Benefits

• With the advent of the modern airline ticket, airports are now able to service an enormous number of people quickly and orderly. While airports can sometimes be a hassle to deal with, without airline tickets the experience would be much worse. Airline tickets are crucial in terms of knowing exactly who is on a certain flight. That information can be seen in real-time by both airline companies and certain government agencies.

The Facts

• Nearly 800 million Americans boarded flights in 2007. That number indicates an increase of approximately 50 million from 2006 and 150 million from 2000. Nearly all of these people utilized airline tickets while traveling. The number of Americans boarding flights is expected to reach one billion by 2016. While paper airline tickets might one day be totally replaced by electronic tickets, that total transformation isn't expected to be made for at least a few more years.

2. About Last Minute Airline Tickets

To get a great deal on a ticket, it used to be advised that you go to the airport, get listed on standby and get a great ticket for a cheap price. However, that is no longer the case. Since the airline industry has drastically changed, it's now best to turn to the Internet for help when unexpected plans or occurrences give you the need to fly immediately. Getting a last minute airline ticket is possible, but getting one cheaply requires a bit more strategy.

History

• Last minute airline tickets used to be given cheaply to customers on planes that were departing without booking up. This benefited the airline by selling seats that would otherwise go empty. However, increased security measures and changes in the system have pretty much eliminated that option for travelers. (Though you can still purchase an expensive last minute ticket.) To better arm yourself with a good deal, call the airlines in advances. Your airline of choice--especially if you are a frequent traveler--may cut you a special deal. It's more likely than not that you'll get a better deal by looking at comparison-based websites for a good deal on your last minute flight (see Resources below).

Function

• Compare if you want to get the best deal. There aren't very many websites that offer the continuous best deal. Priceline, Expedia and Orbitz are just some of the website that allow you to search for last minute deals. They let you switch airports to find a cheaper deal from a neighboring city, and they search all available airlines in their system. You can switch both your destination and departure airports around. Mixing and matching will lead to the best deals. Expect to take about a half an hour finding a deal. If your find something looks like a really great deal, it's advised that you snap it up. You might not be able to find it again on a second search. If you're not sure, keep looking.

Considerations

• You get the best deal on air travel if you plan a few months in advance. Airlines know that travelers in a jam will pay top dollar because they must book a flight. Giving yourself some negotiation room is ideal. If it's possible to defer your travel plans to a later time, do so. However, if your plans absolutely dictate that last minute airline tickets are needed, accept that you'll likely be paying more than twice the amount others are paying for a seat on the same flight. Even planning as little as 2 weeks in advance can lead to better deals.