I continue to fill the blog with general informational articles. Perhaps someday this will result in a separate FAQ on the topic of independent travel. I usually adhere to this plan - if a question is asked repeatedly, then an article on this topic is needed, so that next time I can simply answer with a link. This time about how to book a plane ticket, a kind of instructions for using the site.
And, yes, be sure to take a look, how to search for hotels through Roomguru, because until now not everyone even knows how a hotel search engine differs from a booking system.
The content of the article
- one What is Skyscanner and why you can't buy tickets there
- 2 How to book a plane ticket
- 3 Useful features for travelers
What is Skyscanner and why you can't buy tickets there
So, I often use the Skyscanner service to search for flights, so I'll tell you everything using his example. I like the interface there, and the prices ... Yes, and it so happened that I found out about it in the first place, I already got into the habit of using it. On other sites, the process for selecting and booking a ticket will be very similar..
Skyscanner is a flight search engine, or in other words, an aggregator, that is, it does not sell anything itself, but only shows the prices of tickets from many airlines. He does not take any commissions for using, but simply redirects you after searching and choosing a particular flight to the website of the airline or agency that sells these tickets. I'll tell you about this below..
Thus, all your monetary relations will be with the agency or with the airline, because they were the ones who sold you the ticket, not the Skyscanner. It is important to understand and pay attention to the site where you actually buy the ticket. And then newbies still address their questions to the search engine, and not to the agency..
How to book a plane ticket
Filling out the form
All important points in the photo, which I will talk about, are marked with red lines..
The first thing we see on the Skyscanner home page is a standard search form that includes departure points, destinations, and flight dates. Everything is clear and simple here. You can also see the offers in the block «Cheap tickets», it is below and to the right of the search form. Suddenly there is a direction that we just need. Or you can immediately fill out the search form.
Standard search form on the main page
searching results
For example, I need tickets from Moscow to Sochi. Fill out the form, click «To find» and I get the result in the form of a list of flights with prices. For example, I chose Moscow-Sochi and vice versa; there on August 1st, back on August 8th. The cheapest option from the proposed is 10151r from Pobeda. There are filters on the left in the search results, where you can choose a direct flight or with a connection, select specific airlines, an interval for departure time, maximum travel time (a handy thing for filtering too long flights, remember it).
Search results page
For each ticket option, there are links: under the price on the right - to the agency (or airline) where you can buy a ticket, under it a check «In real time» - means that the price is relevant right now. There are options that the price was updated so many hours ago. Below we see links to other agencies selling these tickets and on the left you can click More and see all the information about the selected ticket option.
Flight information
Flight information
By clicking More, we see all the details of the flight, as well as in which agencies what ticket prices.
You can buy either from an agency or from an airline. But the latter is not always offered. For example, in the case of Victory, Skyscanner suggests that you yourself see a link to it in the screenshot, and not just to ticket agencies.
Complete information on roundtrip flights
Buying a ticket
After finding the desired flight, follow the link to the agency or airline where you can book a plane ticket. There, the actions are simple - filling in the first and last name, choosing food and luggage (if any), and paying by credit card (a selection of maps for travel). By the way, in some agencies it is also possible to pay for a ticket with electronic money or in cash in an office or a communication salon, for example, in Euroset or Svyaznoy. The option with payment in the office is more relevant for Moscow, because most of the offices are there. But when buying on the airline's website, most likely, there will be no payment options at all, and they will offer to pay with a bank card only..
Before paying, make sure you read the rules for refunding tickets (usually cheap tickets are non-refundable), baggage rules (right here I have a little about it), chose food and places (if there is such an option).
Remember, you don't have to go from Skyscanner to agency websites and book a plane ticket. If the link to the airline is not specified, then you can manually find its website (we know its name from «Flight information»), and check the price for the desired date, whether it is different or not, and choose where it is cheaper.
Useful features for travelers
Search for tickets on the Price Calendar
A very handy thing about Skyscanner is the price calendar. Everyone knows that ticket prices can be very different within the next few days, let alone a whole month, so I generally keep quiet. Our departure is often not tied to any specific date, so you can pre-select the day that suits us best according to various criteria. You can choose either a month or a whole year. The calendar can be used for both one-way and round-trip flights, it works the same.
Let's try to find a flight to Sochi using the Calendar functionality. Let's take the month of August in the same way, but we will look at the prices for the whole month at once..
Flexible search
Since we have chosen there and back, the Calendar shows us two price blocks at once. Two price blocks («Departure» and «Roundtrip») and both for the month of August, as we chose. The bottom block is not very aptly named «Roundtrip», in fact, this is a return ticket.
Monthly price table
Please note that you can watch the search results in the format «table» (I like it the most), or in the form «The calendar». But the prices are shown the same, the difference is only in the visual display.
Monthly price calendar
After poking around a bit on different numbers, I chose August 16 and August 23. Both days are Sunday, that is, something has not changed much, and I will also stay in Sochi for a week in the same way (last time I searched for August 1 and 8, these were Saturdays). Now the ticket costs 8600 rubles (remember, when specifying the exact dates, the price was 10151 rubles). The savings seem to be small, but if you have a family of 5, then it will already be noticeable. And if you fly somewhere in Asia, where the ticket is 5 times more expensive, then the savings can come out corresponding.
As you can see in the screenshot, you can choose lower prices, but tickets will be on weekdays. If you don't care about the day of the week, you can always check and choose the cheapest option. And, pay attention, when you change the day of departure in the calendar, the prices for the return ticket, in the lower block, also change..
Selecting the date of departure and return in the price table
Search tickets by destination (country)
In addition to the calendar, SkyScanner has other features, for example, search in several cities at once. For example, you can search for flights from Moscow to Germany. This function is convenient to use when the city of arrival is not important. Suppose you are planning a route through Europe, and it does not matter to travel along it from Berlin or Dusseldorf. Or, on the contrary, the entire route can be sharpened for specific tickets..
Search for tickets by destination
After pressing the button «To find» we immediately see which cities in Germany for the selected number have the cheapest tickets and with which airlines. Now all that remains is to select the city of arrival, for example, Berlin.
Choice of destination and price
P.S. Cheap tickets for everyone and good travel!
