Need a Flight? Just Click Up the Lowest Fares

Looking for a cheap airline ticket? You can call a travel agency or check with the airlines, but a few minutes’ research with an on-line service can sometimes save hundreds of dollars.

Any airline reservation office or travel agent can get you a cheap fare if you’re willing to book the trip in advance and stay over a Saturday night. But, like other business travelers, I often don’t qualify for those excursion fares, designed to lure tourists with flexible travel plans.

While some travel agents and airline reservation clerks will go out of their way to find the lowest possible fare, I’ve had many of them quote full coach fare when, with a little research, I was able to find a cheaper ticket by using Eaasy Sabre, a travel reservation system that’s accessible via America Online, CompuServe, GEnie, Prodigy and other on-line services.

For example, I recently had to make a last-minute, midweek trip from San Francisco to Washington and back. I called a travel agent and an airline, and the best fare either could offer was $693 each way.

By doing my own on-line research, I found a fully refundable, one-way fare of $293--for a round trip savings of $800! Fares change often, so your experience may be different. In fairness, I should also note that my ticket required a change of planes, but it was worth it. Besides, it gave me a chance to recharge my laptop battery while I was on the ground.

On another trip, I used Eaasy Sabre to experiment with different routes. I couldn’t find a discount ticket from San Francisco to Hartford, but, by experimenting, I discovered that I could save a couple hundred dollars by buying a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Baltimore and a separate ticket to fly from Baltimore to Hartford. I probably could have found the same information by pestering a travel agent, but it would have required a very patient agent.

CompuServe users, who pay $8.95 a month for a basic subscription, get free unlimited access to Eaasy Sabre. Prodigy, GEnie and America Online subscribers pay an hourly fee (between $3 and $4) after they use up the monthly allotment of free on line time. Eaasy Sabre is operated by American Airlines but, as far as I can tell, it doesn’t discriminate in favor of American. It does, however, require that you have an American Airlines Advantage (frequent flier) number. With some airlines, such as Southwest, you can find schedule and fare information but you can’t make reservations.

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There are several ways to request information on Eaasy Sabre. For the best deal, you should use the Fares option. You just enter the dates of travel and the departure and destination cities and let the system display all available fares.

Once you find a fare, click on it to see any restrictions and available flights. The lowest fare might not work for you, but you can keep trying until you find one that does work. Finally, you can display a list of available flights and book a reservation. You can order your ticket on line (it will be sent by mail or an overnight service), but I usually pick it up at the airport or from a travel agent.

Another option is to start by looking at the schedule of available flights for your trip, choose a flight and let Eaasy Sabre’s “bargain finder� get you the best price.

The trouble with this method is that the flight you select may not offer the cheapest fare. The Fares option, or a little experimentation, is a better bet because it checks all flights into all area airports. When going to New York, for example, it might be cheaper to land at nearby Newark, N.J. than at Kennedy. Other metropolitan areas--San Francisco, Washington, Los Angeles, London and Paris--also offer a choice of airports.

After I book a reservation I generally call the airline to make sure it’s in their computer and to see if they can get me an even lower fare. Sometimes an airline or travel agent can advise you of a better deal, and an airline may have seats showing in its own computer that haven’t been released to Eaasy Sabre.

You can also use Eaasy Sabre to book a hotel or a car rental, although you can sometimes get a better rate by calling the hotel or car agency directly, especially if you qualify for a special discount.

Eaasy Sabre is one of many on-line travel resources. All of the on-line services operate travel bulletin boards, or forums, where you can post questions and exchange information and tips with fellow travelers or people who live in your destination city. You might even find a local resident willing to show you around, or maybe a traveling companion. You’ll also find hotel guides and restaurant reviews, tourist information and business travel data.