When it comes to making online airlines reservations there are some terms that you should be familiar with so that you understand the terms and conditions of the tickets you are purchasing for personal business travel. These terms range the gambit on everything from cancellation policies to airport codes.

Take the time to learn a few of these terms in order to book the best ticket. Here are a few of those terms along with some helpful resources to help get you started.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Fare alert

A fare alert refers to a feature that allows members of an online airline reservation website to learn when a fare for a route they commonly travel has been posted or dropped in price. This allows the consumer to purchase the fare as soon as it becomes available. The fare alert service is free along with online registration to a particular airline reservation website.

I recommend: Visit the website for Expedia for a further explanation about how a fare alert works. Several online airline reservation systems have a fare alert feature for customers.

Web fares

Web fares are special prices available solely for purchase on the Internet through major airline carriers or online airline reservation systems. These flights are usually cheaper than flights booked via the phone because they are not subject to the surcharges for utilizing customer service.

I recommend: Visit the website for Travelocity for more information on how web fares work for online airline reservation systems.

Airport code

An airport code is a three letter code attached to a domestic or international airport. Most online airline reservation systems allow customers to input the abbreviated airport code when making a reservation. If a customer doesn't know the airport code, the website may ask for further clarification for a city like New York which has multiple airports.

I recommend: Visit the website for Orbitz for a comprehensive list of domestic and international airport codes.

Flight status notification

A flight status notification is a notice that is sent via email, text, recorded phone message or to a pager which informs the customer of the status of a flight. Sign-up for this service is usually available through the online reservation systems of major airlines.

I recommend: Visit the website for American Airlines for an example of how a flight status notification works. Many airlines now offer flight status notification to their customers.

Cancellation fee

The cancellation fee refers to a charge given to the customer by the airline due to canceling their trip before travel. Usually, if a trip is cancelled 24 hours prior to travel, the customer is refunded the fare less $75 to $150 depending on the airline. It's best to check the airline the ticket was booked through for the latest information.

I recommend: Visit the website for Delta for an example of their cancellation fee policy. These policies are common amongst the major airline carriers.

Frequent flyer programs

Frequent flyer programs are the generic terms for clubs offered by airlines for people who travel frequently on an airline for business or pleasure. Customers accumulate miles or points toward free travel or upgrades. Frequent flyer programs generally give more miles or points for flying in business or first class and have also partnered with hotels, credit cards and other entities to help the customer earn more miles toward rewards. When booking online travel reservations, check to see if you qualify for a reward. All of the major carriers allow customers to make an online reservation using their frequent flyer miles or points.

I recommend: Visit the website for Web Flyer. The website provides a comprehensive list of all the frequent flyer programs for the major domestic and international carriers. Simply select the airline carrier for the most up to date information.

As a business owner, depending on the type of industry you're in, flight travel is sometimes necessary and finding flight travel information online is a convenient option. As a business traveler, you must know how to seek out the best flight options to fit your needs. You can save time and money by planning your own airline travel. Booking online is simple once you discover exactly where to go on the Internet to obtain online airline reservation information to suit your needs.

Before researching online airline travel information, it's a good idea to know what your specific travel needs entail. Consider the following points when searching for information on flight travel online:

1. Obtain discount ticket pricing by comparing online sites that provide flight travel booking resources.

2. There are a number of online airline reservation booking companies that provide flight travel information.

3. Know the complete process of booking an online airline reservation to make booking flight online easier.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Collect airline travel information online from air travel portals that offer a number of resources

Flight travel information portals are a great place to begin your research to find flight travel online because they give you a wide listing of resources to choose from.

I recommend: Airport Explorer gives a listing of the best sites offering low-priced airfare for domestic and international flights. This flight travel portal also offers great flight travel searching tips.

Gather flight travel information online from specific online airline reservation providers

Find airline travel online from specific websites. The advent of Internet travel websites has made it even easier to search for flight information online. These online travel providers allow you to gather air travel information using specific search criteria. Many online travel websites also allow for hotel selections, rental cars and other travel needs.

I recommend: Build your trip by using Expedia, which allows you to search a flight by typing in search criteria such as dates, departure and arrival times, and the number of passengers. There are also options to book a flight together with a hotel or rental car to save money. Travelocity also allows you to provide flight information to search for a specific flight, offering $240 in savings for booking a flight and hotel together. Orbitz provides the same type of flight search system as Expedia and Travelocity with a variety of vacation packages. If you book a flight through Orbitz, you will receive an automatic cash refund if another customer books the same flight at a lower price.

Book an online airline reservation after completely knowing the online reservation process

Before booking your flight, ensure you've researched all of your flight options and how to reserve your flight online. Do price comparisons between an airline's website and an Internet travel site before booking a flight. The actual airline may offer the fare at a less expensive rate when reserving online than on an Internet travel site. In some instances, the airfare may be the same price. Most airlines have similar online reservation systems.

