| Cheap International Plane TicketsThe best place | | | | checked luggage allowance.Really Cheap Courier |
| to buy cheap international plane tickets is online. | | | | FlightsSometimes air couriers fly internationally for |
| We've tried travel agencies and they can't | | | | free, and almost always very cheap. It is a |
| compete with the discount ticket websites. You | | | | matter of how badly the company needs you and |
| can search google ("cheap airfare South America", | | | | how flexible you can be (can you fly to Paris on |
| for example), or go straight to one of the | | | | Friday?). In general air courier opportunities are |
| well-known sites, like Expedia, Travelocity, Cheap | | | | becoming rarer, due to the recent heavier |
| Tickets, Hotwire or Priceline.I just did a quick | | | | regulation of international flights. There still are |
| search for the cheapest airfare from Tucson, | | | | opportunities for cheap tickets, though. You can |
| Arizona, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, using the five | | | | find out more at The Air Courier Association |
| sites mentioned. They ranged from $1221 down | | | | Website ( The ACA can also help you get really |
| to $873, and there were fares as high as $3728. | | | | cheap plane tickets by way of airline ticket |
| Hotwire happened to have the cheapest, but they | | | | wholesalers, discounters, last minute specials, and |
| were the worst of the five when I searched for | | | | stand-by travel.More Tips On Cheap International |
| a domestic flight earlier. You cannot say which | | | | Plane TicketsWhen searching for fares using the |
| service will find the cheapest international plane | | | | discount websites, try several different departure |
| tickets from week to week. My number one | | | | and return dates if you can. The difference of a |
| money-saving tip is to always check several | | | | day or two can save you a lot. There is little logic |
| websites when shopping for inexpensive flights.My | | | | to airfare pricing, so don't try too hard to figure it |
| Accidental $1000 DiscoveryBefore going to | | | | out. Just be aware that if you leave on Friday |
| Ecuador, I searched several websites that deal in | | | | instead of Wednesday (or vice-versa), you may |
| cheap international plane tickets. The cheapest | | | | save $100.Check the boxes that say "any time" |
| airfare from Traverse City, Michigan to Quito, | | | | for departure and "2 or more connecting flights". |
| was $1720. Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to | | | | Even if you aren't sure that you want to leave at |
| Quito, and it was only $400. Airfare from | | | | midnight, see what your options are-the savings |
| Traverse City to Miami was $300. Book two | | | | might change your mind. Whenever the search |
| separate flights and save more than $1000! The | | | | criteria allow you choices, take the ones that are |
| discount sites aren't set up to check in this way | | | | the least restrictive for the airlines. Again, if the |
| (yet), so you have to do this on your own.If your | | | | savings aren't enough, you can always book first |
| first flight is late and you miss the second, you | | | | class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer.Buying |
| may not get a refund, but it is still cheaper (every | | | | your plane tickets at least a week in advance is |
| time I checked) to just book a flight to Miami and | | | | usually cheaper. Also, there can be a dramatic |
| catch a flight to Quito without a reservation, thus | | | | difference (but not always) if your trip is over |
| avoiding this problem. This strategy is best for | | | | thirty days. You may want to cut it from 32 |
| those in towns without international airports. If | | | | days to 30 to save hundreds of dollars on your |
| you live in Miami, you already have cheap | | | | fare. Play with the dates on one of the websites |
| international airfare.Courier FlightsAs an air courier, | | | | mentioned. You never know what you might |
| you can get really cheap international plane tickets. | | | | discover.Want To Go Really Cheap?You can take |
| Courier companies ship material in the luggage | | | | a bus to a major city, if you don't live in one, and |
| space of an aircraft passenger because it can be | | | | then take an international flight from there to |
| quicker, cheaper, and more reliable than sending | | | | save quite a bit of money. My wife and I recently |
| the shipment unaccompanied, since checked | | | | went to Ecuador for six weeks. The cheapest |
| luggage bypasses many of the typical customs | | | | discount website plane tickets we could find were |
| delays. The courier company begins by purchasing | | | | $3400 for the two of us. By taking a bus to |
| airfare, and then they resell the plane tickets to | | | | Miami ($352 round-trip for 2), then flying from |
| you. In exchange for your luggage space, they | | | | there to Quito ($622 round-trip for 2), we saved |
| give you a discount on the airfare.An Example Of | | | | over $2400 - even after the taxi fare from the |
| A Courier FlightI saved over $150 on my plane | | | | bus station to the airport. That's a lot of money |
| tickets this way when I went to Ecuador the first | | | | to us, certainly worth an extra day-and-a-half on |
| time. I had to walk several suitcases of car parts | | | | a bus. (The whole six weeks cost less than |
| through customs, but there was a representative | | | | $2500.)The bottom line is that if you spend a few |
| of the courier company on either end, and I did | | | | minutes or an hour to do some research, you |
| get to look inside the luggage, so I knew what I | | | | might save hundreds of dollars. Good luck and |
| was carrying. I had to carry a plane propeller on | | | | happy travels.Steve Gillman first hit the road on |
| the return trip, but it wasn't too much trouble, | | | | his own when he was sixteen, and traveled alone |
| and made a good story.Limitations To Courier | | | | across the United States and Mexico at 17. Now |
| TravelYou generally can only be an air courier if | | | | 40, he continues to travel with his wife Ana, who |
| you travel alone. Once in a while, a courier | | | | he met in Ecuador. His website, Everything About |
| company will have opportunities for flights on or | | | | Travel has many of his travel stories, plus tips |
| near the same date. Otherwise, your travel | | | | and information on travel in the U.S. and other |
| partner can pay full fare on the same flight. You | | | | countries. Going on a volcano tour and camping at |
| also can usually only bring carry-on luggage, since | | | | Walmart are some of the more unique |
| the point is for the shipping company to use your | | | | experiences documented. |