Travel search engines advertised on television focus on travel within North America and some popular travel destinations in Europe. North American travel sites don't spend as much time building relationships with airlines outside of the States. If you are planning to travel internationally to destinations in Asia and Africa, use international travel search engines like Momondo and Mobissimo to get better deals.
Hotel concierges and staff can be very resourceful. The next time you are planning a flight back home from a hotel, ask the staff or the concierge for suggestions. They may take on the task for you and find you a deal. Airlines may throw perks their way to get them to serve as sales affiliates. Concierges are in the business of getting their clients the impossible.
Travel agents may be able to get better deals than a travel website. They are constantly working on their relationships with airlines, hotels and other travel partners to provide competitive services for their clients. For an airline, they are great for business. Travel agents are trusted to know the ins and outs of travel. Airlines will give them better deals to encourage them to recommend their airline to customers.
Some days of the week are more frequently traveled than others. The website Fare Compare's research reveals that Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the cheapest days to fly while Sunday and Friday are the most expensive. Be flexible on your travel days. Leave a day earlier or return a day later to get better deals.
Often a round-trip ticket purchase ends up being a better deal than a one-way ticket. It's similar to buying in bulk. The more you buy, the cheaper the product becomes. Airlines want you to fly their airline more than just once. They offer cheaper deals on your ticket home to get you to buy both tickets with them.
In the event that the airline doesn't give you a discount for booking a round-trip ticket, consider booking different airlines for your to and from flights. Use one airline to get you to your destination and another to get you back. This could also work in your favor if your dates are not flexible. One airline could offer you travel dates and times that are more convenient than the other. Compare prices for each airline on each of your travel days and choose the cheapest flight arrangement.
Use the airline that has a hub based in the city you're traveling to or traveling from. They will fly more planes in and out of that airport than their competition. Most often, their flights will be cheaper because there are more flights available.
Don't be blindsided by value airlines that quote surprisingly low prices. The baggage fees and fuel surcharges can eat up the savings you expected to pocket from not purchasing from legacy airlines. When you compare prices, don't forget to compare baggage fees and total up the entire cost of the flight.
