Woman's Bid for Bargain Airfare by Buying Tickets At Airport Backfires: 'It's Much Cheaper Online!'
Amid claims that buying plane tickets at the airport rather than online is cheaper, a TikTok user tested it and left stunned at what happened next. Flying around the United States can be very expensive. Flights in Europe frequently cost less than $100, with a one-way ticket costing between €40 ($42.87) and €50 ($53.59) including all taxes, according to EuroNews. However, in the United States, a similar flight can cost hundreds of dollars. Given the high airfares, it's no surprise that passengers are looking for methods to save money on their vacations.
Recently, there has been chatter of a money-saving tip: buying plane tickets from the gate agent at the airport. Some claim to have gotten round-trip tickets for as little as $32 this way. Even a former airline employee claimed it was the lowest option. However, not everyone has found success with this strategy. TikTok user Jasmine (@jasminenicolebeauty) tried it and documented her experience in a video that has been viewed over 166,000 times.
"I went up to the counter and told the lady I wanted to buy plane tickets because I heard they're cheaper here than online," Jasmine explains. "But she told me that's not true." Despite her hopes, Jasmine let the agent search for the tickets she wanted. It turned out that buying them at the counter would have cost her much more than buying them online.
"She told me the price and it’s $500 more—$500 more!" Jasmine exclaimed. "I was like, 'It’s way cheaper online!' That lady laughed at me so hard. Like, I literally made that lady’s week, and I’m just like, 'It’s not funny, Susan.'"
Jasmine wrapped up her story by advising her viewers to stick to buying flights online. According to some comments, this might only apply to certain airlines.
"LOL it’s only Spirit and Frontier. So much cheaper, every time," one user noted.
"They say it’s for the budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit. Delta is not cheaper. Also has to be over a month out. This is what I heard. I don’t fly Spirit or Frontier," added another.
"It worked for me at Spirit," confirmed a third user. "Might be only certain airlines." Despite these nuances, many commenters shared similar experiences to Jasmine's.
"Girl, the same thing happened to me," one commenter shared. "It was more at the airport and I wasted my time driving there spending my gas and parking. Lol."
In January, a flight attendant advised against pursuing the industry owing to low compensation but TikTok user Michelle aka @anariesabroad had a different perspective. Working for Delta, she is open about the job's challenges: low pay and standby duty focused on customer service. Despite this, Michelle emphasizes the significant benefit of heavily reduced airfares, mentioning a $21 ticket to Sydney that was previously priced at $1,454 in economy. She happily explains that she is booking first class at this low price as well as saving $42 on a journey from Detroit to Seoul. Her passionate support for the job's travel rewards has resonated with other flight attendants, reinforcing the appeal despite the hurdles.
Follow Jasmine (@jasminenicolebeauty) for more such videos and content.