Where and how to get tickets for a charter without a trip. Charter and regular flight: Which is more profitable?

What kind of flight is this for which you can’t buy a ticket at the ticket office and it’s not on the schedule? That's right, it's a charter. Anyone who has ever flown abroad on vacation is familiar with this word. Charter flight - what does it mean?

Charter organization

The word "charter" comes from English verb to chart – “hire a ship” and denotes a specially organized flight in a certain direction at a given time. Such flights are irregular and operate according to a special charter schedule. The initiator of a charter flight is, most often, a travel company - operator or a wealthy enterprise, a wealthy sports team, or any financially secure organization.

To transport an organized mass of people (groups of tourists, athletes, company employees and even believers - pilgrims) across reasonable prices to a point where it is difficult to reach by normal means, the consolidator leases the entire aircraft and hires its crew. How new the airliner will be, how comfortable the flight will be and how high the level of service will be depends on the amount offered by the customer for charter flights.

All preparatory work carried out by the organizer: from permitting documentation before pre-flight preparation. The consolidator (tour operator) distributes seats on charter planes among travel agents planning to take their tourists to given point on the globe.

Travel agencies, temporarily becoming the owner of air tickets for a new flight, sell them at the rates they set to tourists purchasing package tours. Experts note a surge in demand for charters and the launch of new flight routes during the summer holidays. At this time, the number of people wishing to use the services of air carriers greatly exceeds their capabilities. Charter flights from Moscow are especially numerous, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Krasnodar.

Differences between charter and regular flights

Despite the fact that both regular and charter flights are sometimes carried out on the same aircraft, there are differences between them that help to clarify what a charter flight means as a phenomenon:

  • Air ticket to regular flight is in the hands of the passenger from the moment of purchase, but for a charter flight a ticket is issued by a travel agency literally on the eve of departure, sometimes right at the airport;
  • Exact time The charter organizers can change the departure literally a few days or even hours before the start - the earliest possible booking is only for a day;
  • If you are late to board the flight at the time of departure, your ticket for the return flight will be cancelled.

Important! If a tourist plans to get to his destination on his own, and fly back using charter flights, you should definitely notify your travel agency about this.

  • A very common occurrence in charter flights is the replacement of the airport of departure or arrival, as well as the aircraft itself; for regular air services, these manipulations are very rare;
  • When organizing charter flights, all the work is carried out by the tour operator together with the airport and the air carrier, and here it is important to respect the benefits of all participants in the project when determining ticket prices and drawing up a schedule. However, if the interaction between participants is disrupted, problems may arise in the work air bridge, which gives reason once again to consider charters worse than regular flights;
  • Charter aircraft are typically equipped with narrow rows of seats, somewhat compacted to increase the number of seats (although some low-cost scheduled carriers now have even tighter cabin layouts than charters);

  • To reduce the price of a tour, the travel agency tries to save on literally everything, from restrictions on the weight of luggage to the exclusion of meals on board from the ticket price, i.e. tourists have to pay for a reduced ticket price with comfort;
  • Charters quite often delay or reschedule departures; if there is a congestion at the airport, regular flights are sent first, and then charter flights - this is done so that regular passengers have time for connecting flights, which are simply not available on charter flights.

Advantages of charters

Since the transportation market has a constant and even increasing demand for flights operated by charter airlines, therefore, such flights have their advantages that attract consumers. What are they:

  • The main advantage is the opportunity to get to a place that simply cannot be reached by other means, since regular airlines are not available everywhere, and a charter can be organized even to the North Pole;

  • No transfers and hassle with connections at unfamiliar airports with limited time between planes, since charters are almost always direct flights;
  • Economic advantage - tickets for charter flights are much cheaper than regular air tickets, since the travel agency receives a significant discount from the airlines for renting an entire aircraft; for European destinations the difference can be 2-3 times (it is especially significant at the beginning and end of the season);
  • If a tourist’s trip is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, the travel agency can independently reissue the ticket for another passenger.

