Finding The Best Airfare

Timing is everything when it comes to booking airfare.  Time your purchase wisely!  Most airlines consider 21 days out, an advance fare ticket. Be sure to book on the outside of that window or you will be paying top prices for last-minute fares.

Try to be flexible with your travel dates.  The simple economics of airfare travel will tell you that the more people who fly on a given day, the more each seat will cost.  Try to fly mid-week, or if you plan to fly somewhere for a holiday, fly on the afternoon of the holiday.

Use a site such as Kayak to get an idea of the cost of your airfare, as well as the best places to purchase the ticket.  Change dates and times within a few days so you can compare prices. After you get an idea of the cost, go directly to the airline site and check their prices.  It is always a good idea to check some of the smaller airlines' ticket costs, also.  Airlines such as Southwest Airlines don’t always show up on price searches and are often less expensive because they don’t offer some of the frills of the bigger airlines, such as advance seating assignments.

Check airline websites for a few days in a row to see if prices change. Book as soon as you find a fare that fits your needs.  There are times you can get lower fares by waiting, but more often the discount fares offered by each airline will diminish as time goes on.  If you wait until the last minute, it is worth it to try priceline.com where you can name your own price.  Who knows, maybe your fare bid will be accepted.

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