Plug origin and destination points into Bing's travel site and its Price Predictor will tell you to "Buy Now" or "Wait." Bing processes millions of travel itineraries each day and uses the data and statistics to run their Price Predictor. The feature works for many destinations, from most major U.S. and Canadian cities.
Sign up for email alerts. Websites like Kayak and Fly will search for you. The travel sites will follow changes in airfare and send an alert when deals are available. Click the link in your email when you find a deal and you'll be directed to the appropriate website for purchase.
Sign up for weekly updates. Each Wednesday, Travelzoo sends out its Top 20 travel deals. Travelzoo staff evaluate and test deals before publishing. The emails include domestic and international deals on flights, hotels, travel packages and events, based on your zip code. If you don't want to sign up for weekly updates, searching the website will reveal the same deals.
Shop early to lock in a good price. Airfares can change daily and timing rules when it comes to finding a flight deal. Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare, suggests up to four months early as a good time to start shopping. Any earlier than that, and the cheapest tickets won't be available yet.
Decide on a window rather than specific travel dates. Flexibility is key in finding the best international fares. Websites like Kayak and Travelocity allow you to plug in a range to find the least expensive days to fly within your desired travel period. Flexibility in location can also provide affordable results. Click on the "Include nearby airports" option available on many travel search engines.
