A

ABTA: The Association of British Travel Agents. It represents British travel agents and tour operators, and protects consumer’s rights.

ADR: An acronym for Average Daily Rate.

Aggregator: An aggregator is a website or booking platform.

Air Passenger Duty: An excise duty charged on the carriage of passengers flying from a United Kingdom airport on an aircraft that has an authorised take off weight of more than ten tonnes or more than twenty seats for passengers and duty is payable in full.

Airport Code: A unique code assigned to each airport for identification purposes. These codes, usually three letters long, are designated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and are used in flight schedules, ticketing, and other airline operations.

Airport Lounge: A private lounge within an airport’s departure lounge that offers enhanced, premium facilities, such as more comfortable seating, free Wi-Fi, runway views, high class food and drink amongst others. Some larger airports have multiple lounges per terminal.

Airport Transfer: A service that provides transportation from an airport to a traveller’s final destination, such as a hotel or home.

All-inclusive: A type of travel package or accommodation option that includes all necessary expenses within the price, typically covering accommodation, meals, drinks, and sometimes even activities and transportation.

Amend: To change or edit a booking. Amends usually incur a fee.

Arrival: The act of reaching a destination, particularly when referring to the endpoint of a journey or the arrival of a flight at its scheduled destination airport.

ATOL: An abbreviation for “Air Travel Organiser’s Licence,” a financial protection scheme primarily used in the United Kingdom to protect consumers who purchase air holiday packages and flights from ATOL holders against financial loss in case the ATOL holder ceases trading.

ATOL Protected: Refers to travel arrangements that are covered by the ATOL scheme, ensuring that consumers are protected financially in the event of the insolvency of the travel company they booked with, thus guaranteeing a refund or repatriation if necessary.

B

Backpacking: Traveling or hiking carrying one’s belongings in a backpack, often involving budget-friendly and flexible plans.

Backtracking: Where you start to travel across the world in one direction, and then fly backwards. For example, you fly East to Japan, then backtrack West to Dubai.

Baggage Allowance: The maximum weight, size, and number of bags permitted for each passenger on a flight, as determined by the airline’s baggage policy. Exceeding the baggage allowance may result in additional fees.

Baggage Claim: The area within an airport where passengers retrieve their checked luggage or baggage after arriving on a flight. Baggage claim areas are typically located in the arrivals hall.

BAR: Best Available Rate.

Beach Resort: A type of accommodation situated near a beach, offering amenities and services tailored to vacationers seeking relaxation, water activities, and beachside entertainment.

Bed and Breakfast (B&B): An accommodation or resort package that includes the cost of the room and breakfast.

BFOD: Best Fare of the Day.

Block out dates: specific, predetermined dates where discounts, promotions and other benefits such as points redemption, is restricted or unavailable. Block out dates often occur in periods of high demand such as peak travel periods and holidays.

Boarding: The process of passengers entering a vehicle, such as an airplane, train, or cruise ship, in preparation for departure. Boarding typically follows check-in and security procedures.

Boarding Gate: A designated point within an airport terminal where passengers board their flight. Boarding gates are typically numbered and indicated on boarding passes and airport signage.

Booking Confirmation: A document or email sent to a traveller after successfully completing a reservation, confirming the details of the booking, including dates, times, accommodations, and any other pertinent information.

Border Control: The official procedures and regulations enforced by a country’s authorities at its borders, including airports, seaports, and land crossings, to monitor and regulate the movement of people and goods entering or leaving the country.

British Airways: British Airways is a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier. It operates domestic and international flights and is known for its higher standard of in-flight comforts.

Bucket List: A list of experiences or achievements that an individual hopes to accomplish or places they wish to visit within their lifetime. The term “bucket list” implies a sense of urgency or desire to accomplish these goals before one “kicks the bucket,” or passes away.

Budget Airline: An airline that offers low-cost air travel by implementing various cost-saving measures, such as flying to secondary airports, offering no-frills service, and charging for optional extras like baggage, meals, and seat selection. Budget airlines often provide affordable alternatives to traditional carriers but may have fewer amenities and services.