Disadvantages of Charters

“Okay,” the tourist will say. – I understand that free cheese only comes in a mousetrap. What’s the catch with cheap charter flights?” Indeed, there are some inconveniences for passengers:

  • Since a charter is not a preferred flight for an air carrier, regular flights take off first;

  • Since such flights are carried out strictly according to the schedule specified in the charter agreement, extending your vacation at the resort for several days will be very expensive (compared to tickets for a regular flight);
  • If you cancel a flight, the money is not returned; this practice also exists on regular flights, where money cannot be returned either, but this depends on the fare;
  • For charter flights, airlines do not give passengers any gifts in the form of bonus miles and other joys from loyalty programs;
  • Charter flight schedules are almost always inconvenient for passengers, as they are placed in free time from departure of regular flights. As a rule, this is a very early or very late departure, so tourists have to wait a long time for check-in at the hotel or leave earlier than the check-out time in order to catch the airport;
  • As a rule, there is no already familiar and convenient online registration for a flight (although major charter air carriers already have this opportunity).

Common myths about charters

Inexperienced travelers at first cannot understand what a charter flight means, because they are based on various misconceptions read on the Internet or heard from other tourists:

  1. Most charter flights are operated on outdated aircraft. This is wrong. Flights are carried out by the same aircraft, their novelty and quality depend on the solvency of the consolidator;
  2. Charter flights are unreliable;

Pay attention! Travelers using the services of charter carriers have the same rights in the event of flight delays as on scheduled airlines. According to " General rules air transportation of passengers and baggage" (clause 99 of section 7), depending on the duration of the flight delay, they should be provided with: mother and child rooms, several telephone calls and e-mails, drinks, hot meals, hotel accommodation and luggage storage. The tourist needs to receive a stamp on the ticket about the postponement of the flight, and also (if the airline does not provide the above services) collect receipts for independently purchasing food and hotel (they should then be attached to the claim to the airline to pay expenses within the agreed amounts).

  1. Meals are not provided during flights. This is not true, passengers are fed in accordance with the flight duration standards;
  2. The flight may simply be cancelled. This cannot be because the person paid money for the ticket. Yes, charters are postponed, even postponed for several days, but they have no right to cancel;
  3. Some tourists are afraid that a charter ticket does not entitle them to free luggage However, baggage allowances are determined by the air carrier for different classes of flights; they are not affected by the regularity of the flight.

How to buy a charter ticket cheaply

Having thoroughly studied the situation with charters and understood what it is, a person may want to purchase such attractive cheap air tickets. As a rule, this can only be done as part of a tour - sometimes a package tour to a low-quality "three ruble" with a full tour program (all-inclusive) costs as much as an air ticket on a regular flight or even cheaper.

However, you can try to buy a charter ticket yourself. You should be patient and have strong nerves, since such “last minute” tickets appear on specialized websites or on the pages of large tour operators only a few days before departure.

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Additional information. It is possible to purchase tickets without a tour from the travel agency itself, which, without selling out the tours, tries to recoup at least the rental of the plane closer to the departure date. Such tickets will be even cheaper than those of low-cost airlines. However, if you hope until the last hour for an even greater discount from the travel agency, you can stay at home without tickets at all.

Having studied the information about what a charter plane flight is, having considered all the pros and cons, the consumer can decide for himself what to prefer: a regular or charter flight. Here you should be guided by considerations of your own comfort and vacation budget.

The easiest way to find the cheapest air tickets for charter airline flights is on Avianit. The search will compare the cost of charter air tickets with offers from all travel agencies. You can buy charter tickets online directly from the Avianiti search on agency websites.

Search for cheap air tickets for charter flights without commissions

What is a charter flight

A charter flight (or charter) is a booked flight operated by airlines at the request of travel agencies and ticket agencies. Therefore, you can only buy air tickets for a charter flight from agencies; airlines do not sell air tickets for charter flights.

The main feature of charter flights is that flights are carried out during free time between regular flights. Because of this, the exact departure time of the charter is known only 24 hours in advance.

