How to Find the Lowest Airfares

When you're planning a vacation, it's important to shop around for the best deals on travel. After paying for airfares, hotel rooms, travel insurance, dining and out and admissions charges to attractions, your travel costs can quickly add up. Although airfares can represent one of your most significant travel expenses, you have many resources at your disposal to save money and find cheap flights.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Compare fares online. Web such as like Kayak.com and Bookingbuddy.com allow you to compare rates across dozens of travel websites representing hundreds of airlines. Plug in your route, the number of passengers and your preferred date and time of travel, and these aggregator sites will direct you to the cheapest flights.

Step 2

Be flexible with dates. Airlines usually offer their cheapest fares midweek, when most vacationers are still dreaming about the weekend. You'll find cheaper fares in off-peak times, which will vary by destination---tickets to Florida actually rise in price during winter, for example, when snowbirds start making the trek south. In general, tickets will be most expensive around holidays---especially the first and last days of the schools' winter break---and during summer vacation. Use the "Farecast" function at Bing.com/travel to predict rate changes on popular routes.

Step 3

Sign up for special offers. Most major airlines---including American Airlines, Continental and Southwest---offer a weekly email circular with the latest discounted deals. Sign up for alerts on your favorite routes and have promotional specials delivered directly to your inbox. Once you've booked your trip, click "unsubscribe" in an email to stop receiving notifications.

Step 4

Take advantage of special discounts and privileges. Your credit card or checking account may offer miles or cash back on airfare bookings. Students and teachers can fly for less on many airlines---check Statravel.com---and active-duty military members and their families may also qualify for reduced fares. If your workplace gets special rates on business travel, consider asking whether you can book through work and reimburse your employer for the fare.

Tips & Warnings

Be aware of hidden costs. Some discount airlines scrimp on services, charging extra for checked baggage, snacks and drinks, and in-flight entertainment. When traveling in Europe, know that many discount airlines don't operate from major airports, instead using smaller airports farther from major cities, translating to a higher taxi fare or train ride to your hotel. Factor extra expenses and charges into your total before deciding on the cheapest airfare.

Article Written By Hailey Williams

Hailey Williams is a freelance writer and editor from Los Angeles, California. She has a particular interest in culture, lifestyle, health, and women's interest reporting, and her work has been published in magazines including TV Week and Sugar. She graduated from the University of Sydney.

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