Tips For Flying Within Your Budget, Part 2 by Travelogger

Aug|30|2007

Tips For Flying Within Your Budget, Part 2

Posted by Camica as Air Travel, Tips, Transport

Yesterday, I started giving tips on how to get lower fares for air travel. Here’s the rest of the tips:

• Buy in advance – most airlines offer cheaper fares if you buy them in advance, usually at least a week in advance. Also, the farther away from the date of travel, the likelier the possibility that you’ll get the cheapest fares. Bear in mind that even coach or economy seats in the same flight have different fare types, and the cheapest fares are always the first to go.
• Check online – like I said earlier, there are some fares you can only get through the internet. There are a lot of travel sites like Expedia and Travelocity that offers cheap tickets, sometimes even lower than those offered by the airlines itself! You’ll also find it easier to compare prices and times. Another advantage is that most of these tickets are e-tickets, which will save you from the cost of a paper ticket delivery fee.
• Choose the time and days wisely – tickets usually cost less during weekdays, and there are some tickets that cost less depending on a minimum number of days. Fares also vary depending on the time of your flight. Red-eye flights, or flights that are timed around midnight are the cheapest fares, with afternoon or late morning flights being the most expensive.
• Use an alternative airport – flying to and from a major airport such as LAX in Los Angeles or O’Hare in Chicago will cost more than a flight from Ontario airport in LA, or Midway airport in Chicago. If it’s not too much out of your way, why don’t you consider flying from these smaller airports. Not only will you flights be cheaper, these airports are also less crowded than the larger ones.

Whatever strategy you use, always remember to check the fine print and find out all about the rules and restrictions of the ticket. If you know of any other tips and tricks for getting a cheaper ticket, feel free to share it with us! Happy hunting!