One of the biggest challenges a missionary may face is funding, and a huge part of the expense is the airfare. If your organization isn’t purchasing the tickets for you, then finding the best airfare will be up to you. However, it takes more than just searching on popular airline booking sites. There are certain strategies for finding the most affordable price.
1. Shop Around
The price of your flight will mainly be determined by factors like the number of stops, seat quality, destination, date of departure and return, and flight duration. Think of that song with the lyrics, “My mamma told me, ‘you gotta shop around.’” Indeed you do.
2. Try Destination Specialists
These are brokers that specialize in providing tickets to specific locations. Examples are Travelspears.com, destinationcebu.com, cheapflights.com, and travelsense.org – this one provides a directory of travel specialists. These destination specialists often have more buying power for specific locations over traditional booking agencies.
3. Check Airlines Directly
Traditional online booking sites like cheaptickets.com or expedia.com may, at times, have the cheapest price. However, these sites often tag on a booking charge for just buying it from the carrier that will be sending you on your mission. These sites can still be used to your advantage by using them as a search engine. When you input your departure and return flight information you’ll notice they have multiple carriers with multiple prices. You can simply note the cheapest airfare, go directly to that site and find it cheaper there.
4. Be Flexible with Dates
If you can be flexible with your dates of travel, your savings will be heavy. Cutting your trip a day shorter or even longer can save hundreds of dollars. Prices also differ for the time of day the flights depart. The flights that leave during the week are cheaper compared to weekend flights.
5. Buy in Advance
Buying in advance is another way to save money. Ideally the best time is 2-3 weeks in advance. I find that buying too far in advance is actually more expensive as ticket prices fluctuate like the stock market when departure time comes near. I’ve seen tickets drop suddenly the day before the flight when they want to fill the plane. However, when purchasing an international ticket, you don’t want to risk not getting a seat. Therefore, it might be better for peace of mind to go ahead and get it much earlier.
6. Try Neighboring Airports
Don’t stick to only one international airport. You may find neighboring airports, even a city or two away, are incredibly cheaper. Sure, your trip might take a little longer, but think of it as quality time to have a nice talk with someone or to chat with God about your upcoming journey.
7. Use Multiple Airlines
Airline prices are really tricky. Roundtrips are sometimes cheaper than one-ways. Don’t automatically stick with roundtrips with one airline. You may find a cheap one way ticket with one agency or airline on a specific day while finding a cheap flight with a totally different agency and airline for the return trip. You would think the agency would find the cheapest price both ways, but sometimes they can’t outprice their competition.
8. Pick up the Phone
With some effort, you may be surprised at the amount of money you can save on international airfare. Good research does take time, however. Also be aware that prices can change from one minute to the next. If you find your internet searching is making your bubble burst, calling the agencies and airlines may be the way to a cheaper airfare. You may even find that customer service reps become more helpful when you mention the purpose of your flight.
Photo by Freakland - フリークランド
No matter how healthy your lifestyle at home, traveling can be your #1 bane. Your routine immediately becomes non-existent, your menu consists of new and unusual foods, and your stress level has a tendency to blow through the roof. As impossible as it may seem, there are a few really simple ways to keep your body - and your mind - together in one, healthy piece.
On the flight there, the airports are teeming with bright signs for McDonalds, Wendy’s, Taco Bell - you name it - but you shouldn’t feel as if your only option is to consume your daily calorie allotment in one meal. It may require some thinking ahead, but pack a meal or two - like sandwich, an apple and some crackers - in your carry-on or in the car with you. Not only is this healthier for your body, but you will feel better than if you had scarfed down a burger, fries, and a 32 oz. soft drink between flights.
It’s a great idea to keep a water bottle with you while you are traveling. Dehydration causes your blood to thicken, again increasing the risk of blood clots, and can also intensify the effects of jet lag. Don’t feel like you have to chug a bottle at a time, but rather continually sip throughout the day. Do yourself a favor and avoid caffeine and alcohol also, as they speed up dehydration. In the new country, it is imperative to keep your body hydrated with water. In order to keep up your electrolytes, and enhance the taste of the water, it is a great idea to buy flavor packets to add to the bottles. On a recent trip to Africa, many of the team members got very ill, and those electrolyte packets really came in handy.
Besides the extreme stress of travel and how that affects your body, the changing time zones and jet lag can really push you over the edge and lower your immune system. Your best bet is to try to get as much sleep as you can, whenever you can. Some people I have talked to actually start adjusting to the new time zone a week before the trip. For me, I am too busy packing and getting ready to be that prepared. However, once on the plane, I try to sleep on a schedule that coordinates with the time zone I am heading to. I also just try to sleep anytime I can fit it in, because once there, sleep is sometimes hard to have time for with all the early wake-ups and in-country travel. 
for carry-ons luggage. All airlines have their own policies, but generally maximum size is measured by a single number - the sum of the total dimensions (L x W x H). For example, a common size limit is 45″ on domestic flights, which could be any combination of dimensions (eg. 24 x 14 x 9). Most airlines also allow for a single “personal item” in addition to one piece of carry-on luggage. Personal items would include things like laptops, cameras, umbrellas, purses, etc. Bear in mind that international airlines tend to be less lenient when enforcing their policies - which are often times more strict to begin with. Airlines also reserve the right to adjust their policies as they see fit, at any point in time, so be sure to check their website prior to each trip, noting their guidelines for size, weight and number of carry-on pieces. The last thing you want is to end up frantically unpacking and repacking on the floor of the airport to meet their airline’s restrictions.