At the same time, it never ceases to amaze me how my family and friends are unaware of all the ways to find a great deal on airfare. In fact, just recently, I had to give my financially savvy older sister a one-hour discourse on how to save money when booking a trip. For this reason, I would like to share the same tips and hints with you that I shared with her — the same ones that have since made her a “travel pro” (though she’ll never give me credit for it).
The Internet is a Great Tool
First, one of the best ways to save money on travel is to be aware of the numerous websites that feature low airfares and special deals on cruises, hotels, and tours. Although each site works a bit differently, the bottom line is that they are designed to save you money. While some strictly sell you designated cheap airfares on selected routes, others serve as “bidding websites” that allow you to set your own price tag for a particular return trip. Although these latter websites (such as priceline.com) are not practical for most people, they do work quite well for those with extreme flexibility in their schedules. My own preference is for those websites that feature low airfares but still allow me the opportunity to pick my preferred departure and arrival times, as well as the specific routes that I want.
Hence, there are a number of bargain airfare websites that I would recommend which feature both bidding and non-bidding features (see page 2).
Other Tips and Tricks
In addition to utilizing bargain-buy websites, there are a number of other ways to save money on airfares. The first and most familiar of these is the “Saturday overnight stay” rule, wherein you be sure to stay over a Saturday night to avoid paying an exorbitant fare. In many cases this will cut your airfare almost in half.
Another tip is to travel mid-week. Generally, the cheapest days to fly are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. On the other hand, if possible, avoid Fridays and Sundays as these are usually the most expensive.
Traveling at “off-peak hours” can also save you a bundle of money. Late night departures (those after 10:00 p.m.) often provide the lowest airfares. Another benefit of taking these “red-eye” flights is that you can often arrive a day earlier, and thus start your vacation earlier. The key, of course, is to catch some sleep while on the plane, which also enables you to save yourself the cost of a one night’s stay in a hotel.
“Booking in advance” is another sure-fire way of saving money. Most airlines provide discounted airfares as long as the tickets are purchased at least twenty-one days in advance. The most expensive airfares are those booked within seven days of departure (however, if you catch yourself in this situation, be sure to check out the websites listed on the next page that offer “last-minute” discounted air tickets).
Be Flexible
Another key is being flexible with your schedule. As mentioned above, flying on certain days of the week and at certain times can save you a bundle of money. However, even if you pick a flight based on the best available dates and times, be sure to ask the agent if you could save money by changing your departure time somewhat. It’s amazing how often this little question can prompt the ticketer to find another fare that’s even cheaper. Believe it or not, the airlines are not obliged to inform you of the cheapest airfares available if you do not ask.
Another cost-saving option is being open to landing at alternate airports. For example, if you live in Southeastern Pennsylvania, it would be wise not only to look into flights departing from Philadelphia, but from Newark and the New York airports as well. While the latter airports may be a longer drive, this could save you significant dollars which could be redirected to the vacation itself!
And although this should go without saying, be sure to call around to different airlines for the cheapest price, while also checking out several of the bargain airfare websites. As we all know, it pays to “shop around.” There's no need to spend all day trying to find the best deal, however. My personal rule of thumb is to call several airlines and then go to my favorite four or five bargain airfare websites. By doing so, I can usually find an excellent fare without sacrificing an entire weekend to make my travel plans.
My Favorite Tip
Another place to look for great airfares is in the Sunday newspaper travel section. Here you will find those consolidator-type agencies that feature excellent bargain airfares. How do they do it? By selling the seats airlines are unable to sell at the last minute.
If you're flying to Europe, you might try flying into either London or Germany, as these tend to have cheaper airfares than traveling direct to other European cities.
And though this again almost goes without saying, remember that non-stop flights (i.e. direct flights) are often more expensive than flights that employ the “hub-and-spoke” method. (In other words, if you are planning a trip from New York to Denver, you'll likely find that flights which stop in a place such as Chicago before continuing on to Denver are often cheaper than direct flights from New York to Denver.)
Finally, my favorite tip is the one that as earned me more than $2,500 in free airline vouchers. What is the tip? Volunteering to be “bumped,” whenever your flight is overbooked. While most people cringe at the thought of being bumped from an airline, I revel in it. As long as there's no pressing need to be at my desired destination at the originally scheduled time, I usually receive approximately $300 in voucher compensation for giving up my seat on an overbooked flight. The only downside is that I arrive several hours later, or at worst, the next day (in this case, most airlines will pay for your hotel and meals for the overnight stay, so it’s not a bad deal). Of course, not everyone has the freedom to hang out in an airport to earn an extra $300 — especially those with families. But for those of us who can, it pays!
Related Websites
Airfare.com
http://www.air-fare.com
This site lists in ranking order, the lowest fares for forty top U.S. cities.
Air-Tech
http://www.airtech.com
This site offers great savings to those willing and able to travel on a short notice of two-to four-days.
Best Fares
http://www.bestfares.com
This site lists low-cost deals on flights, hotels and car rentals.
Cheap Tickets
http://www.cheaptickets.com
Discounted rates on domestic and international airline tickets. (This is one of my favorites!)
Fare Chase
http://www.farechase.com
This site seeks out best airfares on a number of different low airfare websites.
IntelliTRIP.com
http://www.intellitrip.com
This is a program that combs through multiple airline web sites to find the best price – including unpublished fares.
Internet Travel Network
http://www.itn.net
This site operates in a unique manner: Tell them your destination and price ceiling, and they’ll alert you by e-mail when a matching flight is available.
Last Minute Travel
“http://www.lastminutetravel.com
This site provides great deals on “last minute” travel plans.
Lowest-fare.com
http://www.lowestfare.com
This site tracks web specials. (This is one of my favorites!)
Priceline.com
http://www.priceline.com
This site is a bidding one: you tell them how much you would like to pay for your next flight, and see if an airline will accept your offer.
SkyAuction
http://www.skyauction.com
This site tracks fare auctions.
Smarter Living
http://www.smarterliving.com
This site tracks web specials, and is best known for its e-mail dispatch of weekend deals on 20 or so airlines. (This is one of my favorites. I signed up to be on their weekly email list…I love it!)
Travelbreak.com
http://www.travelbreak.com
This site delivers bargains via travel auctions, fixed-price deals, and travel-related products
Travelocity
http://www.travelocity.com
This site offers rapid access to dozens of fare options
Travel Discounts
http://www.traveldiscounts.com
This site offers 1.5 million discounted airfares and hotel accommodations
Webflyer
http://www.webflyer.com
This site is the ultimate online resource for frequent flyers, helping to travelers to maximize their frequent flyer miles by disclosing special offers, mileage bonuses, and other insider information. It also features an excellent listing of last-minute air deals.
1Travel.com
http://www.onetravel.com
This site lists everything from discount airfares and hotel rates to cruise deals. They will even send you weekly “last minute air deal” e-mail alerts. (This is another one of my favorites!).
