Buy Commercial Flights
Buy commercial flights with Alternative Airlines. We offer flights from over 600 airlines, with more than 25 different ways to pay!
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Where from?
Where to?
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Passengers & Class
1 Adult, Economy/Coach
What is a commercial flight?
A commercial flight is a type of flight that's operated by a commercial airline. Typically, a commercial flight refers to a traditional flight that transports passengers from one destination from another, with a pre-booked ticket. Commercial flights are regularly scheduled and people and groups can buy seats on the flight, as opposed to a charter flight, where the whole plane is hired by one person or a group for the duration of the flight.
Commercial flights take off and land at commercial airports that are located around the world. So, if you want to fly to a specific destination, you'll have to book a flight to its nearest commercial airport on a time and date that is set by the airline.
Commercial flights are the most popular and most affordable type of air travel, as the objective of the airline is to transport as many people as possible from one destination to another. Most airlines do offer more personalised services onboard commercial flights to cater to those who enjoy more privacy and comfort with more luxurious cabin classes such as Business Class and First Class.
You can buy commercial flights at Alternative Airlines, with a choice of over 650 airlines, by using our flight search at the top of the page
Commercial Cargo Flights
Commercial airlines also operate cargo flights. Commercial cargo flights are flights that transport goods and produce for commercial gain. Commercial flights can be operated by airlines that are dedicated specifically to transporting cargo, like UPS Airlines, or by traditional passenger airlines that have a separate cargo division.
Airlines typically use different aircraft to transport cargo than they do to transport passengers, as these aircraft are designed to give enough space for cargo. Some aircraft models have different cargo and passenger versions. Whereas other aircraft models, such as the Boeing 747 can be modified inside to change from cargo to passenger (or vice versa) between flights, or, have seperate cargo and passenger sections with the plane that can be used simultaneously. These aircraft are called combi aircraft.
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FAQs
What's the difference between a commercial and charter flight?
The main differences between commercial flights and charter flights are flexibility, privacy and cost.
Charter flights are more flexible than commercial flights. With a charter flight, you can hire the plane to fly between any destinations you want at any time you want. Whereas, with a commercial flight, you have to travel between the destinations and fly on the date and time that the airline offers.
Charter flights are also more private than commercial flights. Charter flights usually require you to hire the whole plane for yourself or your group. Whereas Commercial flights require you to buy a seat on a public plane where you'll be travelling with strangers.
However, the flexibility and privacy that you get with a charter flight come at a cost. Commercial flights are a lot cheaper than charter flights, especially on low-cost airlines that strip back a lot of the services to offer especially cheap fares.
Are commercial flights cheaper?
Yes, commercial flights are the cheapest method of air travel. Ultra-low-cost carriers completely unbundle their fares and offer 'seat-only' tickets that can make some commercial flights extremely cheap. And, even the prices that a full-service carrier offers are cheaper than chartering a plane.
Where can I buy commercial flights?
You can buy commercial flights at Alternative Airlines. We offer commercial flights on over 650 commercial airlines. Use our search form at the top of the page to search for flights.
How many commercial flights per day?
There are over 100,000 commercial flights per day. In 2018, there were nearly 4.5 billion flights throughout the year. So, this averages at somewhere between 100,000–125,000 flights per day.
When was the first commercial flight?
The first commercial flight was flown on 1st January 1914. It was a service between St.Peterburg, Florida and Tampa Bay, Florida.