I recommend: United Airlines offers a variety of low fare options. If flying on United, go to its website and select the Book Travel tab. Select and type in all search criteria, then follow the prompts for each page to book your flight. Delta Airlines also offers low-priced airfare deals and has a similar flight booking interface.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make your online airline reservation three weeks or more in advance. Prices tend to rise when the reservation is less than 21 days away.

In looking for flight travel information online, most business travelers need to know how much the tickets will cost. Saving money on online airline reservations is a goal that most businesses strive to accomplish.

Fortunately, you don't need to have a personal online directory for flight travel to get the best deals when you want to book flights online. Instead, you just need to know a few insider tips. Theseinclude:

1. Booking early and shopping around for online airline travel information.

2. Using a consolidator to find flights online.

3. Signing up for fare alerts to get the latest info on flights online.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find basic advice for saving money on an online airline reservation

There are several simple ways that you can save money the next time you make an online airline reservation. First, be flexible with your travel dates. If you can fly during a slow season or during the middle of the week, then you will generally find cheaper fares. Second, shop around to different airlines and different travel websites. The same site might not always have the best deals. Third, plan ahead. Typically, you can save money by making your online reservation as early as possible.

I recommend: For more great tips, check out Helium. The website publishes a series of articles about saving money when making domestic and international airline reservations. Lazy Man and Money explains how to use online tools to save money when booking a ticket.

Use a consolidator to book an online airline reservation

A consolidator is an airline ticket wholesaler that gets a discounted rate in exchange for buying a large amount of seats. Some consolidators only sell to travel agents, but others sell to businesses and the general public. Consolidators are especially useful for deals on first class, business class, and last-minute tickets. But be aware--when using a consolidator, additional restrictions may apply, and the tickets are normally nonrefundable. Also, you may not be able to accumulate frequent flyer miles.

I recommend: The Independent Traveler has excellent tips on using a consolidator, including what questions to ask and how to find a reputable consolidator. On redOrbit.com, you'll find great details about how consolidators work, as well as their pros and cons.

Sign up for a fare-watching service to get discounted airline travel information online

Fare-watching services, also known as fare alerts, are a great way for you to easily find flight travel information online. Once you sign up for the service, it automatically notifies you when discounted airline tickets become available for the flight routes that you wish to travel. This helps ensure that you always have the latest online airline travel information.

I recommend: Smarter Travel Media and FareCompare.com provide fare alerts. Smarter Travel Media also explains how fare alerts work to get you discounted online airline reservation information.

An individual making an online airline reservation himself or herself versus utilizing the services of a travel agent or airline is becoming more common thanks to the internet and user friendly computer reservation systems. Computer reservation systems allow individuals to log onto the Internet, view info on flight travel online for various airlines, book travel that best suits their schedule and budget and continue with their daily routine. While this is convenient for the consumer, they are in the dark in terms of online airline reservation news and trends.

Examples of online airline travel information that travelers can gain insight include:

1. Knowing the latest on airline travel booking online

2. External factors affecting the airline industry

3. Online airline reservation global distribution systems

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stay current about news and trends on flight travel information online

The Internet is a great convenience in terms of allowing travelers to remain up to date on the latest in online airline reservations. Travelers can learn about updates and improvements made to airline reservations sites such as the ability to find flight travel online, create one's own travel package, carriers who recently added online reservation capabilities to their website, travel policies and notices which that may take effect due to inclement weather conditions such as winter storms or hurricanes and travel discounts.

I recommend: Book My Fun and American Airlines websites post information that is useful to travelers such as travel notices due to unfavorable weather conditions, flight status updates, expansion of in-flight internet service and travel deals.

Read about external factors impacting the online airline reservation travel industry

While the economy certainly has an impact on business and vacation airline travel within the United States, external forces such as the state of foreign economies and political unrest in certain areas of the world has a negative impact on the industry, as well as business practices of airlines that consumer watchdog groups may view as questionable.

I recommend: Travelport and Hospitality Net allow individuals to subscribe to email updates and newsletters that enable them to receive airline travel information online.

Subscribe to global distribution systems that serve as an online directory for flight travel

Global distribution systems function as an online airline reservation directory for multiple airlines, which provides information to travel agents and eventually to online travel sites due to the widespread use of the Internet by consumers. Subscribing to global distribution systems newsletters, emails and blogs allow individuals to keep up to date on issues affecting the airlines they patronize.

I recommend: Amadeus.net is a global distribution system for foreign carriers such as Air France and Lufthansa that maintains a blog informing individuals on news regarding the airline industry and their online airline reservation information that is utilized by Expedia, ebookers and Flights. American Airlines, as well as Expedia and Travelocity, utilize Sabre global distribution system.