Everything you need to know about booking an airline ticket in 2025 -- Part 2
From calling a travel agent to clicking an airline site to chatting with an AI, there are many ways to book air travel. Perhaps too many. But is there a best way to buy airline tickets?
Here’s a guide to help you sort buying an airplane ticket out. This story was originally written as a single story. As editor, I have broken this down to three parts which will run during the entire week. Enjoy, read, and learn, hopefully.
What’s the outlook for air travel in 2025?
It’s hard to find anyone who thinks 2025 will not break records for air travel. It happened in 2024, and barring a catastrophic event or another pandemic, it will happen again this year.
Airfares will rise by less than one percent in 2025, according to a prediction by CWT and the Global Business Travel Association.
From a customer service perspective, my advocacy team and I are seeing much more use of artificial intelligence, especially in booking and customer service. While that’s not necessarily bad, I’ve noticed that AIs frequently overlook things that a human wouldn’t, like obvious refund errors or scheduling discrepancies.
Never be shy to request a human agent when you’re talking to a chatbot.
I’m getting married, and I can’t wait to take my husband’s last name. Should I do that before my honeymoon?
No. Wait until after your honeymoon. I’ve lost count of the number of times a devastated newlywed contacted me, asking for help changing the name on her ticket back to her maiden name, so she could catch a flight to her honeymoon. Some airlines will change the last name as a courtesy, if you can show a marriage license — but don’t count on it. Always book the name on your passport.
I’m not a frequent flier. What do I need to know about air travel?
If you only fly occasionally, you might be in for a surprise the next time you board a plane. Here are a few of the recent changes you’ll notice:
Air travel is “commoditized”
There’s virtually no difference between airlines if you’re flying in economy class. This is called commoditization, and it’s perhaps the biggest change since the industry was deregulated in 1978 during the Carter administration. As far as passengers are concerned, a seat is a seat. Unfortunately, this removes some of the motivation to create a better economy class section. In the minds of many air travelers, it’s a race to the bottom, with narrow, uncomfortable seats and no legroom as the industry standard. Today, while the planes are usually the same, Delta or JetBlue tend to have slightly more space in economy class than budget carriers. Some airlines have begun trying to monetize on-board features such as adequate legroom or early boarding and squeeze even more revenue out of passengers.
Most tickets come with lots of limitations
Most airline tickets are super restrictive. If you want to make a change on some tickets, you’ll pay a $100 to $200 fee plus any fare difference. You can’t easily correct the name on a reservation, sometimes even to fix a typographical error. If you miss your flight, the airline will offer to put you on the next flight if you buy a new ticket. These restrictions are bound to get even tighter as airlines come up with new ways to create more revenue. Airlines sell unrestricted tickets, but they are often two to three times more expensive than a restricted ticket. Typically, the only folks who can afford them are business travelers.
There’s a fee for almost everything
Airlines used to earn most of their revenue from the sale of tickets. But today, in part because of competition, higher fuel prices, and changing business models, airlines generate a sizable portion of their profits through fees. You’ll probably pay extra to check your bags, and maybe for an advance seat assignment. Meals are also extra if you’re sitting in economy class on a domestic flight. While some airlines will do their best to disclose all surcharges as early in the booking process as possible, others try to profit through “gotcha” fees added after you’ve made your purchase. You should assume that everything will cost extra.
What if you’re stuck with a “nuisance” fee?
Airlines have added a series of fees that passengers find highly annoying. These include fees for advance seat reservations, for special seat assignments, or for the first piece of luggage. You can negotiate these fees. For example, you can easily avoid the luggage fee by carrying your bag on the plane with you. You'll usually get a complimentary gate check if there’s no room in the overhead bins. (A better solution, however, would be to pack light.)
How do I find the best economy-class seat?
If you want an edge on those airlines that think one size fits all, you’re in luck. Sites such as Seat Expert and Seat Gurucan tell you exactly how much space (in inches) there is between seats on all airlines as well as the seat width.
What’s a preflight checklist? Why do I need one?
Before you fly, here’s an essential checklist. Ignore these basics and you might not be able to fly.
Is your name spelled correctly?
Are the dates right? Are your times correct? (AM or PM)
Do you have a confirmation number, and/or have you confirmed the flight with your agent or airline?
Do the airline and travel agent have your most up-to-date contact information?
Have you verified where your flight is leaving from and which airline is operating it? (Some flights are “codeshare” flight operated by another airline, operating out of a different terminal.)
Is it OK to miss a leg of my flight?
Generally, no. Most airlines will automatically cancel all remaining flight bookings in your itinerary if you miss one flight segment, even if it was not your fault that you couldn’t catch the flight. If you miss one segment, let the airline know so it can rebook you. If you don’t let it know, you may get stuck on a stopover and have to pay for a new full-fare ticket to continue your trip and return home.
What’s a contract of carriage, and why should I care about it?
A contract of carriage, sometimes also referred to as the conditions of carriage, is the legal agreement between you and the airline. It is by far the most important reference when it comes to your rights as an air traveler.
The contract usually comes in at least two flavors: the domestic contract, which regulates U.S. flights, and the international contract. These are legally binding contracts. The U.S. government requires airlines to follow them, although it doesn’t set them. In other words, if an airline says it will offer a hotel room to passengers on a delayed flight, then the carrier must do so, although the government doesn’t say it must put that provision in the contract. Additionally, a ticket tariff — that’s the fine print in the actual ticket — informs you of other restrictions, and federal laws and regulations may also apply. But the contract is key.
Christopher Elliott
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.