In certain circumstances, it can definitely be worthwhile.
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any travelers are constantly on the lookout for ways to stretch their budget and get the best deals, especially on pricy airline tickets. Some save by booking travel a year in advance or closely tracking prices. Others pick their destination based on where they can get the best deal on tickets. Or, they might spend years saving up enough miles to cover a transatlantic flight. Travelers like Maria Pereira Dos Santos, a photographer and mother of five, take a different approach–they buy tickets at the airport to get the most bang for their buck.
Pereira Dos Santos, who lives in Austin, Texas, heads to the airport to make purchases so often that she says she practically has a PhD in buying airline tickets in person. “I started doing that because I lived close to an airport,” says Pereira Dos Santos, who discovered that it was often “so much cheaper” to buy tickets in person for her family of seven. .
Jesse Neugarten, CEO and Founder of Dollar Fight Club, confirms that “tickets can definitely be cheaper at the airport,” but cautions that this tactic only works for a handful of airlines and doesn’t make sense for everyone.
Which Airlines Can You Save With?
Saving money by booking tickets at the airport is possible, but only on certain airlines. “Ultra-low-cost carriers like Spirit, Frontier, Breeze, and Allegiant add extra fees when you book online,” Neugarten explains. These low-cost airlines often call these “passenger usage fees” or “technology development charges” and add them to the cost of your ticket when you check out, he says. According to Neugarten, “These online fees help airlines cover the costs of their booking platforms and keep their ticket prices looking low to attract buyers.”
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If you buy tickets in person, airlines can’t charge these fees, although the base price of the ticket will remain the same. “It’s not something they promote, but it’s there if you know about it,” Neugarten says. It’s typically possible to save between $18 and $25 per flight segment by making an in-person purchase, he explains.
Pereira Dos Santos has saved hundreds of dollars this way. Her biggest savings was about $40 per roundtrip ticket for her family of seven to travel between Texas and California. The savings of $280 was significant for her family. “Even the person at the counter didn’t believe how much cheaper it was” to buy the tickets in person, she says.
When Is It Worthwhile to Buy Tickets at the Airport?
Savings from buying tickets in person can add up. However, it only makes sense to head to the airport in search of a deal in a handful of circumstances. Pereira Dos Santos explains that she is never sure how much she will save before she arrives at the airport because fees for booking online vary. That makes it hard to determine exactly how much you will save in advance, but Pereira Dos Santos thinks the effort involved is “always worth it” since she is on a tight budget.
First, you shouldn’t consider trying to save money by buying tickets in person unless you are flying an ultra-low-cost carrier. Airlines like United, American, Delta, Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaiian don’t offer discounts for buying tickets in person, so it’s not worth going to the airport to try to save a few dollars. Moreover, airlines that are not ultra-low-cost may not have a way to sell tickets at the airport. Even if you are willing to pay full price, they will likely turn you away and direct you to their website or app to purchase tickets.
Second, if you are flying an ultra-low-cost carrier, it’s only worth buying tickets at the airport if the savings outweigh the costs. If you purchase a one-way ticket for a single traveler, you will likely save no more than $25. Gas and airport parking fees may cost more than you save. Because Pereira Dos Santos lives very close to an airport, it’s easy for her to buy tickets in person without paying a lot for gas or parking. However, the calculation might be different for someone else.
Third, the more flights you book, the greater the chance the savings will be worth the effort. Pereira Dos Santos almost always buys roundtrip tickets for seven people at a time, and savings add up quickly when buying multiple flights for such a large family. Neugarten agrees. “If you’re booking a round-trip flight with one connection, those fees can easily add up to $100 or more per person. That’s a solid chunk, especially if you’re traveling with family or friends,” he says.
Fourth, buying tickets at the airport is usually only worth the effort if you have time to spare. Getting tickets at a discount can be time-consuming. Moreover, in-person sales may only take place at inconvenient times. Many airlines only staff desks a few hours before flights depart.
“Timing matters, so make sure to check the airline’s ticket counter schedule beforehand,” Neugarten recommends. Pereira Dos Santos looks up flight times online and heads to the airport about two hours before a scheduled departure. However, she notes that airline staff have made her wait to buy tickets until they finished check-in for departing flights, which can take hours.
Fifth, getting the best deal may depend on how fast you can get to the airport. Neugarten emphasizes the importance of buying tickets as soon as possible after finding a flight that works for you: “Low-cost airlines have similar volatility to other airlines, so prices can change anytime.” If you wait a day or two to get your tickets, you may wind up paying more than you would have if you bought your tickets online as soon as you spotted a good price.
Sixth, it’s rarely possible to buy tickets for less at the airport outside of the United States, according to Michael Soud, an international attorney and co-founder of Travel Insighter. That said, you may occasionally get lucky with low-cost airlines abroad. Lauren Gumport with Faye Travel Insurance once got a same-day ticket on Blue Bird Airways from Athens, Greece, to Tel Aviv, Israel, for “a reasonable rate compared to what the price had been online a day before.” Although Gumport saved about $200, she says that she “wouldn’t bank on this tactic” and notes that she purchased her ticket after check-in for her flight was nearly complete. That’s often too close for comfort for most people.
How Can I Buy Tickets at the Airport?
If buying tickets in person is right for you, “the process is simple,” Neugarten says. He suggests researching your flight online and noting the dates, times, and costs. Then, he recommends heading to the airline’s ticket counter during their operating hours. Once you arrive, let the agent know you’re booking directly to avoid online fees and confirm your flight details. Pereira Dos Santos has never been turned away, but she says that airline staff have occasionally tried to refuse to sell her tickets in person. When this happens, she stands firm until she finds someone willing to help her.
