Posted by As winter approaches, thereโs been growing interest in overseas travel.๐ฅ This is the moment everyone’s been waiting for! Thereโs a lot of people who are thinking about where to travel to and digging through various ticketing websites. The biggest concern most people have is the expensive price of plane tickets. With the high exchange rates, weโre all wishing we had saved up more money to spend on traveling. ๐
These days, the second you see a discounted ticket price, itโs natural to want to automatically book the flight. However, there are a few things to watch out for before buying cheap plane tickets. Aviation Fun Facts Part 13, brought to you by Incheon AirportโฆChecklist For Buying Tickets from Low-Cost Carriers.
We organized a checklist for you to see in one glance. Shall we explore each item?
โ Check whether checked baggage is included and what the weight restrictions are.
โ When using foreign airlines or travel agencies, apply to block dynamic currency conversion.
โ Check for automatic baggage transfer when booking transit flights.
1. Check whether checked baggage is included and what the weight restrictions are.
Check whether the ticket allows for baggage to be checked onto the plane.
In the case of low-cost airlines, you must check the weight limit for checked baggage.
Additional baggage purchases are cheaper when you pay for it with your flight together!
There’s one condition you should pay attention to when booking low-cost carrier plane tickets. It’s whether checked baggage is included. Baggage is divided into in-flight baggage and checked baggage.๐งณ Carry-on baggage literally means luggage you can carry onto the plane. Consigned baggage refers to luggage that you leave with the airline when you check in. On long flights with typically bigger luggage, most people check in their bags (aka checked baggage).
However, in the case of cheap plane tickets, checked baggage is often not included. In particular, you should check the conditions carefully when you use the cheapest option of a discounted ticket or fly with low-cost carriers (LCC). ๐ซ Before and after you make the reservation, you should check if “Includes checked baggage” is written on the ticket. If checked baggage is not included, you may have to pay additional fees! If you don’t have a lot of luggage and you can carry it on board, it would be much better to book a cheap flight with the condition of no checked baggage included.
One more thing to look at is the baggage weight limit. โ In the case of low-cost carriers, the weight standard for checked baggage is often lower. For example, when traveling to Japan, the free baggage allowance is less than 20kg for Korean Air’s general class, while for Jin Air, which is an LCC, the weight allowance is less than 15kg. Therefore, you should check the allowed weight for checked luggage in advance!
Of course, you can pay to have checked luggage on site. There is the downside that paying the fees on-site is more expensive than paying for checked luggage online in advance, so think it through! ๐ธ If possible, your best and cheapest bet would be to check how much your luggage would weigh and pay for it with the airfare together in advance.
2. When using foreign low-cost carriers or travel agencies, apply to block dynamic currency conversion.
Apply to block dynamic currency conversion before booking through foreign sites.
You can apply through your credit card company.
When you travel abroad, you often use foreign airlines and travel agencies. This is often the cheaper and more convenient option, especially due to time differences. There are also times when you need to take a plane between foreign countries.
In particular, if youโre comparing airfare through a global site such as SkyScanner, it often takes you to foreign sites. ๐ฅ At times like this, there is something to check for before making payment. Our second check list item for booking cheap flights: blocking dynamic currency conversion.
Blocking dynamic currency conversion (DCC) prioritizes making payments in the local currency of your travel destination and blocks payments from being made in Korean won. Why should you block DCC? This is because when you pay in Korean won, you will be charged double for exchange fees.๐ฒ There will be an additional fee of 3-8% of the total amount of the flight ticket. Blocking DCC keeps you from buying tickets at an unexpectedly higher price! Granted, it is sometimes cheaper to pay in won due to certain exchange rates. However, generally speaking, because of the extra service charges, it is usually better to pay in the local currency.
It is not difficult to block DCC! You can apply through your card company that you will use to pay for your flight ticket.๐ฆ You can call your credit card company or use their app to request for these changes. So don’t forget to apply before you book your flight!
3. Check for automatic baggage transfer when booking transit flights.
Check whether automatic baggage transfer is available when booking transit flights.
This service allows you to receive your luggage at one time at your final destination.
If automatic baggage transfer is not possible, be sure to secure enough time to pick up and re-check in your luggage.
In order to cut costs, some people buy non-direct transit flights โ. It’s especially useful when there aren’t many flights on a given route. However, there’s something to keep in mind when you book these low-cost transit flight tickets: checking โ whether automatic baggage transfer is possible.
When traveling with a stopover, automatic baggage transfer refers to receiving your luggage at once at the final destination. The luggage is automatically connected from your first to final flights. This is possible if you usually use the same airline, or if you use the same airline alliance like Sky Team for Korean Air or Star Alliance for Asiana Airlines.
Without automatic baggage transfer, you have to go through the inconvenience of picking up your baggage at your layover and checking in your baggage again.๐ฆ Therefore, when you book a low-cost flight ticket, you must check if there is automatic baggage transfer service for your transit! If this all sounds confusing to you, we recommend you to ask the airline youโre flying with any questions you have. In some cases, automatic baggage transfer is not available. This is when you have to consider the transfer schedule to allot time to find and check-in your luggage a second time. ๐ This is because if you book a flight with too short a transfer time, you may have the mishap of missing your flight!
Aviation Fun Facts Part 13! Today, we shared three things to check for before booking flights from a low-cost carrier. Rather than blindly buying tickets based only on cheap prices, you should factor in your travel conditions and schedule. In addition, it is often difficult to change dates or get a refund on special discounted tickets. You have to carefully consider various factors before booking. Well, thatโs it for this time! Weโll be back with more Aviation Fun Facts next time!