How to Find the Cheapest Plane Tickets

Start Early

The earlier your start your search, the better. This is for two reasons. First of all, the cheapest plane tickets are usually purchased at least 3 weeks to 3 months before the trip. If your trip is next week, then you can forget about finding the cheapest plane tickets. The second reason you should start early is because it will give you more time to search.

Time Your Trip

You've probably heard that it is cheaper to fly from Tuesday to Thursday than on and around the weekend. It is also cheaper to fly outside of major holidays. Remember that so many people travel around the holidays that plane tickets will always be more expensive.

Contact a Few Travel Agents

Sure, you can always buy tickets off the internet and find great deals. However, travel agents can be experts at finding the cheapest plane tickets. So get out your local telephone book and call two or three travel agents. Tell them your plans well in advance and ask them to keep an eye out for you. Most travel agents will be happy to do this for you. Sure, you may end up paying some fees, but the ticket could be cheaper. The more eyes that are looking for you, the better.

Sign Up for Email Alerts

Go online and sign up on some travel sites that offer email alerts. Often, sites will let you enter a departure city and a destination and will periodically alert you with emails. This is a good way to keep an eye on fares and prices.

Call the Airlines Directly

Remember that airlines pay agents a fee. In some cases, you can cut out the fee by calling the airlines directly. This is especially true for small airlines and those that are located in foreign countries. Often times, the price that foreign airlines charge will be 1/3 or 1/4 what you would pay on large US or UK based internet sites. If you don't want to make international phone calls, then just see if the airlines have a website. By going to the airlines directly, you can often find the cheapest plane tickets.