"beat the system" tip 4: the best way to pay for your ticket
 

with a CREDIT CARD
- ability for phone purchase
- you continue earning interest on your money until you pay your bill
- refund deadline: if you submit it to the airline, they must process the refund within 7 days of receipt by law. There is no time limit set by law if you purchased by check or cash. (the credit-card-rule applies only if you bought the ticket directly from the airline; if you use a travel-agent, make sure your agent pays the airline using your credit-card-number).
- bankruptcy protection: within 60 days (or is it 30?) after billing you can ask for credit from the credit-card. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act of 1974 a creditor cannot force you to pay for a service that you did not receive.
- ticket-number: will be imprinted on your credit-card-receipt (if you lose the ticket you have the number)
- free insurance (check with your card-company)
- favorable exchange-rate (traders rate)
- tax-receipt (some gold-cards provide an annual breakdown of all charged expenses)
- check-in-facilities (some credit-cards have lounges or allow lounge-access)
- frequent-flyer-credits for any purchases (check with your card-company)