Types of charter flights

  • A shuttle is a charter flight that brings one group and picks up another. Typically, shuttle charters fly at weekly intervals. Often you can buy very cheap air tickets for such charters, when the plane has no one to pick up or drop off - the first and last flights of the season.
  • Charter sucks— the plane brings passengers and waits for them for the return flight. Such charter flights are carried out to distant exotic countries where there are no frequent flights and it is not profitable to send an empty plane back. Tickets for these charters are sold as part of a tour.
  • Split - the airline's flight is divided into regular and charter. This could be one flight where some of the seats on the plane were purchased by the agency. Air tickets for such flights are often sold as part of a tour. Sometimes it is possible to buy a cheap air ticket just before the charter departure.

Where do charters fly?

Airline charter flights fly to tourist destinations during high season. In the Avianiti search you can buy air tickets for charters on the following routes:

Is it worth flying on charter flights?

You need to choose a charter flight based on the price of air tickets and the convenience of the flight. If there are no direct regular flights from the city to the chosen destination, but there are charter offers, then, of course, it is more convenient to fly non-stop on a charter flight. If the cost of a charter flight is not much different from a regular one, and the departure airport is busy, then it is better to choose a regular flight. If you buy air tickets along with a tour, check the difference in ticket prices between a charter and a regular flight to make the right choice.

Features of charter flights

Before buying air tickets for charter flights, we recommend that you learn about the features of charter flights. Air ticket search Avianiti has collected the main differences between charters and regular passenger flights so that you can choose the appropriate flight option.

1. Seasonal flights

Charters fly to popular tourist routes. Some air tickets for charter flights are sold by travel companies as part of a tourist package. Such charter flights are tied to the summer or winter season, so charter tickets are sold during the tourist seasons. To European destinations, for example, to Italy, the Czech Republic, Greece or Bulgaria, charters fly throughout the year without interruption.

2. Cheap flights

Air tickets for charter flights usually cost 30-40% cheaper than air tickets for regular flights. This difference is especially noticeable during the peak tourist season. Travel companies and agencies sell air tickets for charters at a single rate and completely fill the plane. Since the cost of air tickets does not depend on how busy the flight is, you can buy a cheap ticket for a charter flight a few days before departure.

3. No transfers

Charter flights operate non-stop. A charter may be the only way to get from Russian cities to famous resorts by direct flight. Air tickets for a charter flight will be cheaper than for a regular flight with a transfer.

4. Departure delays are possible

Charter flights do not have an exact departure time. Scheduled flights have departure priority over charters, so at busy airports there is a greater chance that a charter flight will experience a departure delay. The exact departure time of the charter is communicated 24 hours in advance. If the schedule changes, the airline, travel agency or ticket agency notifies passengers of the postponement of flights.

5. Non-refundable air tickets

Air tickets for charter flights are not refundable or exchangeable. Agencies sell only non-refundable air tickets to reduce the risks and cost of air tickets. To reissue air tickets for another person, contact the company where you made the purchase.

6. No bonuses or miles accumulation

When flying on a charter flight, the airline will not top up miles on the passenger's bonus card. Bonus and loyalty programs are not valid on charter flights.

The best promotions and special offers for charter flights of Russian and foreign airlines. Charter tickets to popular tourist destinations are selected at the lowest prices.

List of Russian airlines that operate charter flights on behalf of ticket agencies and travel companies. In addition to charter flights, airlines can operate scheduled flights.

Do you like to plan your own trips? It's not difficult - rather troublesome. When organizing a trip, there are many details to consider. And one of the most important issues– transport. What is better to travel by: plane or train? How to fly: direct flight, but more expensive, or connecting, but cheaper? What to choose: charter or regular?

Let's stop at last question. We all know that there are two types of flights: regular and charter. The difference between them is easiest to explain with an example ground transport. There are intercity buses that have a clearly established schedule and operate according to it. They depart from the station at the appointed time. Such a bus will leave even if there are only two passengers. And there are custom bus services. They can be organized by any company or even an individual. In this case, the carrier signs the contract and carries out transportation according to the specified conditions. The number of passengers, route and departure date are chosen by the customer, and these conditions are discussed in advance (in fact, this is where the business conversation begins).