Budget Travel: Travelling on a limited budget, often involving cost-saving measures such as choosing budget accommodations, using public transportation, and seeking out affordable dining options.

Bulkhead: A partition or wall separating different sections within an aircraft, train, or ship, often used to separate classes of passengers or to provide structural support. The term “bulkhead seat” refers to a seat located directly behind such a partition.

Bumped: In the context of air travel, being “bumped” refers to the situation where a passenger with a confirmed reservation is unable to board a flight due to overbooking or other operational reasons. In such cases, the airline may offer compensation, such as a refund, travel vouchers, or alternative transportation arrangements, to affected passengers.

Bus Terminal: A facility or station where buses arrive and depart, serving as a hub for long-distance and local bus routes. Bus terminals often provide amenities such as ticket counters, waiting areas, restrooms, and food concessions.

Business Class: A premium class of service offered by airlines, providing enhanced amenities and comfort compared to economy and premium economy. Business class passengers usually have larger and more comfortable seats, a higher class of food, priority boarding, and access to airport lounges.

C

Cabin: The aircraft interior where passengers sit.

Cancellation Fee: The cost of cancelling an airline ticket. Usually specified in the Ts & Cs when purchasing the ticket. Often these fees are non-waiverable.

Carrier: Another term for airline.

CAT35 fare: A CAT35 fare is an aviation term for negotiated fare, such as a discounted fare or ticket price. (Check out current flight sales)

Charter Flight: A charter flight operates on a non-schedule basis. They are booked privately, by travel companies, organisations, or individuals. An example of charter flights are routes that only operate seasonally to accommodate increased traveller demand. Charter flight tickets are often more expensive than scheduled flights as the airlines expect to fill the aircraft based on expected demand.

Check-in: The process of confirming your arrival at an airport, hotel, or other destination, often involving the issuance of boarding passes or room keys. Most airlines offer online check in a day or two before your flight.

Child Ticket: Most airlines classify children as between the age of 2 and 12. Child tickets include an allocated seat, and sometimes an in-flight meal.

City Break: A holiday to a city. City breaks are usually short 3 or 4 day trips to one city, often over a weekend.

Code Share Flights: Where two airlines come to an agreement – or alliance – to provide tickets for each other’s planes. For example, you may book a ticket with British Airways and fly on a Qantas plane. You can usually spot a code-share flight from the code on your ticket.

D

Daily Rate: The cost of a hotel room or car rental calculated on a per-day basis, inclusive of room costs and resort fees. This rate can vary depending on the time of year, demand, and other factors.

Delay: A situation where a flight, train, or other mode of transportation is running behind its scheduled departure or arrival time. Delays can be caused by various factors including weather, technical issues, or operational problems. Some airlines offer full or partial refunds for delays lasting over a certain length of time.

Departure Lounge: The waiting area within an airport where passengers stay before boarding their flight. Many airports also offer premium lounges within the departure lounge, where you can pay to access more luxurious facilities while you wait for your flight.

Deposit: A sum of money paid to secure a booking for a flight, hotel or holiday. Usually it is a small portion of the final total to be paid. Often, deposits are non-refundable.

Diplomatic Passport: A special type of passport issued to government officials and diplomats for international travel on official state business. It often provides certain privileges and immunities under international law.

Direct Flight: A flight that travels from the departure airport to the destination airport without any layovers or stops. However, it may still involve in-flight refuelling or other logistical stops, unlike nonstop flights.

Domestic Flights: Flights within the same country. Also known as regional flights.

Duty-Free: Products that can be purchased without paying local taxes or duties, typically sold at airports or border crossings to international travellers. These goods are exempt from local taxes because they are meant to be taken out of the country.

E

E-Gate: An automated boarding gate that allows you to pass through passport control more quickly.

E-Ticket: An electronic ticket that allows passengers to check in and board their flight without a physical paper ticket, often accessed via email or an airline’s mobile app.

EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency): The agency responsible for civil aviation safety in Europe.

Eco-Tourism: Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Economy Class: The standard class of service on an airplane, offering basic amenities and seating arrangements at a lower cost compared to premium classes.

EES: See EU Entry / Exit System.

Elevator: Part of the airline tail that controls the aircraft pitch.

