"Buying time" to decide if you want to confirm a great deal can significantly reduce airfare anxiety.
Time is never so relative than when a spectacular low fare appears in the sky. They come and go at light speed. If only you could “go all Einstein” and hold back time relative to the opportunity.
Well, you can.
For as little as nothing, and not a lot more on many airlines, you can hold a great fleeting fare long enough to get yourself organized.
Long enough to see if the kid’s vacation syncs up. Long enough to shift that business meeting to a better time (or add it to the trip). Long enough to see if those relatives in Austria will let you stay in their chalet.
Why not lock in a few different airline tickets—say for different time windows or multiple destinations—and choose between them later?
Examples of How Good Fleeting Fares Can Be
Recently, FCF found Business Class fares from the East Coast to Europe starting at $1,959, Premium Economy Fares to Asia Starting at $1,486 on Cathay Pacific, and Business Class fares from the West Coast to Europe starting at $2,275.
OK, Show Me How It’s Done, Einstein
At FCF, we call it “Look, Lock, Book.” Find the fare, use a lock option (a fare hold can cost as little as $6.99 per reservation—American is even free, and KLM offers the hold for up to 14 days), and then book (or not) based on further research or confirmation with your travel companions and calendar or whatever else you factor into your plans.
You still have to have a quick trigger finger, and you also have to know the airlines and their rules for “Lock Options,” which give you time to decide on ticketing or passing.
Focus on the Airlines That Allow You to Lock-in Amazing Flash Fares
Look at the “lock” cost as insurance. Hold three tickets on British Airways for 72 hours and it will set you back $30—let’s say, one departing the first week of the month, one the second week, or one the following month. On United, the lock costs as little as $6.99 per reservation for three days—American’s and Iberia’s is free for up to 24 hours. British Airways and Lufthansa even refund the fee if you buy the ticket. One airline allows you two weeks to decide.
Most people don’t realize this. They see an amazing FCF fare and think to themselves, “I’m not ready yet, I won’t know my dates for a few more days,” and let the fare just pass on by.
Lock-Option-Friendly Airlines, Even on the Lowest Flash Fares
There are 13 major airline websites that will lock a reservation and guarantee the fare; the hold period generally depends on route and airline. The “lock option” goes by different names, depending on the airline, but they all come up during the booking process on eligible flights. Below is a rundown.
Air France: The “Time to Think” option (see the website screenshot below) comes up after you select your flights under “trip details” if it is offered on your itinerary. Cost: $20 per ticket and no refund. It guarantees the price for up to three days. The option also applies to First Class.
Airberlin: The “72-hour fare guarantee” option costs €15 per ticket. When FCF's lab did a test booking the cost was $20 per ticket. Search for the flights and check the box marked “guarantee the fare” before starting the booking process. Fees are non-refundable and the option must be booked 10 days before departure.
Air New Zealand: The “Fare Hold” option costs $35 per international U.S. reservation (not per ticket) and the carrier offers no refund. It guarantees the price for up to three days. If your itinerary is eligible, the "Hold this fare" button will appear at the bottom of the "Select your flights" screen.
All Nippon: The “Keep My Fare” option is good for up to 72 hours and costs $10 (no refund and no code-shares). The option comes up in the payment screen after selecting your flight and fare. Valid for both Business and First Class.
American: The “Hold Your Reservation” option comes up on the review and pay page when offered and only if you book seven or more days prior to departure. It is free for up to 24 hours. The option also applies to First Class and 15 different oneworld code-share airlines. On some routes, American also offers an “Extended hold option” on AA flights for a fee (cost varies by route and is non-refundable).
British Airways: The “Hold Your Flight Price” option comes up after the price summary, when offered. The cost is $10 per ticket for a 72-hour hold. If you buy the ticket, you get a refund. The option also applies to partner flights on Iberia and in First Class on BA.
Cathay Pacific: The “Pay Later” option is good for 24 hours and is free. The fare is confirmed, however, taxes, fees, and carrier surcharges are subject to change. Valid for both Business and First Class.
Iberia: The “Need more time to decide” option comes up after the trip summary and passenger information. You can hold the reservation for free for 24 hours or pay $10 per ticket for a 72-hour hold. The fee only applies if you do not buy the ticket.
KLM (the best hold program): The “Time to Think” option (€10 and €15 per ticket) comes up after you select your flights, when offered. When FCF did a test booking the cost was $20 per ticket, with no refund. The option lasts up to 14 days, depending on class of service and route. It also applies to code-share flights on Air France and Delta, which is significant because Delta does not have a Look-Lock-Book option. It’s a clever backdoor.
LATAM: The option is good for 24 hours and is free, if the reservation is made one week (or more) prior to departure.
Lufthansa: The “Reservation with price guarantee” option, when offered, is for 48 hours. Cost: €30 per reservation (when FCF did a test booking the cost was $39); also offered in First Class. The fee only applies if you do not buy the ticket. Not offered on partner/code-share flights.
SWISS: When making a booking, the “Hold the booking” option comes up after you select the flights and it is offered for up to 72 hours. Cost: $27 per reservation (no refund). It is also offered in First Class and valid on code-share flights (on United, for example) with the prefix LX.
United: The “FareLock” option (non-refundable) comes up after the trip summary, if offered, and starts at $6.99 per reservation for a three-day hold and $8.99 for a seven-day hold. Available on First Class bookings and mileage-award reservations. FareLock is not offered on partner/code-share flights.
General Cancellation Policy for Paid Tickets
Most airlines allow you to cancel without penalty and receive a full refund within 24 hours after you purchase your ticket, by
. (By the Department of Transportation, which mandates that “U.S. and foreign air carriers allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty.”) Some airlines do however have advance reservation requirements (such as Alitalia, which requires at least a week prior to scheduled flight departure), so check with your airline for any restrictions on the 24-hour rule
View the Lock Options as a hedge against hesitating—the reason most of us lose a great fare—and never miss a great fare again.