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| Tips to Book Flights Securely Online
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| When booking flights online, you want to make sure you're spending money on a website that vigorously protects your privacy and has encryption protocols in place for you to securely purchase airline tickets. Here are the top tips on how to purchase airlines tickets safely. |
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| Tips to Book Flights Securely Online |
Published On: March 16th, 2009 |
- Purchasing airfare online is as much of a risk as giving your credit card number to someone over the phone or handing a waiter your credit card after a meal. There is a degree of faith you’re instilling in the individual you’re handing your credit card to. The same rules apply here. However, there is one GREAT advantage. By logging onto the travel website of your choosing, by carefully reviewing their website, you can find out if they are credible or not. On the homepage, look for travel associations they are in good standing with, i.e., IATAN, TIA and ASTA. Read their Privacy Policy to find out if they encrypt your information and how they use your information.
- Make sure the website you are booking flights on is in good standing with IATAN, TIA and ASTA. IATAN (International Air Transport Association) is a non-profit organization with over 25-years in the travel industry. The mission of IATAN is to administer meaningful and impartial business standards that benefit the travel industry. TIA (Travel Industry Association) is a non-profit trade organization representing the common interests of the US travel industry. ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) is over 75-years old and is the world's largest association of travel professionals. ASTA is dedicated to travel agents and the traveling public.
- When you book travel with an OTA (Online Travel Agency), it is important to choose a reputable website like CheapOair. We request certain personally identifiable information when you make a purchase. You might be asked to provide your name, email address and shipping address. Additionally, your credit card number and expiration date. When you enter sensitive information, such as your credit card number, speaking on behalf of CheapOair only, it is encrypted using (SSL). Equally important to note is that your private information is used solely for billing purposes to process your order. The information is not shared, sold or disclosed to anyone for any purpose whatsoever. Whatever website you choose to book airlines tickets on, whether it’s an OTA or a travel search engine like TripMama.com, be sure you read the Privacy Policy.
- After reading the Privacy Policy, feeling confident about making your purchase, when doing so, as soon as you click "Book", the URL in your browser will read https://. Https:// refers to a secure protocol like, SSL. This means that you are now on a page that will encrypt all of your information. Another identifiable mark would be a padlock in the bottom of your browser, or a banner that reads "Secure SSL Encrypted Transaction verified by VeriSign and TRUST-E" or other well known security companies.
- Not all reviews were created equally, as the saying goes. Often times reviews in forums, blogs and similar websites are skewed or made up. Not all, but a majority of them are. If a company has been in business for three-years or more and they are in good standing with the aforementioned travel associations and their Privacy Policy states encryption and privacy protection, they are most likely to be a reputable company. If you’re still uncertain about making a booking, contact customer service and tell them what your concerns are. If they get back to you within 24-hours addressing your concerns and sharing a bit about the company with you, they are likely to be a reputable organization with the best intentions.
Millions of people spend money safely online every single day. The travel industry has a reputation for being one of the safest in online transactions. |
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*The 15 USD off offer is on our transaction service fees only, the discount varies based on the transaction service fees charged for that ticket, and the value of discount will be up to the amount of the service fees charged for that transaction or USD 15 per transaction which ever is less. You must use the coupon code upon check out to avail this offer. This offer may be revised or dis-continued without notice.
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