A charter flight is the same transportation on an individual order, only it is carried out not by bus, but by plane. Otherwise, there are not many differences. Most often, charters are organized by a travel company - a consolidator. She selects a carrier, concludes a deal with him and draws up all the documents. The air carrier undertakes to resolve issues related to the technical side of the flight (obtaining permits from Civil service civil aviation, route planning, technical training airplane, etc.). The travel company predicts in advance what the number of passengers will be. This creates a supply that perfectly matches demand.

Charter flights do not have a schedule, and you cannot buy a ticket for them at the ticket office. Most often they come “bundled” with the tour, but some companies organize the sale of tickets for charters. For savvy tourists, this is a good way to save on air tickets. Typically, a charter flight costs 30-40% less than a regular flight. The low price is explained by fewer costs: the plane does not need to be driven anywhere “in vain”, it is filled immediately, underloading is minimal. Many companies plan flights in such a way that a charter plane delivers tourists to the resort and immediately picks up the previous batch from there. As a last resort, if there is a shortage of passengers, the air carrier may allocate a smaller-capacity aircraft for charter. But regular flights do not always pay off 100%, and the risk of undercrowding is included in the ticket price.

The geography of charter flights is quite large. They fly to almost any country, including those where regular flights operate once a week. But most of the charter flights are carried out to the most popular tourist destinations.

Misconceptions associated with charter flights:

“Charter is expensive.” As we have already said, charter tickets cost about 30-40/% cheaper than regular flights in the same direction. Sometimes a charter can be half the price of a regular flight. The cost of a charter can only be compared with regular flights of discounters. But it is not a fact that the schedule of low-cost airlines will include the direction, time or frequency of flights you need.

“The charter may be cancelled.” A charter is an integral part of the tour package that the company provides to the client. And the company is more interested in customers turning to it again, rather than in having them flock to competitors. Hence the careful control over all details, including the execution of flights. A charter flight may be delayed (for example, due to bad weather), but not cancelled. If the plane is faulty, the carrier company will provide another one. If the plane is not completely full, the company will also change it to a less spacious one. In general, charter flights are canceled almost less often than regular ones.

“Regular flights are safer, but for charters they take the most damaged planes.” Oddly enough, scheduled and charter flights are very often operated by the same air carriers. Accordingly, the aircraft fleet of these companies in both situations is the same. And for charter flights, the company will use the aircraft that is suitable in terms of capacity, profitability and time. And not one that is sure to fall apart over the ocean and successfully drown the unbearable passengers.

“Regular flights are more reliable.” About the reliability of regular flights, it is better to ask those who have been stuck at the airport for at least a day due to a plane cancellation or delay. There are many more such people than it seems - you can easily verify this by briefly surveying your friends. However, not everyone knows that if a flight is delayed by three hours or more, the airline must provide passengers with free meals. If the flight is delayed by more than 8 hours, passengers are entitled to free hotel accommodation at the carrier's expense. It must be said that tour operators organizing charters comply with these rules better than airlines operating regular flights. And a passenger flying on a charter has a better chance of getting from the travel company what is legally due to him.

“They don’t provide food on charter flights - in best case scenario They’ll give you a glass of juice and a bun.” If this is yours personal experience- it means that you have come across an extremely unscrupulous organizing company. Experienced passengers say that in the early 2000s, they even served wine on charters. Nowadays, of course, this is practiced much less frequently, but no one will leave you hungry during the flight. Eating on an airplane is something of a tradition, and not serving it would be a blatant display of indifference to the traveler. True, there is always a chance that you personally will not like the food. But it depends on your taste.

What you should pay attention to when choosing between a regular and charter flight:

Departure time. As a rule, charter flights depart at the most inconvenient times - for example, at 3-4 am. This is due to the fact that scheduled and charter flights operate from the same airports. Carrier companies have to use hours for departure that are free from regular flights. And this is usually the most “inconvenient” time - night or early morning. If a specific departure time is important to you, you should give preference to regular flights.

No classes. In charter flights there is usually no division into economy and business. The service, menu and seating distance are the same for everyone. If you like more comfort, albeit at a higher cost, regular flights with business class are more suitable for you... or renting an airplane.

