What Information Is Needed to Book an Airline Flight?

So you're ready to take a trip and you're going by air. Perhaps this is your first time flying or you have never arranged for your own travel before. If that is the case, booking your own travel is a fairly simple process, especially when booking online. A few key pieces of information will be needed to make your reservation.

Choose the airline, date and times you want to travel and return. Do a search of available dates and times on a travel search engine website. A huge listing of available flights during the dates you requested will show up. Choose the best departure and return flight for you. You may be shown cheaper prices if you go one day earlier or later than you intended. If you are flexible, choose the alternative dates to save money. Please note that a few airlines, such as Southwest, do not allow travel search engines to have their ticket information. You must look for a Southwest flight directly on its website.

In order to book a flight either online or on the phone you must provide basic personal information. This includes your full name as it is written on your government-issued I.D. card. As of 2010, new Transportation Security Administration Secure Flight Information also is needed. This is your date of birth and your gender. If you would like to receive your itinerary information and ticket by email you will need to provide an email address.

You must provide the credit card or debit card information for the card you want to use to purchase the airline ticket. Information needed will be the card number, expiration date and three-digit code on the back of the card.