[tips] plane tickets

Getting a plane ticket to your desired destination can sometimes be a challange. If money is no issue, then chances are, skip this thread and move on.

Domestic: I have noticed that there are a variety of methods to use.
please note that if you use any sort of serach engine...that southwest airlines and jet blue will NOT come up. Usually, thier rates are so specalized, that it wouldn't matter.
Some search engines that has decent rates: Orbitz, Student Universe, STA travel (both are for students only....sorry), Lastminute.com and Expedia.
-->if you're really flexiable, the name your price websites may work out for you. although I cannot really comment, becuase I have never used it.
-->Also, Sometimes, it may auctally be cheaper to buy on the website of the auctal carrier. This will have to be done with careful price comparisions.
Sometimes, if you really really want to do a lot of work, then combining various airlines and deals may do the trick..however I have yet to try it.

International: One way, and the painless way can be to go by travel agent. However, sometimes you may not be conviced that a travel agent may know what to do...(FYI..travel agents usually only charge and I think are by law to only charge a &10 service fee..yup..tha'ts the same fee you would pay to the online website...this about it.)
If you are a student, always ask to see if you can find student rates. Websites like studentuniverse.com will give you student tickets. STA Travel (website and locations) will also give you student rates from the airlines. If you use a travel agent, just ask...they could have access to them.

Here are some websites that I know of:
studentuniverse.com
STA Travel
--> These student-deal sites are excellent.
LastMinute.com -->Good rates, BUT as I tried to recently book my ticket to Spain, I noticed that they had quoted me one price..but then when the conformation price came thru..the ticket price had changed..and got wayy more expensive. Again, this is due to the database thing..in which either thier database or the airline's database wasn't up to date.
AirLinguis--> they take you only to certian places. but this website can be GOD. With direct flights from Dublin to from LAX can be as low as 199 one way...but book fast..becuase i didn't and the price was up$100+ some 12 hours later!
whichbudget.com --> budget airlines for europe.
russiancrown.com -->UNCONFIRMED..but this site is owned my my friend's dad, who put this link up..and boy..it is very very very helpful..it was cheaper than most of hte options i was consterding when I had almost given up.

Major HUBS: London, Paris, Germany, Swizerland, Amasterdam.
Sometimes, getting a ticket into a larger HUB city is better (better auctally means cheaper) than just buying a ticket directly to your destination. For instance, you want to get to Denmark (like I did this summer). A Direct flight at the time on any of those websites are going to be more expensive because not as many people go there. Therefore, find a ticket to any major HUB city, and then go on whichbudget.com and search for a cheaper, charter european airliner (all are based on the Southwest Model, so be prepared to run for your seat).
This is not a fool proof plan. Theave a LONG layover time.
re are several things you have to constider:
1) how much of a layover would you have in between flights? Remeber...you're going to have to get off of your plane, clear immigration, get your bags, clear customs, then go and wait in your line to check into your other airline carrier....this is not as easy as it seems..for some of the smaller carriers tend to change counters, like they did in London's Gatwick airport.
2) how much time do you have?? if you just want to get to your destination ASAP..it's not worth doing this combo method esp if you are low on time..and patience.
3)IS It really cheaper?? After the currency coversions, taxes and fees? better make sure. (it is easy to get fooled and not pay attention to pounds or euros, espcially if you're quickly looking for the numbers)
4) MAKE SURE THE TRANSITION IS IN THE SAME AIRPORT!!! I cannot stress this enough...There are 4 london airports...unless if the transportation between them is easy and realtivley cheap, then go for it....take a little advanture. But if you know, like me, in London, the airports are not only semi far away, it's a consteridable distance away..and most of the time, are NOT joined by a train. Be prepared to pay lots of moulah to get from one airport to another.
4) how far away is your trip? some of the popular airlines, and the poplualr destinations..tickets may be very expensive the closer you book. Also consitder the day that you are traveling, and the airline, and what ctiy you are comming from.
5) how flexiable are you? if you're flexiable, then it's good. if not..i'm sorry. Remeber, they will most likly not forgive you if your flight into europe was delayed. Sorry, they aren't the company that delyaed you.

happy hunting!!!