Join a frequent flyer program. If you choose to fly with one airline, make the most of it by getting miles for your travel. Restrictions may apply, but once you accumulate enough miles, redeem them for future trips. Frequent fliers also may qualify for a loyalty program discounted airfare.
Take the bump. Being bumped means you allow yourself to come off the passenger list for a flight. If you don't immediately have to be to a destination and an airline requests passengers for bumping, take the option. Compensation may range from discounted airfare and free tickets to first-class upgrades. Relax for a few hours, and let other travelers worry about crowded planes.
Stay over on Saturdays.Staying an extra day in the hotel might be worth less money on your airfare. Airlines often lower fares based on whether your hotel stay includes a Saturday. You also might be able to lower your hotel bill if your stay includes a Saturday night, as some hotel chains offer discounts based on length of stay.
Buy in advance. If your travel schedule allows booking flights more than three weeks ahead of time, reserve as many trips as possible. Airlines arrange advance purchases from three to 21 days in advance, depending on what routes need to be sold. The cheapest tickets tend to be found far ahead of time, so book ahead and save money.
Go to a travel aggregator. Websites, such as like Kayak (kayak.com), Expedia (expedia.com), Travelocity (travelocity.com) or Hotwire (hotwire.com), offer substantial discounts over what you might find on other sites. Sometimes these airfares might be opaque, which are fares that are deeply discounted but don't show the time of day the flight leaves. If your schedule allows for departure at any time, this is a good route to save cash.
