Air travel in 2025 has come a long way.
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Despite the many ups and downs caused by the recent government shutdown and understaffing for both air traffic controllers and TSA agents, operations have evolved. Thanks to this year’s TSA updates, passengers don’t need to take off their shoes, while other security lines are fully automated thanks to CLEAR technology.
There are other changes in the pipeline, too, including over one billion in funding for the ATC and plans to minimize secondary security checks for international arrivals.
That being said, if you’re wondering how to save money booking flights, there’s one old-school trick in the book that still works. It’s not fool-proof, and it will only work at select airports—but it saved one flyer $100 on a recent trip between Tampa and New York.
Rather than pay $320 booking a round-trip online, she headed to the counter at the Tampa International Airport and booked the same flight for $227. She saved $100 by shaving off one-third of the ticket price. (Check out the full post from TripsWithKris.)
The big question—is this how to save money booking flights, or is it just a one-off?
How to save money booking flights by buying tickets at the airport
First, we need to differentiate how you buy flights. Personally, I always recommend buying direct from an airline when possible. Tickets are cheaper for legacy airlines, and customer service is a lot more streamlined. (That being said, it’s inevitable to buy tickets on a third-party site—which is fine, so long as you know the (unwritten) rules.)
But if you want to save even more, you can almost always buy plane tickets cheaper at the airport counter—even if you normally book direct on an airline’s website.
And it’s just as straightforward as it sounds. Head to the airport, find your preferred airline counter, then wait in line to speak with an agent. You can tell them if you have a specific flight in mind, or else they’ll let you know what’s available in a given date range and/or time range.
Then, voila, they’ll book the ticket for you—at a cheaper rate, too.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a viable option at every airport, nor with every airline. Let’s dig into the drawbacks.
Which airports & airlines let you save money by booking flights at the counter?
Here’s the catch: not all airports are as accessible and reliably empty as Tampa International Airport. If you want to save, you’ll be ‘paying’ with your time. Depending on gas prices and parking fees, you might not save that much—even if you manage to shave one-third off your ticket price, as in the TripsWithKris post.
Additionally, not all airlines offer cheaper rates when you book in person at the airport counter. Usually, cheaper tickets can only be booked with budget carriers, such as Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, and Breeze. They waive certain fees that can save you around $20-40.
Other times, you might luck out and nab a cheaper ticket—especially if a flight isn’t fully booked. That seems like the case with the TripsWithKris post in which the passenger saved $100 by booking at the airport. However, if guaranteeing a small $20-40 savings per ticket for budget flights seems like small fish, know that there are cases when it pays off big.
For example, if you’re traveling with a group or with your family, those $20-40 savings per ticket can add up. A group of six will save a minimum of $120 when booking tickets directly at the airport, which can go a long way for travelers on a shoestring budget.