Empennage: The tail assembly of an aircraft, which includes the vertical and horizontal stabilizers.

Empty Leg Flight: A flight with no passengers to relocate an aircraft. See Non Leg Flight.

ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival): The expected time at which a flight is scheduled to arrive at its destination.

ETD (Estimated Time of Departure): The expected time at which a flight is scheduled to depart from the airport.

ESTA: The Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, required for anyone travelling to the United States.

ETIAS: European Travel Information and Authorisation System. Due to launch in 2025. A mandatory requirement for anyone that will be travelling to an EU country, even if no visa is required. An ETIAS application can be made online, for a small fee, up to 90 days before you travel. Once approved, it will be assigned to your passport and valid for three years.

ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards): Certification allowing twin-engine aircraft to fly routes that, at some points, are farther than 60 minutes away from an emergency airport.

EU Entry / Exit System (EES): An automated system for registering travellers from the UK and other non-EU (or Shengen) countries each time they cross an EU external border. Due to launch October 2024.

Excess Baggage: Luggage that exceeds the airline’s weight, size, or number limits for checked or carry-on baggage, often subject to additional fees.

Exchange Rate: The value of one currency for the purpose of conversion to another.

Executive Class: Also known as Business Class, this is a higher class of service offering more comfort and amenities than Economy Class.

Exit Row: A row of seats located next to the emergency exits on an aircraft, often offering more legroom and sometimes subject to additional requirements or fees.

Expedited Boarding: A service allowing passengers to board the plane ahead of others, often available to frequent flyers, premium class passengers, or those who purchase the service.

Extended Range Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS): Certification allowing twin-engine aircraft to fly long-distance routes that are more than 60 minutes away from the nearest airport, enhancing route flexibility and efficiency.

F

FAM Trip: A ‘familiarisation’ trip offered to travel operators, agencies, partners and affiliates – usually to a specific hotel or resort.

FARs (Federal Aviation Regulations): Rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States.

Fare Basis: A code used to identify the specific rules and conditions associated with an airline ticket. This code is a combination of letters and numbers that provides information about the fare type, fare class, and any restrictions or allowances related to the ticket.

Fare Class: Shown as a single letter in association with a ticket. The fare class helps determine the cost of the airline ticket, the amenities provided, and the specific terms and conditions applicable to that ticket. The fare class is used to differentiate between various levels of seating and pricing options within the same seat class, as well as booking flexibility and whether the ticket can be redeemed as part of a Frequent Flyer program. For example, the fare class. For example, a “Y” fare class in economy might offer full flexibility with no change fees, while an “M” fare class could be more restrictive and cheaper but with higher fees for changes.

Fare Type: A categorisation of conditions attached to an airline ticket. Fare type examples include: non-refundable fares, advance purchase fares, and promotional fares.

FBO (Fixed-Base Operator): A business granted the right to operate at an airport and provide services such as fuelling, hangaring, tie-down and parking, aircraft rental, aircraft maintenance, flight instruction, and similar services. Airlines that have their base at an airport – like British Airways at Heathrow – are an example of an FBO. Where an airline is an FBO, they offer dedicated check-in facilities, lounges, and personalised support to some fare classes.

Ferry Flight: A non-revenue flight to relocate an aircraft for operational reasons such as returning it to base, moving it for maintenance, or delivering it from the manufacturer to the buyer.

First Class: The highest class of service on an aeroplane. First class seats benefit from the highest levels of service, food, drink, entertainment and the most luxurious amenities, the exact specification of which differs by airline.

Flight Attendant: A member of the airline crew responsible for the safety and comfort of passengers during a flight.

Flight Deck: The area at the front of the aircraft where the pilots control the plane, also known as the cockpit.

Flight Number: A unique identifier assigned to a particular flight, usually consisting of an airline code and numeric code which can denote the flight schedule, route and other information.

Flight Plan: A detailed plan filed by the pilots before departure that outlines the intended route, altitude, and other operational details of the flight.

Flying Dirty: Flying with extended landing gear, flaps, or other high-drag configurations.

Flyover Country: A colloquial term referring to the regions of a country that are often passed over by direct flights between major cities, typically used in the context of the United States.

