Travel businesses need to stay up-to-date on airline industry information if they want to run a successful business. Airlines make frequent changes to their rules and regulations and travel agents should quickly get this airline travel information to their customers.

Whether you want information about fare trends or extra charges, airline industry information resources help you learn what you need to know.

Airline industry research can help you:

1. Choose the best airlines to work with. You want to work with a company that has stable financials and fair rules. Search through airline industry resources to find this information for each airline and make a decision about who to work with.

2. Stay competitive. Travel customers are always looking for the best deal, so you need to stay on top of things. Airlines update their fares frequently and they can send you airline reports to let you know of changes.

3. Find new directions to take your business. As you learn more about the airline industry, you'll undoubtedly find ways that you can improve your business.

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

Go directly to the airlines for the most accurate airline industry information resources

When you want to learn about a particular airline company, there's no better place to look than the company's website. These sites will include information about the company's rules and regulations as well as offer detailed profiles of company information.

I recommend: Check out Continental or US Air to learn about these companies. Of course, there are several other airlines. To find other airlines' websites, visit the Federal Aviation Administration, which lists links to airlines' sites.

Sign up for programs that send you current airline travel information about fares

Since fares are changing all the time, you need a tool that will help you learn about fare increases or sales as soon as they happen. Sign up for a newsletter or program that will alert you to any changes.

I recommend: If you join United's MileagePlus program, you can get updated fares sent to your email. Southwest can send emails with fare sales, but they also have a downloadable program that allows you to learn about fare changes as they happen.

Purchase airline reports to learn more about the industry

Many market research firms publish reports about the airline industry to help you know what's going on and where you should take your business. These provide invaluable airline research at a reasonable price.

I recommend: The International Association of Travel Agents (IATA) offers airline market research to their members. You can also purchase an airline industry report from MarketResearch.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When you join professional organizations, you are able to network as well as get exclusive access to airline industry inside information. These airline industry information resources are usually well worth the price of membership.