Bucket shop in aviation

A bucket shop in aviation refers to a travel agency or broker that sells airline tickets at discounted prices, often below the standard rates offered by airlines. These businesses usually buy blocks of seats through an airline consolidator, allowing them to offer lower fares to specific markets. While the term once referred to unauthorized sellers, today’s bucket shops often operate legally and follow established industry practices.

Bucket shops are commonly used by travelers who want cheaper international fares or are flying on short notice. They often specialize in routes that serve ethnic travel, student travel, or last-minute bookings. These agencies may work offline or online and usually do not offer full-service travel planning like traditional travel management companies or tour operators.

While cost-effective, these bookings require travelers to pay close attention to fare conditions, especially compared to tickets bought directly from online travel agencies (OTAs) or full-service carriers (FSCs).