip flight. This amount will not include any taxes or fees so you may want to bid lower than the maximum amount you are willing to pay for the flight.

Enter the passenger's first, middle and last name exactly as it appears on his government-issued identification card. Input gender and birth date.

Confirm that the price displayed, after taxes and fees, is acceptable to you. If it is not, you will need to go back to Step 3 and enter a lesser amount. If the amount is acceptable, follow the directions on the website to enter your personal and credit card information.

The site will now search for an airline willing to accept your offer. The tickets will be purchased immediately if the offer is accepted. Your travel itinerary will be provided to you with the airline name, flight numbers and flight times. If your offer is not accepted, you may be presented with a counter offer or you may have to try again with a higher bid.

Tip

  • To make an informed decision on where to begin bidding, do a general search of the airline tickets you are looking for. Typically you will want to bid about 40 percent below the lowest published rate.

Tip

  • Your flight can begin anytime from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. You will not know the exact time until after your offer has been accepted.

References

About the Author

Andi Collins has been writing various travel and health articles since 2007. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Homeland Security. She has an extensive medical background, working as a nurse in family practice, labor and delivery and pediatric cardiology.

Photo Credits

  • commercial airliner image by itsallgood from Fotolia.com
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