Historical information:

In the early days of aviation, bespoke flights were rare. Only noble people like monarchs or wealthy people could afford this business people(like millionaires). Only in the middle of the twentieth century did charter flights become available ordinary people. The impetus for the development of charter flights was... the desire to relax. People from the most different countries, Europeans and Americans, sought to go on holiday to the area Mediterranean Sea, as well as in Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and many other regions. It was there that the first mass charter flights took place. And the “peak popularity” of charters occurred at the end of the twentieth century. At this time, charter flights accounted for almost half of total number all international European flights.

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For beginner and elementary level travelers this is perhaps the most shining example, when you seem to understand what we are talking about, but you cannot give an exact definition (in fact, you don’t even know it) - this is the concept of a “charter flight”.

Of all the variety of associations, only “cheap” arises - which is justified, and “flight delay/cancellation” - but this smacks of prejudice. Be that as it may, this good way to save money, so let’s figure out: where, when and why should we buy cheap charter tickets and can we rely on them?

Initially, a charter flight was something of a private order, based on the requirements of the client, not the airline. Now charter flights are associated with tour operators or organized large groups that, on the basis of a contract, buy from the airline and use its services for a certain period (for example, during the tourist season).

It’s almost like a taxi: a route is chosen in advance and it is assumed how many people will go, then seats are booked. The task of the “taxi driver” is to perform only the technical part - transportation (i.e., flight). After the clients (that is, tourists) are delivered, the “taxi driver” picks up other people nearby (loads those who are already rested) and takes them back.

Such a flight, by the way, is called a “shuttle charter,” but there are also “split charters”: part of the journey takes place on a regular (regular) airliner, then there is a transfer, and the charter one flies. This happens in small towns, from where it is impossible to go directly to the other side of the world; This is why a large transfer hub is needed.

Charters “specialize” in mass and seasonal resorts/departures. For example, there is no direct flight from Kazan to Rhodes. But there is a summer charter, tied to tour operators, which transports tourists to the island twice a week without transfers :) If you are lucky, you can catch only the flight.

Prices for charter tickets depend on the occupancy of the plane: what free seats The more, the cheaper the ticket. For example, you can fly from Moscow to Barcelona for 6,700 rubles (departure is expected in 2 days). Kazan-Rhodes-Kazan – 10,200 rubles!

Where do we look for cheap tours and air tickets?

It's no secret how to buy a plane ticket. Aggregators, of course, such as Skyscanner and OneTwoTrip. However, the instructions “charter flight” cannot be found there; alas, they are tailored for traditional flights.

Since charters are purchased by tour operators, it makes sense to look for tours as well. Sometimes they come out cheaper than the prices of (regular) air tickets. Moreover, individual tickets without a voucher appear just a few days before departure and are immediately sorted out by “hunters” who do not forget to watch day and night :)

We book tours on 3 well-known online search engines (we compare which is more profitable):

They monitor offers from 120+ tour operators and are able to detect promotional and last-minute trips or suggest when it’s cheaper to fly.

It’s one thing to snag charter tickets, and quite another to find inexpensive accommodation for these dates. Therefore, going on a tour is often easier and cheaper (especially for popular “package” destinations - Turkey, Greece, Spain, etc.).

How to buy a ticket for a charter flight without a voucher? Instructions

And yet, how to buy a ticket for charters without a tour?

Just six months ago, we would have had to send you to sophisticated and understandable only to travel agents (and are they reliable?) sites like chartergow.ru. Today, the Aviasales service has surpassed the above-mentioned aggregators in terms of functionality and now catches not only regular flights, but also charters!

Before you go searching, keep in mind that tickets become available no earlier than a week before departure. This is because the tour operator sells them in case of need to fill seats.

  • Visit Aviasales
  • Enter the desired city (or to be sure - Moscow), direction, dates and click “find tickets”
  • Trust in fortune...
  • Charter flights, when available, are shown as the cheapest and marked

✓ Tour durations are typically 7, 10 and 14 days and charters will follow approximately this schedule
✓ A feed with dates and prices along the top edge helps you navigate low-cost flights
✓ To double-check, you can put a filter on Aviasales in the “AGENCIES” tab on Clickavia, ChaBuka and Sindbad (they work with charters)

Charter airlines flying from Russia



Azur Air charter flight (our tour to Dubai)

Not all airlines welcome the charter system. But those who are “in business” take travelers to places where regular flights are not announced :) These may be hard-to-reach or too exotic places, where there are few people willing to fly, but the occupancy of the cabin should be maximum. And only charters can do this.

