Is it cheaper to buy flights at the airport?

Does it cost less to buy a plane ticket at the airport?

Some airlines say yes, and some respond in denial when asked for an offline booking at the airport. The varying flight fares require you to compare the flight fares to find the best possible deal. However, when you buy a flight ticket at the airport, flexible fare calendars are not available for you to do so. You may buy flights at the airport to avoid the online service charges and the airline's fee for reservations. It has been a myth for so long that skipping the middleman will help them get cheaper flight deals at the airport.

However, there are no reasonable deductions you will witness in your overall invoice even after doing so. In fact, the prices may go even higher when you request an online reservation at the airport. The main reason behind this scenario is it has been out of trend to buy flight tickets offline and many airlines have shut off the product sales at the airport helpdesk, reserving them solely for customer support. 

Does it cost less to buy a plane ticket at the airport?

You might find cheaper flights when you book directly at the airport in cases where the airline is offering last-minute flight deals at the kiosk. However, that's a very rare opportunity and leaving it for that late might leave you with no possible booking option as well. Hence, the myth of skipping the middleman does not comply with airplane reservations. Go through the following comparison to understand why:

A Comparision between Online Plane Bookings and the one you buy at the Airport-

• Flexible Fare Calendar- Online airplane reservations can get you the additional benefit of comparing flight fares at a single window using the calendar showing multiple flight timings and transfer airports for the same destination. However, when you buy a plane ticket at the airport, you are just offered one price.
• Baggage Fee- Booking flights at the airport may incur an unnecessary baggage fee on your reservation. To avoid the excess baggage fee, it is suggested you reserve a flight through an airline's official website. 
• Manage Trip Services- You cannot get the change/ cancelation/ modification assistance for a flight ticket booked at the airport whereas the online website of an airline provides brief customer services. 
• Time Consumption- It takes a lot of time to go to the airport and book a flight looking for cheaper flight fares. This prolonged procedure can be avoided if you simply visit any online flight sales website for the reservations and customer support page.

Can you show up at the airport and get cheap flights?

Yes and No. Why the chaos? Because showing up directly at the airport to get a cheap flight might help you neglect the applicable online service fee, but not all airlines seek the same charges. You can request a cheap flight at the kiosk, however, there's no assurance if the requested flight is eligible for the last-minute deals at the airport or not. 

Can you just go to the airport and buy a ticket?

Yes, you can just go to the airport a buy a ticket if you follow the given procedure:

1. Arrive at the airport and find out the dedicated sales office of an airline. 
2. Request a flight for your decided itinerary. 
3. Check the price as per the airline's routine flight fares for the flight, this step is often skipped due to time shortage.
4. Pay at the airport and get your boarding pass. 

Do flights get cheaper as you get closer?

Flight fares do drop if you book last minute during the low-occupancy season as you get closer to the departure date. However, that scenario does not apply to all airlines and flights. Some flights also go overbooked, the others are flying at immensely expensive flight fares due to the high-class services they provide. 

Conclusion: Book Online to Buy a Cheap Flight Ticket

Booking a flight online is a relatively reliable, faster, and cheaper alternative to flight tickets you purchase at the kiosk. The last-minute flights you get at the online website are often sold cheaper than the base fare as per your status with the airline's frequent flyer program. Hence, many travel blogs and in fact, the airlines themselves suggest booking their flights online for a comfortable experience, and saving more money with last-minute deals at the online booking portal. Read more about What Time of the Day Is Best to Book the Cheap Flight?