Final Approach: The last phase of a flight’s descent before landing, when the aircraft aligns with the runway.

Frequent Flyer Program: A loyalty program offered by airlines to reward frequent flyers for their custom. They are usually points-based, and members accumulate points on eligible purchases. Frequent Flyer Programs often have tiers, where members can achieve a higher tiered status by achieving a certain number of points or miles in a certain timeframe. American Airlines, British Airways, Emirates, Qantas and Lufthansa are amongst airlines that offer frequent flyer programs.

Fuselage: The main body of an aircraft that holds the crew, passengers, and cargo.

Fuel Surcharge: An additional fee added to the base fare of a ticket to cover fluctuating fuel costs.

G

Go-Around: A manoeuvre where a pilot aborts the landing approach and circles around to make another attempt to land. This might happen in adverse weather, where ground conditions are unfavourable or unsafe.

Groundspeed: The horizontal speed of an aircraft relative to the ground below. This is how the in-flight map is calculated.

Group Booking: A flight, holiday package or hotel booking that includes 10 or more individuals (of any age).

H

Half Board: A hotel meal plan that includes two meals per day, usually breakfast and dinner (tea).

Hangar: A large building where aircraft are stored and maintained.

Hand Luggage: Luggage that is taken with you into the cabin.

Hand-Off: The process where air traffic control transfers the responsibility of an aircraft from one controller to another.

Heavy: A term used to describe aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 136 tonnes or more, which require special handling due to their size and wake turbulence.

Hold Luggage: Luggage that is checked in through airport security and stored in the aircraft hold. Usually a suitcase.

Hostel: A budget-friendly accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.

Hotel: An establishment providing accommodation, meals, and other services for travellers and tourists.

Hub: a hub airport that serves as a central transfer point where passengers can connect to various destinations. Hub airports often act as a base for one or more airlines, where their operations are centralised and their long haul flights often stopover. (We’ve rounded up the best stopover airports here).

I

IAG: International Airlines Group.

<id=”iata”>IATA: International Air Transport Association. The trade association of the world’s airlines, responsible for much of the aviation activity and industry policy.

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization): A UN specialised agency that sets international standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, and environmental protection.

Insurance: See travel insurance.

ILS (Instrument Landing System): A system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, especially in low visibility conditions.

IMC (Instrument Meteorological Conditions): Weather conditions that require pilots to fly primarily by reference to instruments rather than visual cues.

Immigration: The process of checking and clearing international travelers upon entering a new country. This usually involves passport control, visas, and customs procedures.

Independent Travel: Traveling without the assistance of a tour operator or travel agency, where the traveller books and plans their own transportation, accommodations, and activities.

Indicated Airspeed (IAS): The speed of an aircraft as shown on the airspeed indicator, uncorrected for any instrument or position errors.

Infant ticket: An airline ticket for an infant under the age of 2. Usually the price of this ticket does not include a seat. The infant will be expected to sit on the parent or guardian’s lap for the duration of the flight.

Intercontinental Flight: A flight that crosses from one continent to another, such as a flight from Europe to North America.

International Date Line (IDL): An imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole, located at roughly 180 degrees longitude, where the date changes by one day when crossed. The IDL zigzags to avoid splitting certain island groups or countries between two different days. Traveling west across the line adds a day; traveling east subtracts one.

Itinerary: A planned route or journey, including the places to be visited and the schedule.

J

Jet Lag: The feeling of fatigue and disorientation experienced after a long flight, typically due to a disruption in the body’s internal clock caused by crossing multiple time zones. (see our tips on how to reduce jet lag)

Joint Fare: An airline ticket that involves two or more airlines. Typically, joint fares are used for connecting flights where no single airline operates the entire route.

K

Knot: A unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used in aviation and maritime contexts.

Kneeboard: A clipboard that pilots strap to their thigh to hold charts, checklists, and notes for easy reference during flight.

L

Layover: A break between connecting flights during a journey, often in a different city or country.

LCC: Low cost carrier (airline).

Leg: A portion of a journey within a larger trip or itinerary.

Legroom: The amount of space for your legs and feet in the aircraft cabin. The more, the better. The amount of legroom increases with seat class: economy being the lowest, first class being the best.

