Is It Cheaper To Buy Delta Tickets At Airport?
Purchasing Delta Airlines Tickets – Is it Less Expensive to Obtain Them at the Terminal?
One of the most frequently asked questions when choosing a flight is where it is cheaper to buy an airline ticket – at the airport ticket office on the Internet or by phone. In the case of Delta Airlines, the answer is usually negative – tickets are not cheaper when bought at the airport on the day of travel. For this, there are several reasons,
Advance Purchase Discounts Similarly to other major airlines, Delta has a large variety of fares with some of them being the lowest if tickets are bought in advance. They also provide quantity discounts that entail ticketing from one week to even several months before the flight. If you decide to buy your ticket at the airport on the day of travel, you will not be able to get these discounts. If you can still view available seats on your preferred flight, be assured that the last-minute walk-up fare will always be more expensive.
Lack of Competition One advantage of buying tickets either online or by phone is that you can compare the fares and the flight times of different airlines. This enables you to look for the most appropriate price. If you are to purchase your ticket at the airport, you lack the advantage of being able to compare it with other airlines and possibly get a better fare. Since you are at the Delta ticket counter, you can only buy a flight ticket from Delta Airlines company. Finally, there are no competing prices whereby direct purchase from the airline at the airport is possible.
Fee Differences Delta’s options such as checked baggage, seat selection, food and snacks during the flight, etc come with different charges, and the amount and rules on the charges differ depending on the location and time of booking. This is because tickets that are bought online or in advance are usually cheaper than those bought at the airport or on short notice. If you don’t, they are likely to charge you more of the other hidden costs that make up the total ticket price.
Supply and Demand The first thing that one has to learn as an economics student is that prices are determined by the forces of demand and supply. This is because when there are limited seats, as is normally the case for those who book their flights at the last minute, the cost is likely to be higher. This is the reason airlines exploit this demand by increasing the prices of flight tickets. That is why, when you look for flights on the Internet, book them several days or weeks before the flight, or when supply is high, the price is most likely to be lower. This is especially true when attempting to reserve a last-minute flight at a Delta airport ticket counter, as it is often accompanied by the high-priced “last seat” rate.
That being said, there are some rare situations where same-day airport purchases come at a lower cost:
Last-minute fare sales – This is another common sale type where the airlines offer a cutthroat rate on the seats of the particular flights that are about to leave in the next few hours. It is not uncommon to see this kind of sale where you get a great deal; however, you must have flexibility and be at the airport when this happens. However, this is quite unpredictable depending on the time and circumstances that one gets into.
– Although less common, airlines may offer very cheap tickets for the remaining seats on the flight on the same day for the flights departing in several hours. If you can be flexible and if you are at the airport once this form of sale is initiated, you might just get a good bargain. Of course, this is very dependent on the time and a lucky chance, though. Overbooking – To manage their risks and offer sensitive travelers seats, Delta and other airlines will offer deeply discounted standby tickets. Normally being advised only the flexible, standby tickets can at times mean big savings in airports.
– Delta and other airlines will offer low-cost tickets with the risk of getting a seat on an oversold flight a move that will appeal to some travelers. Generally used in only those cases where one is willing to take a call based on the availability of an operable date and time, standby tickets can at times lead to massive airport discounts. Same-day flight changes – If you have already booked a Delta flight and are no longer able to use the same flight, it is sometimes cheaper to make same-day airport changes to the itinerary as compared to making the same changes on the Internet ahead of time.
– If you have a booked Delta flight and it is no longer possible for you to attend it, changing your airport on the same day could cost you less than changing it online a day earlier. Airport agent discretion – The Delta agents at the airport ticket counters also have a bit of discretion when it comes to offering you a discounted fare in special circumstances if you politely request their help. Perhaps, your first flight was canceled, or has some other legitimate business to do that requires you to book the flight at the last minute. Asking an agent if they can give you a discount is never a bad idea though you should ensure that you do it politely.
Apart from the above cases, however, in most cases, it will be costly to buy Delta Airlines tickets at the airport as compared to online, via phone, or through a ticketing agency. When traveling by air, it is always advisable to use Delta or any other major airline; ensure you book your tickets well in advance to secure the best rates. Become a member of Delta and receive fare alerts or use the search engine of other providers to check when the sales and discounts have been posted.
If you are caught with a last-minute booking, check other airports in nearby cities or check for other airline companies such as Spirit and Frontier which offer some very low walkup fares. Do not carry heavy luggage as this attracts the checked bag fees which are also part of airport charges.
It is not cheap to buy a ticket on Delta Airlines especially when purchasing a walk-up full-fare ticket for a flight; however, it has Same Day Standby and Same Day Confirmed tickets that are cheaper for those who do not mind the flexibility that accompanies these tickets. Try to look up the different pricing Delta offers on the internet before going to the airport, so that one can haggle with the agents at the gate or ticketing counter if needed.
In sum, to get the best Delta fare, one needs to purchase flights in advance and online. Buy last minute at the airport only if there is no other option or if you are offered an amazing price that you simply cannot turn down. Thus, being an informed consumer, shopping around, and buying in advance remains the most effective strategy to find cheap Delta fare in almost all situations.
Book your Delta Airlines ticket now! Call +1 833-902-2090