Perhaps the best way to find cheap airfares, price comparison websites allow you to quickly and easily find the cheapest flight to your destination. You can visit websites like Travelocity or Expedia to find the best possible fares. If the fares generated are too high, keep searching periodically--say, weekly--as rates fluctuate and can become much cheaper.
Another tip for cheap airfares is to browse the Internet, newspapers and magazines for vouchers and promotional deals. Visit websites such as Coupon Cabin and look under their designated flights section. Many of the vouchers are for use based on travel agency prices, so always be aware that while the voucher may offer a discount, it might be cheaper to simply book directly through the airline.
A range of package deals are also available to consumers. If you book flights with a travel agent, it is also possible to book a hotel stay or an auto for rental. Booking your travel and accommodation all together is an excellent way to save, and it is often more convenient than having several bookings with different companies.
Flying between two major airports is nearly always more expensive than traveling between two smaller, municipal airports. If it is possible for your destination, find your most convenient small/municipal airport and travel from there. Moreover, do the same at your destination and use public transport to reach your final destination. In the German city of Dusseldorf, for example, the main airport is five miles from downtown, while Dusseldorf Weeze airport is an hour's drive away, and a bus service operates between the airport and the city.
Cheap airfares are often available when you travel indirectly, taking two or more flights to reach your ultimate destination. Although this can take more time and involve some waiting around at airports for connecting flights, the savings that can be made make the stoppages worthwhile. When searching for flights using price comparison websites, be sure to display indirect as well as direct travel options.
Booking tickets long in advance of your travel is a good way to make savings on airfares. Conventional wisdom suggests that the further in advance you purchase your air tickets, the cheaper they will be. This is not necessarily the case, as flights can start at certain rates before decreasing later on, so it is worth keeping an eye on the prices as they vary. If you leave booking to within a month of your flight, however, you will almost certainly pay a very high price.
If you have exhausted all other means but cannot find a cheap flight, you should try calling the airline. Ask their ticket booking office why, in particular, your flight is expensive. Although the airlines might not share any information with you, it is certainly worth asking. When you call the airline it might be possible to negotiate some kind of deal.
