Name does not match the passport
Different romanisation, reversed name order, or an omitted middle name. On international tickets corrections are normally chargeable, and some fares do not permit them at all.
Booking a flight online, from search to e-ticket
Every field on a booking page can affect your final total and your flexibility. This guide walks through searching, comparing, paying and confirming, and flags the mistakes that are hardest to undo.
Three kinds of seller, and when each fits
The first is the airline's own website. The ticketing relationship is simplest: delays, cancellations and changes are handled directly by the carrier with no intermediary, and airline sites often bundle baggage or seat selection attractively. The limitation is scope — you only see that airline's network and cannot compare across carriers.
The second is the online travel agency. It searches across airlines, surfaces multi-carrier connections that no airline site shows, and is sometimes cheaper. The trade-off appears when plans change: you deal with both the agency and the airline, which takes longer. When choosing an OTA, the accessibility of support and the clarity of the change policy matter more than the small saving.
The third is the metasearch engine. It does not sell tickets; it aggregates prices and hands you off to the actual seller. It is excellent for surveying the market, but the terms on the final payment page belong to that seller. Re-read the baggage allowance and change rules before you pay.
The six steps
- Set the search: origin and destination airports, date range, passenger count and cabin. If dates are flexible, use the monthly view.
- Filter flights: check total journey time, number of connections and connection duration — avoid international connections under ninety minutes.
- Choose the fare: read carefully whether checked baggage is included, whether changes are allowed, and what a change costs.
- Enter passenger details: spelling must match the passport exactly, including how middle names are handled; verify date of birth and nationality.
- Add services: baggage, seats, meals and travel insurance. Online prices are lower than at the airport.
- Pay and store the e-ticket: confirm you have a booking reference (PNR) and ticket number, and keep a PDF or screenshot.
The four costliest mistakes
None of these are usually fixable for free afterwards — two minutes of checking is worth it.
Misreading the baggage allowance
'One bag' may mean cabin, not checked. Weight and piece rules differ between airlines, and a connecting itinerary can inherit the strictest segment's rule.
Connection time too short
Separately purchased tickets are not protected. Allow at least two hours international-to-international, and three or more if you must reclaim baggage and clear immigration.
Ignoring the payment currency
Foreign-currency settlement can trigger a card foreign transaction fee, and dynamic currency conversion usually offers a poor rate. Paying in the original currency is normally better.
Pre-departure timeline
Put these in your calendar and most surprises disappear.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Within 24 hours of booking | Verify name, dates, flight numbers and baggage allowance on the e-ticket |
| 30 days before | Confirm passport validity and any visa or electronic entry requirement |
| 7 days before | Add baggage or seats online — cheaper than at the airport |
| 48 hours before | Complete online check-in, download the boarding pass, confirm no schedule change |
| 24 hours before | Confirm airport and terminal; Taoyuan Terminals 1 and 2 require a shuttle between them |
| Departure day | Arrive three hours ahead for international flights, earlier in peak season |