Travel cheap: nine ways to save on air travel
Air travel doesn't come with cheap plane tickets these days, whether you're taking to the skies for a friend's wedding or a summer vacation. Here are some travel experts' top tips and tools to hold cheap plane tickets.
#9 Let the deals come to you.
Sign up for Twitter alerts or e-mail alerts (Twitter can be faster) from favorite airlines or travel-deal websites – and be sure you can see them quickly when they arrive. The result can be big savings, often using a promotional code from the airline to book cheap plane tickets.
#8 Check out package deals.
E-mail newsletters from sites such as Kayak.com or Travelzoo.com can alert you to specials. Other sites, including BestFares.com, make it easy to search for vacation packages or for cheap plane tickets bundled with a hotel. Sometimes an old-fashioned travel agent can help you save money or plan a better trip.
#7 Consider a change in timing or destination city.
You can generally save by flying on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday. Shifting airports, say, arriving in Rome rather than Florence, can also yield savings even after accounting for the cost of a ride by train or car to your desired destination. Flying at less desired time of day or year (September rather than August) can also result in cheap plane tickets and low cost.
#6 Buy at the right moment.
Deals often appear as Monday night rolls into Tuesday. For flights within the United States, other airlines might be matching a rival's bargain by Tuesday afternoon, while the process might take a day longer for overseas routes. But bargains can pop up on other days. And don't buy too soon, says George Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com.
If the seating chart for the plane you want to fly on shows most seats empty, the airline might be about to cut its price and offer cheap plane tickets. BestFares is one website that makes it easy to view seating as you shop. At some travel sites, you may need to go through the motions of buying cheap plane tickets -- stopping short of actually making the purchase -- before you get to see a seating chart.
#5 Shop around.
Sites such as Fare Compare.com and Airfarewatchdog make it easy to view a range of other sites you could search. Note, many people go directly to Southwest.com because Southwest Airlines fares don't show up on other sites.
#4 Shop for just one ticket at first.
Even if you're buying for the whole family, start by searching for the price of one ticket. Sometimes you'll be able to save money on one or two cheap plane tickets and then have to pay a higher price for the rest.
#3 Before you fly, consider other options like driving.
Be sure to include costs of things like hotels and food, for driving, and the costs of parking fees or other ground transportation when flying. The website BeFrugal.com offers a "fly or drive calculator" that helps you weigh the options, and compare both the costs and the travel times involved. The answer may depend on your preferences, whether you're fine with spending the extra time involved in driving, and on how many people are traveling. (The more people, the more the tab for those airline tickets adds up.)
#2 Plan ahead to save on fees.
Some advance research can help you know if you want to travel with a carry-on bag only (to save a baggage fee) or to bring your own lunch rather than buy one at the airport or on the plane. Some websites, including Travelocity offer a comparison chart on baggage fees at major airlines.
Your calculations can even extend to costs after your flight lands. Can you save by using public transit to get to a hotel or to a rental-car agency further from the airport, where rates are lower? If you need lodging, websites like Quikbook or Hotels.com can help you shop around.
#1 If you overpay, try for a refund.
If the price of your flight plunges after you buy a ticket, you may be able to recoup some of the price difference (minus a sizable rebooking fee at most airlines, though).
Yapta is one website that helps you track whether you might qualify for a refund voucher.