Companies flying from Russia (from Moscow and regions) for 2019:

Which countries do charter flights fly to?

  • Bulgaria
  • Greece
  • Spain
  • Italy
  • Czech Republic
  • Türkiye
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • India
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia
  • Mexico
  • Vietnam
  • Sri Lanka

If you see charter flights to Turkey (one of the carriers presented above is flying), immediately look at tours for these dates (for example). 99% that the trip will be more profitable than booking tickets and hotels on your own.

Differences between charters and regular flights

1) Important: be prepared that the charter will be “turned around as they want”! The airport of departure (was Domodedovo, now Vnukovo) and arrival (was Phuket, now Krabi) may be changed - which, however, happens much less often than rescheduling a flight. For half an hour or a day forward or backward... This, of course, insidiously eats up or generously adds days of rest.

Let us note that our relations with charters have not yet been spoiled by long delays; much more often we “got into trouble” with regular flights.

2) You can buy tickets for charters no earlier than a week in advance. If it is cheaper to buy a ticket for a regular flight several months in advance, then the charter ticket will drop to a minimum closer to departure (if seats are “available”).

3) The ticket itself arrives by mail the day before departure, but no later than 24 hours before. Yes, it’s strange, you pay and wait 5 days, but those are the rules.

4) Charter tickets cannot be returned or exchanged. And online booking (i.e. asking to “hold” and redeem in a couple of days) does not work here.

5) Regular aircraft have advantages in the airspace: in case of delays, they are released onto the runway first.

Pros and cons of charters

Charters are good because:

  • no transfers
  • flight from hard-to-reach regions to destinations where regular flights do not fly (without connections)
  • low cost
  • there is no gradation by class in the salon... equality, friendship, chewing gum :)

Charters are not very good because:

  • although they are tied to the schedule, they can be rescheduled 1+ hours later/earlier
  • dealt with at the speed of light (by package tourists), and the lifespan of an unredeemed charter ticket is a maximum of 7 days
  • regular flights are allowed to take off
  • There is no business class on charter planes

Popular myths about charter flights

Everyone who is going to fly charter for the first time loads themselves with the most unpleasant expectations: poor service, old planes, mandatory delays... But, nevertheless, we and many travelers choose such flights, which means they are worth it :)

Firstly, safety and the range of services offered are not reduced in any way in the case of a charter. The baggage transportation system is the same, food depends on the company and the duration of the flight (as on regular airlines), and the staff of the same level of professionalism is responsible for the lives of passengers. About old planes: yes, for the most part, they are “worn,” but this is not what determines the quality of the flight.

Secondly, do not confuse charters with low-cost airlines, whose prices are favorable by cutting services. Charters are wholesale purchases by a tour operator, which reduces the cost.

Thirdly, delays. They arise not because it is a charter, but due to reasons beyond our control: adjustments to the flight program by the tour operator, weather, late arrival of the ship, etc.

And by the way, the Montreal Convention obliges charter companies to provide the same compensation in case of long downtime as regular ones (food, drinks, hotel...)! And from 2018, airlines that delay 10% of flights in a month may not be allowed to fly the next month.

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Recently I asked my subscribers what interests them on the topic of tourism (not independent travel) and now it’s time to answer the questions. By the way, if you have not yet subscribed to my newsletter, you can do so through this form:

Question: First of all, I am interested in sea tours (Egypt, Turkey, more exotic countries like Sri Lanka, etc.). Why, if planning a seaside tour on your own turns out to be more expensive than the price offered by agencies?