Load Factor: The ratio of the lift generated by the wings of an aircraft to the weight of the aircraft, often expressed in Gs.

Long Haul: A flight that typically lasts for over 6 hours. It may be broken up with layovers.

Longitudinal Axis: An imaginary line that runs from the nose to the tail of the aircraft, around which roll movements occur.

Lounge: See airport lounge.

Low Cost Carriers: Airlines that offer budget flights. These usually offer short haul, charter flights based on demand – as a result, their routes are often seasonal and won’t operate year-round.

Low Season: A time of year when a destination has fewer tourists and lower demand, usually resulting in lower flight and hotel prices. Often, the low season is over winter when the weather is less favourable.

M

Manifest: A document listing all passengers and cargo on board an aircraft, used by airlines and authorities for security and operational purposes.

Mega Long Haul: an extremely long nonstop flight, typically lasting over 12 to 16 hours or more. These flights usually cover vast distances between continents, such as routes between Europe and Australia or North America and Southeast Asia.

Meta Search Engine: A type of online travel search tool (such as Skyscanner or KAYAK) that aggregates prices from multiple airlines or travel websites to compare fares for flights, hotels, and other travel services.

Mileage Run: A trip booked primarily to earn frequent flyer miles or status rather than for the purpose of visiting a destination.

Minimum Connection Time (MCT): The shortest time allowed between connecting flights at an airport. Airlines and airports set these times to ensure passengers have enough time to transfer between flights.

Misconnection: When a passenger misses their connecting flight due to delays or other issues on their first flight.

Multi City Flight: A flight itinerary that includes multiple cities, usually with hours or days in between flights. Multi city flights are frequently used to incorporate city breaks, and visit several destinations within one trip.

N

NDC (New Distribution Capability): A travel industry standard created by IATA that allows airlines to distribute their content directly to travel agents and online platforms through enhanced APIs, giving agents more control over ancillary products like seat upgrades and baggage.

Net Fare: A fare offered to travel agents or tour operators that excludes commission, taxes, and other fees.

Night Stop: A layover or stopover during which passengers must stay overnight before continuing their journey, usually due to flight schedules or connecting flight availability.

Non-Endorsable Ticket: A ticket that cannot be transferred or used on another airline. It means the fare is strictly tied to the airline from which it was purchased.

Non Leg Flight: A flight without passengers, primarily to relocate an aircraft from one airport to another.

Non-Refundable Ticket / Fare: A type of ticket that cannot be refunded if the passenger cancels or changes their flight. These fares are typically cheaper but come with stricter restrictions.

Non-Rev (Non-Revenue Passenger): An airline industry term for a passenger traveling on a flight without paying, typically an airline employee or family member using a staff travel pass.

No Show: Where a passenger has paid for and reserved their flight, but then not shown up and not cancelled.

Non-Stop Flight: A flight that travels directly from the origin to the destination without any scheduled stops in between. Slightly different from direct flights, which may have stops but no plane changes.

O

Off Season: See low season.

One Way: A flight or itinerary that does not include return travel.

Open Jaw: A flight or itinerary where there are no flights between two points on a trip.

OTA: Online Travel Agent (like us!). The digital version of your traditional high street travel agent. Commonly aggregators compare prices from OTAs and directly from airlines.

Overbooking: When more reservations are taken than there are available seats or rooms, often leading to some travellers being bumped from a flight or accommodation.

P

Passenger Name Record (PNR): A digital record in the airline’s reservation system that contains a passenger’s itinerary and personal details. It’s used for managing bookings, tracking flights, and ensuring security compliance.

Pax: A shortened term for passengers, frequently used in the context of air travel.

Peak Season: The time of year when a destination experiences the highest number of visitors, often resulting in higher prices.

Pitch: The degree to which an aircraft seat which recline backwards. Pitch also refers to the angle of the aircraft nose relative to the horizon (the up or down motion of the nose).

Protected Flight: A flight booking that is protected from cancellation or schedule changes, often given priority during disruptions such as bad weather or overbooking.

