Book in advance. Most airlines recommend that you purchase tickets at least 14 days before your departure date, but you can actually make airline reservations up to three months in advance. When you purchase your ticket far in advance, you usually find tickets with lower fees for changes and modifications later on.
Look for flights with layovers. Direct flights are more expensive, and sometimes being willing to make a stop or two can equate to major savings. When you perform flight searches, check the boxes that include results with one or two layovers to see what deals come up.
Search multiple airports. Flying in and out of major airports can be more expensive---and time consuming---than leaving from smaller ones. For example, if you were leaving out of Washington, D.C., you could check nearby BWI Baltimore airport for less expensive flights. When you are searching for flights online, check the box that expands your search to airports within a certain radius.
Have flexible departure dates. It is more expensive to fly on certain days than others, with Friday and Sunday being particularly expensive. If you are willing to expand your search to several days before and several days after your originally planned departure dates, you may find a significant difference in price. Most airlines and flight search websites allow you to search for flexible dates by checking a box that usually says, "+/- 3 days."
Enroll in frequent flyer programs. Frequent flyer programs are free and come with a wide variety of benefits, including purchasing upgrades and full ticket fares with accumulated miles. Many airlines have joined to create alliances, where your miles are valid with multiple carriers.
Use airfare comparison websites such as Farecompare.com, and search engines. Many websites allow you to search multiple carriers for the best deal and compare fares between carriers. Use these websites to find what's out there, but check with the airline's website as well. Many airlines offer a lowest fare guarantee exclusively through their websites.
Wait for the right time to reserve. Airlines generally release new and reduced domestic fares on Tuesdays at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, and international fares on Wednesdays around midnight. Searching for flights at these times can help save you a lot of money on fares.
