Try to keep your travel dates flexible. When checking fares, many airlines or travel aggregators offer the option to click whether your dates are fixed or flexible. Aggregators search multiple travel sites at once and display all possible results. Sometimes a different week or just a different departure and return date can mean an increase or decrease in fares. According to the Independent Traveler website, the travel days with the best deals are usually Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays, as many airlines post sales on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
Don't purchase your tickets too early, or too late. If your schedule allows, you'll need to be a bit strategic when choosing the time to buy airfare. According to the Independent Traveler website, airfares tend to increase 21 days, 14 days, 7 days and 3 days before departure. If you're traveling during peak holiday times such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, buying earlier is usually best. Buy international flight tickets early as well, at least three to six months before departure. If your dates are flexible, sometimes airlines will try to fill planes by deeply discounting tickets at the last minute.
Compare fares between multiple airlines, ticket aggregator sites or booking sites to get the best rate. To save time, use sites such as Trip Advisor, Cheap Tickets, or Airfare Watch Dog. Use the flexible dates option if possible on these sites for access to the best fare for your time frame.
Consider using discount airlines such as Spirit, Southwest or Jet Blue. While fares for Jet Blue can be found on aggregator sites such as Kayak, airlines such as Southwest and Allegiant only list their fares on their own websites. If traveling internationally, consider international discount airlines such as Ryanair. According to the Independent Traveler website, many discount airlines fly into alternate airports instead of major airports to keep fares low, so keep this in mind when choosing flights.
