Cheap Airline Ticket to USA

[Guest RichLB]

An impoverished friend of mine needs to return to Los Angeles on July 23. As he lives in an isolated village in Northern Thailand without internet access he has asked me to

research and purchase the lowest cost ticket(with his money) for him. I thought this would be easy, but after Googling "Cheap Airline Tickets" and discovering a seemingly endless list of web sites with varying degrees of confusion, I'm at a loss for the best way to do this and be assured he will actually have a ticket. Does anyone have any suggestions of where I might look and how to do this? I've never purchased an airline ticket online (having always used a travel agent) and am wary of the reliability of such purchses. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I would suggest you find which airline offers the lowest fare and then go to that airline's website and book it from there. I book airline tickets all the time online.

[Guest fountainhall]

Is he returning to Thailand? One-way long distance tickets are usually a lot more expensive per sector than return tickets. I checked on-line this morning on a number of airlines sites - United, Delta, Korean, Air China, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines. The cheapest by far is China Airlines at Bt. 22,270. The next lowest is Delta at Bt. 31 650. I also checked expedia.com but it has China Airlines at Bt. 10,000+ more!

[Guest GaySacGuy]

If you are paying by credit card, nearly all airlines require that the person named on the credit card be on the flight, so buying online might be diffucult at best.

 

I would suggest a local travel agent that can issue you the ticket in your friend's name.

[Gaybutton]

Also, Rhonda at Norcross Travel can get tickets, even when the flight originates in Thailand. I'm sure she'll put the ticket in whatever name you want. If you use Skype or a similar program, calls to toll-free numbers in the USA are free. Rhonda's number in the USA is 888-888-7157. She'll issue an E-ticket.

 

All you would have to do is download and print it out and take it with you to the check-in counter at the airport. If for any reason your friend can't download and print it, you can do it for him and give it to him or mail it to him.

 

She has always gotten tickets for me at much lower prices than anywhere else, so it might be worth talking to her before you commit to anything locally.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Are you sure about that regarding credit cards for airline ticket purchases? It seems crazy.

[Guest fountainhall]

Are you sure about that regarding credit cards for airline ticket purchases?

Crazy it is, but most airlines now insist on it. You have to show the same credit card that was used to make the booking at the time you check in. If not, then you have to buy a new ticket and wait for a refund on the existing one. I know - it happened to me last year

 

Why this should be the case, I really have zero idea. Once a ticket is paid for, the transaction should be complete and as long as you have your passport or photo id, it should be immaterial who paid for the ticket. Someone told me that it is a regulation imposed by the credit card companies. How true that is, and why it should be so, beats me.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I have never been asked to show the credit card I used to purchase my ticket.

 

So, that would make it next to impossible to purchase a ticket online as a gift for someone.

[Guest fountainhall]

AIr Asia does not require it, but Nok Air and many of the so-called 'legacy' carriers do.

[Bob]

I have never been asked to show the credit card I used to purchase my ticket.

 

I've flown EVA exclusively from the states for the last 6-7 years and they've required me to show them the credit card with which I purchased the ticket each time. It's standard practice with them (i.e., be prepared). It makes no sense to me - given they surely know who I am via the passport being produced - but that's the way they do it.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Another thing for the I don't get it list!

[Guest alaan]

Having to show a credit card at check-in must differ from airline to airline and therefore if BA, KLM dont require it why should others?

 

I regularly buy a ticket with BA for a family member to visit my home in Scotland from London and all they note when booking is....will the person buying the ticket be travelling? if no..then nothing happens at check-in they only need to show photo ID as required for baggage drop/counter check-in.

 

I use BA, BMI, FLYBE and especially AIR FRANCE/KLM very regularly and none of these demand to see any credit card neither did Sri Lankan Airlines when travelling recently.In fact mostly I dont even get asked for the flight confirmation print out,with KLM all i ever get asked for is my passport. The flight confirmation print out would obviously be necessary if there was some sort of problem with the booking on the system and paper proof was needed, or the desk clerk wants to dot i's and cross t's.

