Over the last few years, some air carriers have focused on bare-bones “no frills” service to drive ticket prices down, while others have chosen to compete with more premium products.
CALABASAS, CALIF. – CheapAir.com has introduced a new way to shop for flights that gives travelers more visibility, control and flexibility than any other online booking site. The new experience simultaneously shops for basic and premium airfares, an industry first, and makes side-by-side comparisons of all available fares, amenities, and upgrades.
Among the new, first-of-its-kind features:
- CheapAir.com is the first to show travelers both the lowest fare and all available upgrades, for those who want more room or a better experience. For each flight leg, travelers can select any airfare or cabin, such as basic economy, premium economy, or business class; and combine these fares across different airlines to create the perfect itinerary.
- Details about inflight services have been radically enhanced so travelers have the answers to questions like: how big are the seats and how much legroom?; does this flight have WiFi and, if so, is it fast?; what kind of in flight entertainment is offered?; how much will it cost to check or carry-on a bag? All before the point of purchase.
- A first-of-its-kind "Compare" button that allows travelers to select up to 4 fare options (whether on the same or different flights) and do a side-by-side comparison of cost, flight times, convenience, bag fees, and amenities that apply for each airline ticket.
"There was a time when an airline seat was basically a commodity," said CheapAir CEO Jeff Klee. "A seat on one airline was pretty much the same as a seat on another. That's changed a lot, and now the differences in experience between two airlines or two fare brands can be huge."
Over the last few years, some air carriers have focused on bare-bones "no frills" service to drive ticket prices down, while others have chosen to compete with more premium products. Adding to the new complexities, many airlines now offer multiple "fare brands" on the same flight – for instance, by selling a lower "basic economy" fare for travelers willing to forgo advance seat selection; or offering a higher "premium economy" fare that provides more legroom and priority boarding. This differentiation has made it increasingly difficult for consumers to make apples to apples comparisons and understand exactly what they're buying.
To address this growing complexity, CheapAir.com has aggregated a giant database of airlines, planes, policies, and in-flight services to help its customers make better choices before buying. It is now easy to visually compare options: for example, identifying when you can save $20 by foregoing an advance seat assignment; or when you can upgrade to a better class of service for a relatively small fee.
As always, CheapAir.com flight purchases are eligible for our unique Price Drop Payback protection, offering up to $100 back if airfares go down after your purchase. Travelers can choose from a variety of payment options, including Bitcoin or a monthly installment plan, both 'firsts' from CheapAir.com.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
