Bargain Airfare: 6 Tips for Saving Money on Airfare

Looking for a value while shopping for airline tickets? Cheap airfares are still available, and these 6 tips will help you get more bang for your buck!

Tip #1: Get the Best Airfare Discounts by Being FLEXIBLE
Tip #2: Get the Best Airfare Deals with E-Mail Alerts
Tip #3: Low Cost Carriers are NOT Always the Cheapest
Tip #4: Join Frequent Flyer Programs
Tip #5: Watch Out for Airline Ticket Surcharges and Fees
Tip #6: Get a Miles Credit Card

Tag: Saving Money on Airfare
Saving Money on Airline Tickets

Last Minute Flight Deals for the Savvy Shopper

Did you know that each travel website negotiates their own airfare rates with the major airline carriers? What this means is that you can expect a slight difference between prices among different airfare websites for the exact same flight.

If you are searching for last minute flight deals, It’s a good idea to shop rates on several websites before making your final purchase. It’s also a good idea to check the actual airline website for their rates as well. The article, Find the Cheapest Airfare by Selective Shopping, warns:


Once you’ve made an airfare purchase, you are committed permanently.


A little extra surfing can save you several dollars and net you some super last minute flight deals. Just surf before you buy – you can’t undo an airfare purchase.

Last Minute Flight Deals are Powerful When Changing Search Terms

Occasionally, a search for last minute flight deals will present the best prices if you agree to switch airlines during your trip. Although an inconvenience, I think it’s worth the extra savings.

For example, lets say you are wanting to go to New York from Seattle, Washington… and you want to go TOMORROW.

Your search for last minute flight deals will be very frustrating if you tell the search engine that you want a non-stop flight. Change the search terms to include layovers and airline transfers, however, and you may be in for a very big (big as in savings) surprise.

An article on the Last Minute Flights Blog mentions,


“It may surprise you, but experts agree that the answer is now an undeniable “YES”. What was once considered a no-no and an extreme inconvenience is now considered a wise move for the airfare bargain seeker.”

So switch airlines enroute, and save some bucks on your last minute flight plans.

5 Things Women Should Know for Booking Cheap Airfare

Here’s a very well done video that talks about the 5 things every woman needs to know about how to get the lowest airfares.

  1. Fly in the Middle (Book Flights for the Middle of the Week)
  2. Use Booking Buddy to Select a Broad Time Window
  3. Accept Extra Legs (Flights with Layovers Make for Cheaper Airfare)
  4. Book Early (Airfare is Cheapest When Booked 21+ Days in Advance)
  5. Don’t Delay (Book Airfare-Now)

 

Sharing Saturday… Sharing Last Minute Flight Deals and Coupon Codes From Expedia and Hotwire

It’s Sharing Saturday so I’m passing on some coupons, codes, links, etc. that I have found on the web recently.


New York City Anyone…?
Here’s a last-minute NYC coupon from Expedia for instance that knocked $60 off of my best quote from Travelocity. The destination page is also boasting $70 hotels and $300 vacations so this one seems like a gem if you’re traveling to New York City:

—> Last minute New York values at Expedia.com!

Vacation Packages
I played around with this link and ended up booking a nice 3 day vacation package to Los Angeles at $51.35 less than my other best quote. My friends and I like to go jump the Pacific to do the Disneyland thing a couple times a year and this coupon worked well for us.

—> Treat yourself to a last-minute getaway! Choose from great hotel deals in your favorite cities only at Expedia.com!

Hit the Beach

This one didn’t help me on airfare but I did find a 4 star oceanfront room in Panama City Beach, Florida for $41!

–> Book your Beach Travel on Expedia.com: Plan a sunny, sandy escape!

Last Minute Fares
I haven’t checked this one yet because I normally use TravelZoo for last minute flights. I have noticed that more and more consolidators seem to be entering the last minute flights market.

—> Save up to 40% on Last Minute Fares with Hotwire Limited Rates!

Rental Cars Too?
What the heck….? Since it’s sharing Saturday I might as well pass this one on too. My dad uses this Hotwire coupon EXCLUSIVELY when he’s on the mainland doing business. He swears by it :-)

—> Find rental cars from $13.95 a day at Hotwire. No hidden fees — drive away a deal today!

That’s all for now!

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Find the Cheapest Airfare by Selective Shopping

Find the Cheapest Airfare by Selective Shopping

Did you know that each travel website negotiates their own airfare rates with the major airline carriers? What this means is that you can expect a slight difference between prices among different airfare websites for the exact same flight.

If you are searching for last minute flight deals, It’s a good idea to shop rates on several websites before making your final purchase. It’s also a good idea to check the actual airline website for their rates as well. The article, Find the Cheapest Airfare by Selective Shopping, warns:


Once you’ve made an airfare purchase, you are committed permanently.

A little extra surfing can save you several dollars and net you some super last minute flight deals. Just surf before you buy – you can’t undo an airfare purchase.

Related Posts
Insider Secrets to Cheap Flights

Track Cheap Airfare Like an Engineer Tracks Slope

YouTube Video | Airfare Secrets

Save on Airfare Secrets by Tony Morrison

 


more info available at http://www.travel-4-free.info

Blogger Suggests Giving Booking Buddy a Second Look

A recent post on the Last Minute Flights Blog is suggesting Booking Buddy’s e-mail list as a great source for last minute flight bargains. I used a Booking Buddy tip for a spontaneous trip to Orlando, Florida last year and the price was about $300 less than my quote from Travelocity. Here’s what that post had to say:

“Booking a flight until the last minute usually means that there are very few seats left. When this happens, the airlines may charge a premium price for those seats that are left. My suggestion is to be vigilant with the Booking Buddy E-Mail List. I don’t know how they do it, but Booking Buddy’s list always has the best last minute fares.”

If you haven’t given Booking Buddy a try, then I suggest visiting their website and signing up for their Top 20. They only send an e-mail once per week and you can stop it at any time. There are some terrific deals for spontaneous (last-minute) travelers.

 

A Reader Asks… Will Lower Fuel Prices Have Any Effect on Airfare Prices?

Q. I filled up my car today for less than $20. I paid $1.61 per gallon which is the lowest price I have paid in years. Do you think the lower fuel prices will have any effect on Airfare prices?

A. Jet fuel prices have fallen like a rock, and the plunging price of jet fuel has lots of airline passengers wondering why their fares haven’t plunged accordingly. Even with lower fuel costs, the global recession has put mammoth pressure on hard-hit airlines. That’s why analysts say that airlines will not cut ticket prices or rescind fees for services that once came for free.

Should I "Save on Airfare Secrets" by Tony Morrison?

Is round trip nonstop airfare from Los Angeles, California to Tokyo, Japan an attractive deal at $375?

Not really….

While the Travelocity search reports it at $375, the taxes, fuel charges, extra baggage charges, and the new 9/11 security charges push the final airfare to a whopping $669.50.

Geesh!

While many of these new fees are now mandatory, there are some very effective strategies (secrets) to avoid the inevitable shakedown. Most of the strategies are laid out in Tony Morrison’s new book called “Save on Airfare Secrets.”

Here’s a short excerpt from the Going2Oahu Hawaii Travel Blog’s recent review:

“After working for 16 years in the airline industry, Tony Morrison was unexpectedly fired and left hunting for a job. Pondering on his predicament, he decided that his “insider” experience could be super valuable to the traveling public.”

If you’re a traveler, frequent or even only once a year, then this book should now be on your required reading list.

You can read more on it or pick up the book on the Tony Morrison’s “Airfare Secrets” Website.