Published Fare: A published fare is a non-discounted ticket with a price based on currency exchange – so they usually fluctuate until payment has been made. (So when you pay a deposit with an OTA, they pay for the full flight on your behalf).

R

Rawdogging: A slang term, made popular by social media, for forgoing any form of drink, food, entertainment or sleep for the entire duration of a flight.

Red Eye Flight: Overnight flights or flights that arrive very early in the morning – so-called because passengers often have red eyes from lack of sleep.

Refundable Ticket: A type of airfare that allows passengers to cancel their booking and receive a full or partial refund, often with fewer restrictions than non-refundable tickets.

Regional Flights: Flights within the same country, commonly called domestic flights.

Reissue: The process of issuing a new ticket for a passenger after changes have been made to their original booking, such as a change of name, or the flight time. Additional charges are often involved.

Rerouting: Changing the path or flight segments of an existing booking, either due to passenger request or airline disruption.

Resort Fees: Mandatory charges applied to all guests staying in a hotel or resort. These fees cover the costs of maintaining their facilities.

Restricted Fare: An airline ticket or travel booking that comes with certain limitations or conditions, usually relating to changes, cancellations or refunds. Restricted fares are usually cheaper than flexible, unrestricted fares.

Revalidation: The process of confirming or adjusting a ticket’s validity without issuing a new one. This is often done when there are minor changes, like a flight number or time change, without affecting the itinerary.

Routing: The specific path or series of flight segments an airline uses to take passengers from their origin to their destination. This includes any stopovers or layovers.

Round The World Flight: A custom flight itinerary that stops at multiple destinations around the world. RTW tickets are usually valid for 12 months and are often cheaper than booking each flight individually.

Round Trip: A journey from one place to another and back to the original place.

S

Scheduled Flight: A flight that operates on a fixed timetable, regardless of demand.

Seat Pitch: The distance between one point on an aircraft seat, and the same point on the seat behind or in front of it. Can be used as a comparative point between seat classes (economy vs premium economy) or the same seat class between different airlines.

Short Haul: Flights that are typically less than six hours from the original departure destination. From the UK, flights within Europe are typically considered short haul, and anywhere beyond that is long haul.

Shoulder Season: The period between a tourist destination’s high and low season, where prices and demand are lower and the crowds are fewer, but it’s not as quiet or cheap as the off season. The weather is usually pleasant, but not extreme, and typically falls in the spring and / or autumn season.

Skiplagging: the practice of booking a flight with a layover at the intended destination and missing the final flight segment, to get a cheaper flight. (Heads up: airlines really dislike this practice, and you risk being added to their blacklist if you do it more than once).

Solo Travel: Travelling alone, without companions.

Surface Sector: The gap between two open jaw flight points in a travel itinerary, where you travel independently. Imagine you land at Sydney, Australia. You plan to travel across Australia to fly again from Perth. That ground trip – on the Earth’s surface, hence surface sector – from Sydney to Perth is called a surface sector.

Sustainable Travel: Tourism that minimizes its impact on the environment, supports local cultures, and contributes to the well-being of local communities.

T

Touchdown: Where the plane lands to re-fuel or let passengers off. You won’t need to get off.

Transit Visa: A type of visa that allows travellers to pass through the territory of a country en route to their final destination, typically valid for a short period of time.

Travel Advisor: Also known as travel consultants. A travel professional, frequently employed by a travel agent or OTA, that provides expert guidance and advice to assist with finding, costing and booking travel arrangements.

Travel Insurance: Insurance that covers various risks associated with traveling, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and lost luggage.

TTL: Ticketing Time Limit. An airline-stipulated time-limit on when a ticket can be purchased and issued, before the fare changes (read: probably increased) or expires.

U

Ultra long haul: A flight that is scheduled to last over 16 hours.

Upscale: A category or description of a hotel or hotel chain. Upscale hotels are generally considered to offer a higher level of luxury and service.

V

Visa: An official endorsement on a passport indicating that the holder is allowed to enter, leave, or stay for a specified period in a country.

X

X fare: A special discount fare, usually related to airline promotions or limited-time offers.

Y

Y Class: Refers to the full-fare economy class on an airline, typically offering the most flexible booking options within the economy cabin.