When you take a trip by air, did you know it's better not to have a ticket? At least, that's my opinion.

I think I'm much better off with an electronic or e-ticket than with a printed paper ticket. Why? Because if I lose paper tickets, it will cost me at least $100 apiece to replace them. And I don't think I have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times I've been headed for the airport and heard my wife say, "Now, you do have the tickets, Don." AND I DON'T! In addition, let's say you're ready to drive to the airport and you can't find your tickets - they've gone where all those sox go. You only paid $198 apiece for them, but the airline will charge you for no-advance-purchase-price tickets when you get to the airport - probably somewhere between $1,500 and $2,100 for most continental U.S. destinations. For two or more of you that would be quite a hit to your credit card - right before you start out on your vacation. You will also have to pay $100 for each lost ticket in order to get a refund. They won't refund the money for the new tickets, or credit your credit card, for from four to six weeks. Now, if you had only gotten e-tickets in the first place, you would have had nothing to lose - there would be none of the aforementioned hassle, to say nothing of the cost. One of the benefits of working with a travel agent is that the agent has a paper trail of your transaction. The agent has your e-ticket number, and your reservation ID number, if you need them. So, if you show up at the airport, and they tell you they have no record of your ticket or your reservation (hey, it's happened - many times), you have an advocate in your travel agent, who knows that you have a ticket and a reservation, and can tell the airline what the numbers are.

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