 

Like others here I just can't see any need for requiring to see the actual card used to purchase the ticket when so much purchasing is now done on the internet remotely.

[kokopelli]

Try Thai Air at about 30,000 TB one way. Go to their office in Pattaya. Nonstop flight from Bangkok to LA. Office on Beach Road and North Pattaya Rd near Dolphin statue/Dusit Resort.

[Guest fountainhall]

I use BA, BMI, FLYBE and especially AIR FRANCE/KLM very regularly and none of these demand to see any credit card

Last month I flew 6 sectors on BA including Asia/London/Asia booked 6 months earlier. The 2 domestic sectors did not require the credit card to be shown. I can't remember about the 2 inter-Europe sectors, but the check-in staff definitely insisted on seeing my credit card for the 2 transcontinental flights. They then very carefully checked the number against the one on their computers.

 

Try Thai Air at about 30,000 TB one way. Go to their office in Pattaya. Nonstop flight from Bangkok to LA

The TG internet price for that date is Bt. 32,765. The non-stop is well worth it, but if cash is the deciding factor, China Airlines through Taipei at Bt. 22,270 is still the lowest I can find. Perhaps Rhonda will find something cheaper.

[kokopelli]

 

The TG internet price for that date is Bt. 32,765. The non-stop is well worth it, but if cash is the deciding factor, China Airlines through Taipei at Bt. 22,270 is still the lowest I can find. Perhaps Rhonda will find something cheaper.

 

Agree, Thai Air not the cheapest but convenient. Since can buy ticket at their office in Pattaya can avoid buying on-line and through travel agent. Also can ask about the credit card situation although that would not be a problem if ticket is purchased with cash.

[Gaybutton]

AIr Asia does not require it, but Nok Air and many of the so-called 'legacy' carriers do.

I wonder what you have to show if you pay cash for a ticket. If it were me and I was buying the ticket for someone else, before purchasing I would ask the airline how to work that. I would think they have some sort of alternative if you tell them at the time you're purchasing the ticket that it's for someone else.

[Guest]

Paying by credit card may offer you the chance to get the money back if the airline goes bust. That's always possible given the history of the aviation industry.

[ChristianPFC]

If your friend's travel dates are flexible, i.e. arriving some days earlier would be ok, it might get cheaper.

 

When I first checked for cheap airfares from London Heathrow to Bangkok last autumn I was surprised about the amount of webpages, but I soon found out that there are only a handfull of air companies that go non-stop or with one stop and that some of these websites refer to another website. Basically about five suitable connections and dozens of websites that refer to them, with no or negligible difference in price.

 

I finally settled for www.opodo.co.uk (flexible +/- 1 day, offeres connections Bkk to LA). Everything went fine for two return flights (British Airways and Thai Airway) booked with them.

 

www.ticketstoworld.com allows search flexible +/- 3 days, but only for flights departing from European towns.

[ChristianPFC]

If your friend's travel dates are flexible, i.e. arriving some days earlier would be ok, it might get cheaper.

 

When I first checked for cheap airfares from London Heathrow to Bangkok last autumn I was surprised about the amount of webpages, but I soon found out that there are only a handfull of air companies that go non-stop or with one stop and that some of these websites refer to another website. Basically about five suitable connections and dozens of websites that refer to them, with no or negligable difference in price.

 

I finally settled for www.opodo.co.uk (flexible +/- 1 day, offeres connections Bkk to LA). Everything went fine for two return flights (British Airways and Thai Airway) booked with them.

 

www.ticketstoworld.com allows search flexible +/- 3 days, but only for flights departing from European towns.

[Gaybutton]

Paying by credit card may offer you the chance to get the money back if the airline goes bust. That's always possible given the history of the aviation industry.

While that is true, it's hardly the point. I'm with Lvdkeyes on this one. I don't get it. It's crazy. What happens if your credit card has been lost or stolen? That could happen right in the airport if you happen to be the victim of a pickpocket. I've also seen ATMs eat credit cards. What does happen if you paid cash for the ticket?

