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There have been a number of myths going around about how to shop for airline travel tickets. However, the fact remains that looking for the best airfare deal is not an exact science due to the number of influences affecting pricing decisions by airline companies. Therefore, the first step towards getting that best airfare deal is having a clear understanding of the myths and realities surrounding airline travel purchasing and pricing.

Passengers are looking for tickets with the lowest airfare while airline companies aim to make a profit . While this statement sounds rational and true, the following myths about airline travel ticket shopping is based on fallacy:

Myth #1. Ticket prices on a flight are all the same no matter where you sit. When an airline company posts an advertisement about cheap airline seats, chances are they are referring to only ten percent of the total seats in a flight. For example, a Boeing 747 with a capacity of 420 will have 42 seats (more or less) allocated for the promo. Meanwhile, the remaining seats are distributed to at least eight (8) price levels. Basically, the person sitting next to you might have paid more or less than what you did.

Myth #2. Wait for the last minute to get the best deal. This idea works on the premise that since airlines want to fill up seats before the date of departure, it will offer the lowest prices at the last minute. However, last-minute deals have been an old trick since airlines are mostly packed nowadays. It is rare for a flight not to be filled up and most airlines offer their cheapest seats as early as four months before the departure date. On the other hand, never attempt to buy tickets too early since price variations would ruin your expectations. The only exception would be during major holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, wherein buying a ticket early would be the only logical option.

Myth #3. Always buy your ticket on a Tuesday. It is normal for an airline to change their domestic airfare prices three times on weekdays and once on weekends. Therefore, purchasing a ticket on a Tuesday is not an assurance that you got it on a discount. Here's the rule: most people do not usually fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays based on trending statistics and thus, tickets might really sell cheaper so that ticket sales will increase. Meanwhile, flying on a Sunday will most likely to cost you the most.

Myth #4. You can always choose to buy a one way ticket. While it is basically cheaper to buy a one-way airline travel ticket, this mostly happens on domestic flights. When traveling internationally, some countries might prevent entry if you do not have a round trip ticket due to immigration laws.