- The day and time of purchase can have a significant impact on ticket prices. Every night at midnight, airlines reload their reservation databases with available seats that had been reserved but were not paid for. For that reason, it is best to conduct your search in the wee hours of the morning.
- As with all service industries, convenience usually costs more. For example, a weekend getaway may be significantly cheaper if you are willing to fly on Saturday and return on Monday than if you needed to leave on Friday and return on Sunday.
- A little flexibility can save you a lot of money. This is true with regard to travel dates and airports. For instance, at the date of this writing a ticket from Miami to Washington, DC purchased with 60 days advance notice currently costs $183 plus taxes; however, the price drops to $133 if you are willing to depart from nearby Ft. Lauderdale instead.
- Frequent flyer programs can be an excellent way to save money, but redeeming your miles requires a little extra diligence. Most airlines set aside only a small percentage of their available seats for travelers redeeming miles, and they are usually available for reservation 330 days before the departure date. For these reasons, it is always advantageous to book reward program travel far in advance, and to be as flexible as possible about your travel plans.
- It is often advantageous to reserve and purchase tickets at least 21 days before your departure; however, there are exceptions. The emergence of last-minute reservation discounters has made spontaneous far more economical than in the past. In many cases, ticket prices are comparable to advance-notice prices.
- Shop around. Because different travel-related websites have different relationships with air carriers, it’s always best to check more than one site before purchasing. Just because one site had the best fare for your last trip doesn’t mean that same will be true for the next one. With a little effort and web-surfing, you truly can save a lot on airfare by booking online.
Read a review on My Airfare Secrets