 

Given that all kinds of things could happen to a credit card, it's difficult to understand that airlines would require seeing the card that bought the ticket and if you can't produce it, you don't get to board the flight.

 

I don't understand why they would need to see it in the first place. If you have other forms of identification, what's the necessity of the credit card?

 

Who comes up with these ideas, anyway? I can just picture the executive meeting at the airline:

 

"Hey Dan. I just thought of a good way to increase security. Let's start requiring passengers to show their credit cards. You know, the one they bought their ticket with. That's a sure fire way to cut down on terrorist tactics."

 

"What's that supposed to accomplish?"

 

"Well, that way we can make sure nobody boards a plane if their ticket was paid for by Ali Ben Gabba."

 

"Great idea! Phil, call the printer. Let's get this one rolling before the end of the day."

 

"I'm working on another idea. This one's perfect. It'll solve all our security problems!"

 

"What's that, Phil?"

 

"Nobody gets to board the plane. Bing-O! No more security issues!"

[Guest GaySacGuy]

AIr Asia does not require it, but Nok Air and many of the so-called 'legacy' carriers do.

 

I believe that Air Asia has just added the requirement for the credit card holder to be on the flight.

[Guest fountainhall]

While that is true, it's hardly the point. I'm with Lvdkeyes on this one. I don't get it. It's crazy. What happens if your credit card has been lost or stolen?

I don't get it either - especially with some requiring the cards and others not.

 

I was once about to fly KLM from Bangkok to Taipei and my credit card split - probably having been bent in my wallet too often. I immediately called VISA who told me they could only issue a replacement overseas to me in 3 days. When I told them about the KLM booking, they were great. They immediately checked my purchases, found the KLM booking made some months before and then arranged to fax me a confirmation of payment with the card which I could show to KLM.

 

For whatever reason, you have no problem with a ticket paid for with cash.

 

"Nobody gets to board the plane. Bing-O! No more security issues!"

Let's add in the captain and crew. Then there's no need for any planes and the airlines might stop losing money!

 

With refererence to Air Asia, of which I am no fan, a gentle reminder to all readers that if you check the fine print you will read that the airline can cancel flights at any time for any reason - and you get no refund, merely the option to travel on another flight (seats being available) or a credit valid for 3 months).

 

9.2 Cancellation, Changes of Schedules: At any time after a booking has been made we may change our schedules and/or cancel, terminate, divert, postpone reschedule or delay any flight where we reasonably consider this to be justified by circumstances beyond our control or for reasons of safety or commercial reasons. In the event of such flight cancellation, we shall at our option, either:

 

carry you at the earliest opportunity on another of our scheduled services on which space is available without additional charge and, where necessary, extend the validity of your booking; or

 

should you choose to travel at another time, retain the value of your fare in a credit account for your future travel provided that you must re-book within three (3) months therefrom.

Caveat emptor! So relying on pre-paid hotel bookings following Air Asia flights or on connections to/from other airlines can hit you hard in the pocket! On the Skytrax comments site, there is a tale of a man travelling Air Asia X from London to KL and then Air Asia on to somewhere else who, because of delays and cancellations, ended up having to buy a new ticket on another airline and paying much more than had he just flown on Malaysian!

[PattayaMale]

The airline ticket agent across from Friendship market is very good. When my Thai friend and I went to the USA May 2009 they found tickets RT BKK/US several thousand baht under the online price on EVA. They said many airlines give agents better deals than online.

 

A few years ago we went to China on Thai Airline. I did not have the credit card I booked the ticket with. Thai would not let me check in. They made me buy a new ticket at the then higher price even though the ticket reservation had my passport number number on it.

[Guest fountainhall]

They said many airlines give agents better deals than online.

I've found this is usually the case, although deals for one-way fixed-date tickets are usually much more difficult to get than for return tickets.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

For point of reference I checked EVA. All flights for 6/23 are sold out. Closest was 6/25. One way fare is 29,690 THB taxes included. R/T returning &/23 is 42,840.