I get asked all the time about how to get the cheapest fares for Grand Canyon flights. Well, it's pretty simple. The first step is to book it online and from there the savings spring eternal.

Without oversimplifying the process, here are the primary reasons why...

Tour operators make their lowest rates available on their websites. They have always done this, so you can be confident they will be doing it when you are ready to book your tour.

Specials

But why would they do it? Because they have real-time access to their inventory. Thus if they need to fill seats on a particular flight, they offer it as a special. This happens more often than you might think since they need to fill new tours and aircraft "out of the hangar" too.

Plus, it is a cost issue. Self-serve booking costs tour operators less money so they pass the savings onto you. How so? Well, it costs the operator money (and a commission) if you call it in to a live person. And believe me, the cost of that phone interaction will be passed on to you as a booking fee or a consult fee (I'm seeing this more frequently than ever).

Something else you want to consider is if you buy your tour online, the operator will probably pressure you to upgrade your tour to a more expensive one. Once you have researched the tours, you probably know what you want and don't want to listen to a high pressure sales pitch. Booking by phone might be aggravating. That's just the way the sales industry works. Just avoid all that and book your tour on the internet, you can always call support later if you need clarification on your tour.

Safety Issues

I get lots of questions, too, about whether or not it's safe to book online. My answer is a resounding "yes." Travel websites are secure and your information is always protected. In fact, I find that booking online allows me to create a "paper trail." So just print out your receipts and your tour information and take them with you so you can avoid any issues.

If you have a smart phone, digital documents are even more handy because you don't need a printer. Right now, I receive all my email on my smart phone, which is great because I can access it right then and there at check in or en route to the airport. That is the ultimate in convenience and organization that is extremely helpful when you travel.

No matter what kind of air tour you want to take to the Grand Canyon, you can book it online. Keep in mind the tours depart from Vegas and Tusayan in Arizona. The choppers that leave out of Vegas only go to the West Rim but the planes go to both rims. When you begin your tour in Tusayan, you can only fly over the South Rim, but you can do it by airplane or helicopter. There are no tours that allow you to fly between the South and West Rims.

Wrap Up

You will love your trip to the Grand Canyon and hopefully, this article will help you save money on your tour. Just remember to pay for your tour online on the tour operator's website. Otherwise, you will lose the Internet discount and you will pay more for your tour than you need to. The only thing better than taking a thrilling flight over the Grand Canyon is saving money on the tour!