The Dumbest Thing Fliers Can Do When Looking for Cheap Airfare
The Dumbest Thing Fliers Can Do
I won’t keep you in suspense.
The dumbest thing a flier can do if they want to save money? Ignore technology.
Seriously. Let me give you a simple example.
The Smartest Thing Fliers Can Do
One of the smartest things any flier can do to save money is to set airfare alerts (and we can show you three easy ways to set airfare alerts – choose the one that’s best for you).
Using this technology lets you know when prices come down – so you are not a slave to your computer. And you don’t have to be a techie to do it.
Smart Tip: when you are alerted to a good price, be prepared to take the leap and make your purchase. Cheap seats don’t last (and others are savvy enough to set alerts, too). It’s like I’m always saying: why spend more on a flight if you don’t have to?
Don’t Forget Twitter (and No, You Don’t Have to Tweet)
You don’t have to be a tweet-monster like Justin Bieber to take advantage of exclusive airline deals on Twitter (ask your kids who Bieber is, they’ll fill you in). You don’t have to tweet at all – just open an account, and watch for deals from airlines and special airline sites like @jetbluecheeps. And we’ll walk you through setting up an account to get these airline deals (and while you’re at it, you can follow me, too – I tweet about deals and much, much more).
Travel Apps
Now let’s talk apps (applications) – and did you know, you don’t need an iPhone for these things? They also work with the iPod Touch and iPad.
There’s a reason why there are now more than 300,000 apps currently available, and thousands more coming every month. People use them, and like them. Some have eliminated a lot of the aggravations of travel – such as Lonely Planet Mobile Audio Phrasebooks which can literally translate and speak foreign phrases for you (no longer will Parisians have to listen to my fractured French uttered with a Texas twang).
Other popular apps for travelers (and locals) include restaurant-finding apps like Yelp and Urban Spoon. And now, save money on flights with apps, too.
FareCompare’s Aifare Alert App
We have a new app that alerts you to airfare price drops on any trip you’d like to take, right to your mobile device. Take a look – it’s easy to use and it’s free. We think you’ll like it.
Airline Apps
The following airlines have also introduced apps, to help you with monitoring flights, tracking stand-by position or frequent flier miles, and lots more:
If You Can Use Email, You Can Use Airfare Technology
You can use email, right? So you can use technology. Even my editor can (I think).
On the other hand…a few days ago, she told me about wandering around a parking lot at LAX, late at night, looking for her car. She couldn’t remember where she’d left it.
“I’d gotten just two hours sleep before I had to make that flight,” she told me. “But even I have to admit that forgetting where I parked was a stupid move. I did find it, though. Eventually.”
If only she’d had the American Airlines app – it comes complete with a special “parking reminder” so you don’t lose your car. Her response? “If only I had an iPhone, Rick.”