Answer: To answer this question, you must first understand what types of flights exist. There are two types of flights - regular and charter (non-scheduled). Regular- these are flights that are operated by airlines year-round according to a clear schedule. Simply put, it’s like trains that run according to their schedule, no matter what, or like public transport in a city. Same with regular flights, even if there is one person on it, the plane will still fly. Important! A low-cost airline is not a type of flight, but a type of budget airline, and low-cost airlines also operate regular flights :)

Charter flights (aka non-scheduled)— I love to simplify everything to the everyday level, so if I compare regular flights with public transport, then I will compare charters with taxis. Charters are flights operated by an airline by order of the tour operator. In fact, anyone can rent a plane (charter), so you want to fly to the Seychelles, go rent it and fly, but it will cost you even scary to think how much money. Therefore, charters are ordered by large companies, in in this case tour operators (NOT travel agencies) and sell them to mass destinations such as Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia and blablabla. For tour operators, charters are raw materials, so that they can then create a holistic tourism product (tour) from this raw material, adding accommodation + transfers + excursion services, etc. If you have not yet read my post about the difference between maintenance, technical assistance and independent travel,
Charter flights are not sold by the airline and cannot be found on regular ticket search sites. Charters are hidden as part of tour packages. Can I buy a charter ticket separately and where? In general, according to the rules, it is impossible, but tour operators can do this on the sly, especially when it comes to leftovers, but keep in mind that the price of this charter ticket separately from the tour will be significantly higher than if you were buying a tour. A request to purchase a charter ticket must be made through travel agencies, and they, in turn, will ask tour operators. By the way, if these charter tickets are sold to you separately, then they will be with you forever, and if canceled, the money will not be returned to you. All the same, charters are intended for tours, and rarely do tourists want to buy a separate charter ticket from the tour.

And now I’ll answer the question why charters are cheaper than regular flights. Well, firstly, because they only fly according to a stupid schedule. The normal human schedule is occupied by regular flights, but charters are as lucky as they can be. When you buy a tour and are supposedly shown the departure/arrival schedule, remember that this schedule may change until your departure. Severe delays are also typical for charters. Secondly, charter planes are not always so great, the planes may be old... oh well, let’s be honest, there are always scary planes 🙂, and the airlines that operate them are not always well-known, these are not Qatar Airlines or Emirates, and for example SkyUp, Bravo Airways, Azur Air - I just named some Ukrainian charter airlines, get acquainted :) Do not confuse charter flights with private flights of the Kardashian family, they can clearly afford to order a luxury charter. But we want cheaper tours, right? Therefore, there are no business classes on charters either. Thirdly, and most importantly, charters are a wholesale purchase, which means the price of one ticket will be cheaper. That is, as I said earlier, regular flights will fly in any case and they take into account possible losses in advance, setting the price for one ticket more than necessary. The tour operator pays for all the seats on the plane at once, and they predict that it will be completely filled with passengers. Not always one tour operator acts as the charter customer; it happens that several tour operators share the flight among themselves. By the way, very important information! Charters may be canceled if they are not full. For example, if 50 seats out of 250 were sold for a flight, then it is not profitable for the tour operator to let such a flight fly and it is easier for them to cancel the entire flight than to pay for these unsold seats. Well, and finally, another reason why tours are cheaper is that a week or two before departure they begin to reduce prices on tours in order to sell them :) This is how last-minute tours appear. I will write a separate post about them. That is, it is cheaper to buy regular flights in advance, such as from UIA almost a year before departure, while charter flights as part of tour packages, on the contrary, fall in price closer to the departure date.

That’s why almost always sea tours, where charters fly, will be cheaper than doing this tour yourself. Therefore, if you are trying to find loopholes to make a tour to Egypt on your own and save money, don’t be foolish, you won’t succeed. Only tours 🙂 But, it is important to know that as soon as you want to move away from the standard tour package, for example 8 nights, not 7 nights in Egypt, a month in Thailand on the islands, and not a week in Pattaya, then they come to the rescue independent travel, where you will deal with regular flights. And yes, where charters don’t fly, it’s more profitable to plan a trip on your own.
Why don't I personally like tours and charters? Because of their popularity... this is when you arrive at a resort, for example in Crete, and there everyone in the hotel speaks our language, even the staff, our people all around, and you don’t even feel like you’re not at home. But the price, yes, it takes its toll...
Still have questions? Write, we will sort it out.