Air Travel Tips
Welcome to Air Brokers International Travel Tips. In this section you will find information on the following topics. You may use these hyperlinks to immediately jump to items of interest or scroll down the page to view all of the information.
FLIGHT CONFIRMATION
All international flight reservations must be reconfirmed at least 72 hours before departure. Not complying with this rule may result in cancellation of your reservations.
FLIGHT CHECK-IN
International Flights - check in at least two hours before departure time
Domestic Flights - check in at least one hour before departure time
ROUTINGS
Routings are mere samples of the most interesting and economical ways of around the world travel. We will be more than happy to assist you with your personalized itinerary. There are multiple possibilities on our Circle the Globe or Circle the Pacific programs.
TICKET PRICES AND PROCEDURES
The prices mentioned herein are based on low season and subject to change without prior notice. It is highly recommended that you purchase your tickets as soon as possible and as a general rule, at least one month prior to departure. Remember, by purchasing well in advance, you will secure the cost of your ticket since airfares can change at any time. After you have been ticketed, you are not subject to any price increases. Please note, airfares do not include surface transportation expenses.
The most economic fares are from the major east or west coast cities. Any other major city can be a departure or end point but will alter the fare. For issuing certain tickets, a copy of your passport may be required.
Please make copies of all your tickets prior to departure and keep them separate from your tickets so that you'll have a record in case of loss or theft. Upon loss or theft of your tickets please obtain a police report and contact Air Brokers International, Inc. as soon as possible. Make sure you will have the copies of your tickets available at this time.
RESERVING FLIGHTS
The first trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific crossing must be reserved, and in some cases, so must the final leg. Changes to these reservations might incur a penalty. Reserve the legs of your trip through your travel counselor, depending on your preference, season of travel, or length of stay. Be sure to check with each individual airline for their policy. If you have a reservation you are not going to use, be sure to cancel it to avoid any penalties.
TRAVEL WARNINGS AND CONSULAR INFORMATION
See foreign travel information for American citizens.
EUROPEAN RAIL PASSES
A Rail Europe pass will allow you to travel on any train in most countries in Western Europe and Hungary, excluding Great Britain and Northern Ireland. There are various rail passes available for travel throughout seventeen countries in Europe; Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Also for less money, there are Europasses available for traveling through the following five European countries: France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. You can add other countries to this pass for a surcharge. All the above passes are in first class. Discounted youth passes for second class are available for those under the age of 26 on their first day of travel. There are also savings for people traveling together, please check with your agent for the current fares.
AIR PASSES
Also available are air passes for flights within a country. These are normally sold only outside of the country you wish to travel to. Ask your travel counselor if these are available in your destination countries.
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
For most destinations we can book your hotel reservations at a reduced rate. Be advised that for certain destinations, such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and major European cities, reservations in advance are strongly advised. Dates on hotel vouchers cannot be changed. Cancellations or changes are subject to penalties.
IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS
Immunization certificates are only demanded these days if traveling to or from an infected area. However, if you are traveling off the beaten track and in tropical areas, certain vaccinations are strongly recommended.
Recommended vaccinations for tropical areas are typhoid, yellow fever, cholera and hepatitis. Immunization can protect you from these diseases that are practically nonexistent at home. Malaria prevention is a must for all travelers visiting tropical areas, and for some tropical areas, quinine is not the adequate medication. Please contact your physician for advice on the necessary inoculations. Do not leave this matter to the last moment, as a full course of inoculations in some cases can take up to three months.
For accurate up to date information visit the Traveler's Health section of the Center for Disease Control website.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
Get your paperwork together for around the world travel as soon as your plans are set. Once you know where you're going and roughly how long you're staying, you can research what kind of documents you need for each destination. It's very important to check all of your documents before your trip.
Passport
Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months following your return from the trip. It is advisable to carry a few passport photos during your travels. For more information regarding passport documents, visit: Frequently asked questions regarding passports and citizenship documents for U.S. Citizens.
International Visas
For US passport holders, see Foreign Entry Requirements.
For non-US citizens: see Foreign Entry Requirements, and consult the nearest embassy of the country you plan to visit. For the most up-to-date information, inquire at the appropriate embassies or consulates.
For travel to Australia, Air Brokers can work with ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) for visas via telephone and email for a nominal fee. This results in a tourist visa valid for one year allowing visits of up to 3 months in length at a time, and it allows you to have it taken care of without the paperwork or hassle of dealing with the Australian embassy yourself.
Onward Tickets
This is very important since the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Travelers used to be able to buy tickets elsewhere in the world to continue their travel. For example, after flying from San Francisco to Thailand, one could purchase a ticket in Thailand to fly to Bali. But things have changed. There is no country left where you can arrive on a one-way ticket unless you have a permanent stay visa, a student visa or a work visa. You must arrive with an onward ticket - a ticket out of that country or region. If you anticipate an issue with this due to overland travel plans, ask your Air Brokers International, Inc. travel counselor to help you with a work-around.
