India Vacations

Here is the step by step process for finding that deal for airfares: Step 1: Get online using a desktop / laptop / tablet. I usually dont recommend smart phones simply because it might be inconvenient scrolling up and down for the right flight. Now using the web browser (or an app on the iPad / tablet; I have listed them on the website http://tripwiz.in/resources ), go to a site like www.fly.com.www.kayak.com etc. These sites / meta search engines will search multiple airline prices so you can compare the prices. Enter the source, destination, the type (One Way / Return or Round Trip/ Multi-City), number of passengers and the date/s of departure and / or arrival. You will use the search results from these engines as a baseline on which to extend your search. Some of these also allow you to search a few days before and after your preferred date, which is really useful in knowing the general trend. You should preferably cross-check with multiple sites to confirm or find more results since not all airlines are listed on all these sites. Sites like

Hipmunk also allow you to create a fare / price alert when you do the search – so the fare keeps updating and you will be alerted of the next drop in fare.

Step 2: Now, using the information you got from the earlier step, go to the respective airline/s website and repeat the search. Sometimes the price on airline website is lesser than on these online aggregators or meta search engines simply to encourage you to book directly.

Step 3: Next, try different flight routes. e.g. instead of flying to Paris directly, try Frankfurt or Munich and from there take a low cost carrier (LCC) flight like EasyJet or RyanAir. This is effective in many cases since most major airports have high fees and taxes that add up to the price of your ticket.

Step 4: Go to the website of your intended destinations airport (e.g. www.changiairport.com for Singapore) and on the arrival and departures list, you will be able to view which all airlines fly in to / out of that airport. For Changi Airport at Singapore, AirAsia also has flights from India. But these flights (i.e. Low Cost Carriers) are NOT listed on the meta search / aggregators! And this is true for most regions where the LCCs will not be listed simply because the LCCs cut their overheads (of paying commission) to the aggregators or booking engines. If the LCC offers a better fare, go ahead and take it. It is alright for short-haul flights e.g. India-Singapore etc. In case of long-haul flights, you may like to consider the comfort, in-flight dining etc.

Step 5. Book it.