| The best place to buy cheap international plane | | | | alone. Once in a while, a courier company will have |
| tickets is online. We've tried travel agencies and they | | | | opportunities for flights on or near the same date. |
| can't compete with the discount ticket websites. You | | | | Otherwise, your travel partner can pay full fare on |
| can search google ("cheap airfare South America", for | | | | the same flight. You also can usually only bring |
| example), or go straight to one of the well-known | | | | carry-on luggage, since the point is for the shipping |
| sites, like Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap Tickets, | | | | company to use your checked luggage allowance. |
| Hotwire or Priceline. I just did a quick search for the | | | | Really Cheap Courier Flights Sometimes air couriers fly |
| cheapest airfare from Tucson, Arizona, to Buenos | | | | internationally for free, and almost always very |
| Aires, Argentina, using the five sites mentioned. They | | | | cheap. It is a matter of how badly the company |
| ranged from $1221 down to $873, and there were | | | | needs you and how flexible you can be (can you fly |
| fares as high as $3728. Hotwire happened to have | | | | to Paris on Friday?). In general air courier |
| the cheapest, but they were the worst of the five | | | | opportunities are becoming rarer, due to the recent |
| when I searched for a domestic flight earlier. You | | | | heavier regulation of international flights. There still are |
| cannot say which service will find the cheapest | | | | opportunities for cheap tickets, though. You can find |
| international plane tickets from week to week. My | | | | out more at The Air Courier Association Website ( |
| number one money-saving tip is to always check | | | | The ACA can also help you get really cheap plane |
| several websites when shopping for inexpensive | | | | tickets by way of airline ticket wholesalers, |
| flights. My Accidental $1000 Discovery Before going | | | | discounters, last minute specials, and stand-by travel. |
| to Ecuador, I searched several websites that deal in | | | | More Tips On Cheap International Plane Tickets |
| cheap international plane tickets. The cheapest airfare | | | | When searching for fares using the discount |
| from Traverse City, Michigan to Quito, was $1720. | | | | websites, try several different departure and return |
| Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to Quito, and it was | | | | dates if you can. The difference of a day or two can |
| only $400. Airfare from Traverse City to Miami was | | | | save you a lot. There is little logic to airfare pricing, so |
| $300. Book two separate flights and save more than | | | | don't try too hard to figure it out. Just be aware that |
| $1000! The discount sites aren't set up to check in | | | | if you leave on Friday instead of Wednesday (or |
| this way (yet), so you have to do this on your own. | | | | vice-versa), you may save $100. Check the boxes |
| If your first flight is late and you miss the second, | | | | that say "any time" for departure and "2 or more |
| you may not get a refund, but it is still cheaper | | | | connecting flights". Even if you aren't sure that you |
| (every time I checked) to just book a flight to Miami | | | | want to leave at midnight, see what your options |
| and catch a flight to Quito without a reservation, | | | | are-the savings might change your mind. Whenever |
| thus avoiding this problem. This strategy is best for | | | | the search criteria allow you choices, take the ones |
| those in towns without international airports. If you | | | | that are the least restrictive for the airlines. Again, if |
| live in Miami, you already have cheap international | | | | the savings aren't enough, you can always book first |
| airfare. Courier Flights As an air courier, you can get | | | | class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer. Buying |
| really cheap international plane tickets. Courier | | | | your plane tickets at least a week in advance is |
| companies ship material in the luggage space of an | | | | usually cheaper. Also, there can be a dramatic |
| aircraft passenger because it can be quicker, | | | | difference (but not always) if your trip is over thirty |
| cheaper, and more reliable than sending the shipment | | | | days. You may want to cut it from 32 days to 30 to |
| unaccompanied, since checked luggage bypasses | | | | save hundreds of dollars on your fare. Play with the |
| many of the typical customs delays. The courier | | | | dates on one of the websites mentioned. You never |
| company begins by purchasing airfare, and then they | | | | know what you might discover. Want To Go Really |
| resell the plane tickets to you. In exchange for your | | | | Cheap? You can take a bus to a major city, if you |
| luggage space, they give you a discount on the | | | | don't live in one, and then take an international flight |
| airfare. An Example Of A Courier Flight I saved over | | | | from there to save quite a bit of money. My wife |
| $150 on my plane tickets this way when I went to | | | | and I recently went to Ecuador for six weeks. The |
| Ecuador the first time. I had to walk several suitcases | | | | cheapest discount website plane tickets we could |
| of car parts through customs, but there was a | | | | find were $3400 for the two of us. By taking a bus |
| representative of the courier company on either end, | | | | to Miami ($352 round-trip for 2), then flying from |
| and I did get to look inside the luggage, so I knew | | | | there to Quito ($622 round-trip for 2), we saved |
| what I was carrying. I had to carry a plane propeller | | | | over $2400 - even after the taxi fare from the bus |
| on the return trip, but it wasn't too much trouble, and | | | | station to the airport. That's a lot of money to us, |
| made a good story. Limitations To Courier Travel | | | | certainly worth an extra day-and-a-half on a bus. |
| You generally can only be an air courier if you travel | | | | (The whole six weeks cost less than $2500. |