So you want to know how to get the best deal on airline tickets. With gas prices increasing, the airlines are raising their rates and taking away "extras" such as free drinks and that wonderful airline food, to try and offset the incredibly high price of jet fuel. Travel agents, professionals who know how to get good deals, are also expensive, so how are you supposed to find affordable airfare?
Sign up for a rewards credit card, and start to charge everything possible to rack up as many points as possible. If you have a preferred airline, or you often travel to the same place, get a card from that airline, such as Citibank's American Advantage card, or Chase's United card. You will earn rewards quicker by focusing on one airline. If you travel to different places, get a card that will allow you to fly multiple airlines, such as the rewards card from American Express or Capital One.
Sign up for all the frequent flier cards out there. Every time you fly, you will accumulate miles toward a free ticket. If possible, try to fly the same airline every time you travel to reach a free ticket more quickly.
For flying domestically, always check Southwest.com first. While Southwest Airlines may or may not offer the best deal, it does offer perks that no other airlines can offer. For instance, if you need to change or cancel your flight, Southwest is the only airline that will allow this without any penalty. If you cancel, you will receive a credit that you can use for up to a year. Southwest also does not charge any extra fees for checked baggage and is one of the last airlines to offer free drinks.
For the best price comparison on flights, visit kayak.com and perform your search. Kayak will search a variety of websites, including individual airline sites and some travel agent sites, to get you the best available price. Also search on Expedia.com and Travelocity.com.
Finally, provide as much flexibility to your search as possible. If you're not set on certain dates and times, try all the dates and times within your range. Also, many cities have more than one airport, or it may be close to another city, especially in the Northeast. Try multiple combinations, vary your search as much as possible, and eventually you should shake out a deal.
