Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Despite all the marvels of modern airfare, finding the right flight at the right price can be a real chore. When researching airfare, consider where you want to go, when you want to travel and what your budget will allow. Keep in mind that the earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it will generally be.
Research the area you want to visit and find out about all of the nearby airports. The first airport to to turn up when you're searching for flights may not actually be the closest one to your destination. New York, for example, has three major area airports (JFK, La Guardia and Newark, New Jersey). If you know your exact resting place on the other side of the state, country or world, it will help you narrow down your options. If price is more important than convenience, you may be able to get a better deal if you fly into an airport that's slightly farther from your destination.
Use an online travel agency such as Farefox.com or Travelocity.com to see many of the airlines that fly to your destination. If you're traveling to a city that has frequent flights from your hometown, you may be able to get a less expensive ticket. Be sure to consider plane changes and layovers when you're researching.
Go directly to the airline’s website. Once you find a flight on the travel agency site, call the airline or check rates on its site. Many online travel agencies charge a small fee upon booking, but the airlines don't when you book directly with them. If you write down the flight number when you do your initial search, it will be easy to track down the same flight and compare prices when you look at the airline site. Also, be aware that some airlines, such as Southwest, sell tickets on their websites, but not on the larger online agency sites.
Check sites such as Kayak.com and Sidestep.com, which compare prices found on a wide variety of online travel agencies and airline sites. Check sites such as AirfareWatchdog, which researches airfare prices and can tell you the lowest prices from one airport to another. These sites do not sell tickets, but they can link to sites that do.
Compute the final price before booking your flight. Airline tickets will include landing fees and international and domestic taxes, along with a variety of other fees, but they may not show up in the initial ticket price. Be sure to include all fees and taxes; they can add up quickly. Many airlines also charge a fee to check bags after you get to the airport.