Check online for discounted rates from travel sites or the airline company directly. Many travel sites such as Orbitz and Travelocity offer discounted rates on airfare and sites like Booking Buddy do the search for the cheapest airfare for you. Before committing to a ticket, you should check every source out there including the individual airline websites. Some airline companies offer online booking discounts to customers.
Call the airline directly and ask for a discount. There may be different reasons airlines offer discounts, such as specials, AAA membership or AARP membership, but you never know unless you call. Sometimes airlines also offer discounts that are not advertised and given only when a customer asks.
Keep checking back. When trying to find the cheapest airfare it is best to keep checking back until you have to order your tickets. It is best to do a daily check for discounts, because you never know when a discount will be posted.
Check with your travel agent. They will know where to look and who is offering the best discounts for the time you are wishing to travel. Travel agents will also be able to help you book everything else you need for your vacation, including hotel accommodations, car rental and popular tourist sites in the area.
Be flexible with your travel times. Sometimes it is cheaper to leave earlier in the morning versus mid-morning to early evening. Also, when traveling over the weekend, try leaving on a Thursday and return on a Monday or Tuesday. This is because airlines tend to charge more for travelers who are going out of town just for the weekend.
Look into three of the area's closet airports. When you are flexible about where you need to land you may be able to save money flying into a smaller, lesser known airport than a major metropolitan airport. The mileage may only be about 30 miles difference, which can save you a decent amount of money as long as you have a ride from the alternate airport.
Purchase round trip. Even if you are planning on flying one way and not returning for some time, it may be cheaper to purchase a round trip ticket with intentions of returning to the original location sometime. It may also be cheaper to cancel and pay the fee to use the ticket on a different flight for a future day.
