Chris Campbell asked: Many folks these days, seem to go with the common assumption, that if you fly somewhere, it’s going to cost big bucks. Hundreds or even over a thousand dollars. If your buying tickets for more than one person, those dollars can quickly add up. Well, it’s true that some passengers will spend that much money, you don’t have to.
There are a number of strategies you can employ to get cheaper airline tickets, you just need to understand how the system works.
If your planning on flying during the busier times of the year, then you really need to plan ahead. Those last minute bargains really don’t come into play during peak flying times. I’m talking like Christmas, and the week of March break. Get your tickets at least four to six months ahead of these periods.
Sometimes however, the opposite strategy may work as well. There are still last minute deals for cheap tickets available. The keyword for you here is flexibility. The more flexible you can be about dates, and specific destinations, the better you can do here. Retirement folks and those with extend vacations periods like teachers can easily take advantage of these offers.
The internet is a god send for cheap ticket searchers. Never in our history has there been so many easy was as a consumer to find great deals. You can compare flights and vacation pacakages like Travelocity and Expedia. You also gut out an extra middle man, since you are essentially your own travel agent. The nice part, is you don’t have to worry about someone else messing up your travel itinerary . And charging you for it.
4. Knowing When to Buy
It can be easy to track the rising and falling prices of airline fares but actually knowing when to buy is tricky. A great resource for those flying in the United States is Farecast, which provides fare predictions for over 75 cities. All you have to do is enter your itinerary information and Farecast will tell you whether to buy now or wait it out, depending on which way the fare is predicted to rise or fall.
Another important way to know when to buy is by keeping in mind that many airlines put out fare sales each week on Tuesday and Wednesday. So if you can book on those days you have a better chance of snagging a good deal.
Search out the smaller discounter airlines. They’re the no frills airlines. You may not get fancy food, drinks, and silverware on your flights, but you will have more money to spend once you get there. Talk with friends or family, and check out any of the travel forums and groups online. You’ll get plenty of advice from those places. Be sure to check out all the facts throughly, don’t just believe everything you hear.
Pearl
