When buying an airline ticket, your first instinct may be to just grab the cheapest fare. But wait! That may not be the best idea. Obviously, price is always a consideration when you travel, but Travelhammer recommends you shop for low price first and then review the other considerations listed below. In many cases, you can achieve a low price and a safe, on-time, and comfortable flight as well. If you put in the research time up front, your reward will be a smooth travel experience.

Safety Record
Be sure to consider the safety record of an airline. Safety is an important part of the airline value you're paying for, and Travelhammer recommends that airlines that spend more time and money to ensure passenger safety should be rewarded with increased business.

On-Time Rating
Some airlines have much higher on-time arrival rates than others. For the latest statistics, check the Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report. Note that the Department of Transportation counts a flight as "on time" if it operated less than 15 minutes after the scheduled time shown in the airline's computerized reservations system.

Frequency of Flights To and From Your Location
This is a very important item given the number of denied boardings which occur everyday at U.S. airports. Simply put, the more flights from your departure point to your arrival point, the better chance you have of getting to your destination should the unforeseen occur. In addition, if your travel plans change, you will have several possible alternative flights.

Denied Boarding Rules
It is important to understand what your basic rights are if you are bumped from a flight. The Department of Transportation maintains federal regulations which apply to all U.S. air carriers. Once you have the bare-bones facts, find out what your carrier is willing to do for you above and beyond Uncle Sam's requirements. You can either phone the airline and run through a few scenarios, or you can visit the airline's web site. (Routes International offers links to nearly all airline Web sites.)

Baggage Handling Agreements
If your flight itinerary involves more than one airline, it's important to know that some airlines do not participate in what are known as "inter-airline baggage handling agreements."

For example, if you are booked on a Southwest Airlines flight to Phoenix and then connect to a United Airlines flight to San Francisco, you must claim your luggage from Southwest when you reach Los Angeles. Then you have to check in your luggage at the United ticket counter. This airline-switching scenario may save you money, but the best time to make use of such a strategy is when all your baggage is carry-on only. Having to wait for your luggage may cause you to miss your connecting flight.

Ask your airline if they participate in inter-airline baggage handling agreements.

Mileage Program
If you're looking for a free flight, loyalty pays. If you are a member of an airline mileage program, or have one or more airline credit cards you would like to earn points on, this should be a factor in deciding on an airline. However, the money you'll save on a particular flight may need to override your quest for those additional miles. It all depends on your situation. If you're just a couple of miles from that trip to Australia, it may be worth it to shell out a few extra dollars, but avoid spending a lot of extra money just to get points. Many airlines will allow you to buy frequent flyer points anyway. Find out what those points would cost you and simply do the math.

See the section on mileage programs for more information.

Assigned Seating
This is a personal decision. Some people prefer pre-assigned seating and others like festival-style, first-come-first-served seating arrangements. If this is an issue for you, find out what type of seating is provided on the flight you're interested in.

Seat Location Availability
Check seat location availability for the flight you need. If having a window or an aisle seat is a deal breaker, make sure to consider this.

Lost Luggage Track Record
Losing your luggage can foul up any trip. There is a big difference between airlines in the quality of these services. In fact, some airlines contract out their baggage-handling services to a third-party company. Request and review the contract of carriage with the airline you are about to book on. Airlines are trying to limit their financial liability in this area, so check the airline's track record and find out what it will do for you in case your luggage becomes another statistic. To obtain a full copy of an individual airline's contract of carriage, either call the airline and request a copy, or check the airline's Web site for the information.

For the latest lost luggage statistics by airline, check the Department of Transportation's Air Travel Consumer Report.

Inter-Airline Ticket Agreements
Does the airline you want to travel on participate in inter-airline ticket acceptance agreements? This means that if you need to switch from one airline to another, for whatever reason, you can do so more quickly and easily. Most airlines participate in some type of agreement, but carriers such as Southwest Airlines prefer to play by themselves. If these inter-airline agreements are not available on a given airline, you have a greater chance of being left high and dry if an entire airline goes on strike or shuts down.

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