Flash fls tickets are a type of ticket used for air travel that offers certain flexibilities and options for customers. The term “flash” refers to the ability to reserve a ticket quickly, often at the last minute. The “fls” stands for “Fare Locked Seats”, indicating that the ticket includes reserved seating and a locked-in fare.
What is a flash ticket?
A flash ticket is a reservation for an airline seat that is made very close to the time of departure, often just 1-3 days before. Flash tickets allow travelers to book flights on short notice. The word “flash” refers to how rapidly the booking occurs.
Flash tickets are different from regular airline tickets which require advance purchase and have change fees or cancellation penalties. With a flash ticket, you can lock in a fare and make a booking just before takeoff without fees.
Benefits of flash tickets
There are several advantages to flash tickets for travelers:
- Last minute flexibility – Flash tickets allow you to book a flight right before departure, ideal for unplanned or last minute trips.
- No change fees – You can modify or cancel flash tickets without incurring large change or cancellation penalties.
- Competitive pricing – Flash tickets are not always the most expensive last minute fares, and deals can be found.
- Guaranteed seats – Flash tickets reserve a specific seat on the plane, unlike standby tickets.
The main caveat is that flash ticket fares are subject to availability. Since they are booked close to departure, flight options may be limited depending on remaining seats for sale.
What does “fls” mean?
In a flash fls ticket, the “fls” stands for “Fare Locked Seats”. This means two key things about the ticket:
- The ticket fare is locked in – When you book a flash fls ticket, the fare price is fixed and guaranteed not to change, even when booking last minute.
- The seats are reserved – The fls ticket has specific seat assignments included, rather than just booking a space on the plane.
By locking in both the fare and seats, a flash fls ticket offers the security of a guaranteed place on the flight at a set price. This gives customers assurance when booking close to the travel date.
How to buy flash fls tickets
Flash fls tickets can be purchased directly through an airline website or app. Many airlines offer a “last minute deals” section specially for flash tickets. You can also search sites like Expedia, Kayak and Priceline for flash fare listings.
The process for booking flash fls tickets includes:
- Select your originating and destination airports
- Enter your travel dates – typically 1-3 days from the current date
- Filter for “last minute” or “flash” fares
- Select a flight time with available flash fare seats
- Complete booking and enter passenger and payment details
- Receive confirmation with flight itinerary and locked-in fare price
One tip when booking flash tickets is to stay flexible on flight times, since the very last seats may offer the biggest discounts.
Advantages of fls tickets
Some key advantages of fls or “fare locked seats” tickets include:
- Rate guarantee – The ticket fare is locked in and will not increase, even when booking close to departure
- Seat security – Assigning specific seats prevents getting bumped or stuck with middle seats
- Flight assurance – The reserved seats provide greater certainty of getting on the flight
- Booking ease – No stress over fluctuating fares or sold out planes when booking last minute
The fare and seat protections give travelers confidence in their booking. This offers peace of mind when buying tickets near the travel date.
Disadvantages of fls tickets
There are a few potential drawbacks to consider with fls tickets:
- Limited fare deals – Flash fares may not always offer the absolute lowest prices, compared to booking far in advance.
- Fewer flight options – Booking at the last minute limits flight times and availability.
- Seat preferences – Getting specific assigned seats is not guaranteed with fls tickets.
- No refunds – The fares paid for fls tickets are normally non-refundable.
The main tradeoff is less flexibility on flights and fare prices for the security of guaranteed seats. There is also risk if travel plans change at the last minute and non-refundable tickets cannot be used.
Examples of flash fls ticket pricing
To illustrate the pricing on flash fls airline tickets, here are some examples of fares locked-in for hypothetical last minute trips:
| Route | Departure Date | Locked-In Fare |
|---|---|---|
| New York to Miami | 2 days from booking | $328 roundtrip with taxes |
| Dallas to Las Vegas | 3 days from booking | $412 roundtrip with taxes |
| Chicago to Orlando | 1 day from booking | $515 roundtrip with taxes |
As shown, even last minute fares can vary quite a bit. Flight demand and remaining seat availability impact flash fare pricing.
Tips for getting cheap flash fls tickets
Here are some tips to get the lowest fares on last minute flash fls tickets:
- Book exactly 1 week out – Flights rarely drop to the lowest fares during the last 3 days. But booking 6-8 days out can secure deals before demand rises.
- Search morning and red-eye flights – Less popular flight times often have cheaper flash fares.
- Check alternate airports – Nearby airports sometimes have cheaper last minute pricing.
- Try incognito browsing – This resets cookies and may reveal lower fares.
- Use flash fare calendars – See price drops for specific dates and routes.
- Sign up for fare alerts – Get notifications when flash sales are released.
Flexibility on flight details like timing and airports can unlock extra flash fare deals. And monitoring tools help find the sudden fare drops.
Conclusion
Flash fls tickets provide an option for travelers to book trips at the last minute while securing a fare and seat. The flash aspect allows fast reservation, while the fls guarantees a set price and assignment. This gives assurance when booking close to departure. While seat and flight time options may be limited, flash fls tickets can still unlock some bargains on late travel.