Flying super cheap thanks to an ‘error’ when booking

here's how you do it

Chill in New York for 150 euros New York and flying to New Zealand for 300 euros impossible? Not really. Today I'm going to talk to you about error fares: mistakes in the system of an airline that allow you to fly to a top destination for a pittance.
If you're thinking: eh, error fare, sounds complicated and illegal, what does that actually mean? It's simply a flight fare that is incorrectly entered into the computer. Human error and such. And where people work, mistakes are made. Think of a missing zero, something with the wrong currency, or the absence of fuel costs. Mistakes that we travel enthusiasts can benefit from if we pay a little attention and strike like hyenas. And now I hear you thinking: sooo passport, I want that too. That’s possible, you know. Yes, really. And that's why, at many requests, a lesson on booking error fares for pros. Here's how you tackle it.

Tip 1: know where to look

There are countless sneaky whistleblower websites where computer geeks are searching day and night for errors in the system. Secretflying.com, Ticketspy.nl, and Weflycheap.nl are the most well-known. But also take a look at Fly4free.com, Flynous.com, Vakantiepiraten.nl, and ErrorFares.nl.

Tip 2: like the whole shebang on Facebook

And I'm talking about the whistleblower sites. This way you spot good deals faster. And also sign up for the newsletters and updates. There are even error fare alerts, just saying.

Tip 3: spread your chances

Yes, now it’s getting very much like Holland Casino, huh? But especially look at deals from other airports. Think Paris, think Brussels. Well, you have to be willing to make some effort, but if you fly from Brussels to Bali for 250 bucks, you won't think about it anymore. Right?

Tip 3: wait… wait… wait…

Think of the Jaws music here, tuudum. Tuudum. Tuudumdumdtudum AND STRIKE! No, but seriously: don’t think that the super good deals are flying at you every two days, because mistakes of this magnitude are not made daily.

Tip 4: BOOK IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING

Don't think, don't call friend X for an extensive ‘yes/no, can we get time off’ discussion. DO NOT call the airline to ask if the deal is real and will go through, because at an average office of an airline the SHIT has hit the fan right now and they are doing everything they can to correct the wrong prices as quickly as possible.

Tip 5: wait a little longer before making really big plans

Booking hotels, renting cars, planning excursions? Don't do that just yet. Only when the status of the flight changes to ‘confirmed’ do you know for sure that the airline is taking its loss (poor them) and your ticket won't be declared invalid (happy you).

Finally, just something to keep in mind: error fares give you passenger no rights. It's purely luck, and if you come across one, your trip is only final when you actually receive notification about it. You also cannot claim your tickets if the airline unexpectedly finds out that the tickets were sold for a pittance. Extra tip: always book with your credit card, this way the chance of getting your money back is greater. Good luck, secret cyber friends! And if you come across something insane (to Tokyo for a tenner or something), keep it to yourself and book it. Fast. Possible. Every man for himself and God for us all. Amen.

P.S.: Okay okay, in the specific Tokyo case, an email to kiki@amayzine.com would be quite appreciated, buddy. Goodness.