Investigate online websites that offer travel deals first. The best way to find the lowest airfare is to search several different sites. Check Kayak, Yahoo Travel, Jet Blue and Southwest Airlines. Often these sites offer the lowest discounts. Write down the best offer from each of these sites for a specific date.
Cross-reference your rates with the following online sites Expedia, Trabber, Travelocity, Cheaptickets, Orbitz, Hotwire, Mobissimo and Priceline. Write down the best offer from each of these sites.
Adjust the departure information to check if you can find a better deal at a different time or date. Try dates in the middle of the week, nearby airports, smaller airlines and flights on holidays.
Check the flights for one-way destinations. Often one-way tickets are significantly cheaper. You can sometimes book two one-way flights for less than a round-trip flight because different airlines and airports are involved. With some sites, however, round trips are cheaper than one-way flights.
Double-check the price of the flight with the airlines directly by phone. Sometimes you can get a cheaper flight directly through an airline rather than through a ticket site. Make sure to check the prices the same day, because often flight prices change day by day.
Book the flights at least three weeks in advance. Usually advance flights are cheaper than last-minute flights.
Check local travel agencies to see if they offer lower airfare prices. Sometimes a travel agent can provide a lower price, especially as a package deal with a rental car or hotel.
Book the flight as soon as you find the lowest rate. If you wait a few days, the price will often go up by a few dollars, or even significant amounts. Don't wait to book when you find the best price for your flight.
