9 Ways To Book Cheap Flights To India From The US (Post 3 of 3)
Posted on Tue, Jul 13, 2010
7. Book at least 90 days before departure:The optimum perid for booking
cheap flights to India is at least 90 days, or three months before departure. There is a popular myth about flights being very cheap at the last minute. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most airlines don't want to open the cheapest inventory more than 90 days before departure, because that would result in very low yield per seat for the airline. On the other hand, last minute tickets can fetch the airlines big bucks.
8. Ask your agent about additional discounts:Most agents would offer you additional discounts if you are booking a large number of tickets, or willing to pay for your travel with methods other than a credit card. By using a check as a method of payment you could save on the credit card processing fee.
9. Break it up: It is now advisable to purchase two seperate tickets if you are traveling from an airport other than a major airport to India. Let me explain. You may be able to get a better fare for flights from New York/Newark to Mumbai/Delhi, or one of the major hub cities in India. If you want to depart from let's say Denver, then it may be better for you to find a cheap flight from Denver to New York on a local carrier, and purchase a consolidator airfare from New York to India. Local flights do not allow any free luggage as check in. The only drawback is, if your flight is delayed getting into the hub city, then the international carrier will not be responsible for re-issuing your ticket.