He writes for AOL that you have to work to get the cheapest fares. The market changes rapidly. Certain tips are good for a while and then stop working. You've got to watch fares carefully.
Get the system to work in your favor with the following insider guidelines to cheap airfares.
1. Do Your Research.
If you travel frequently, it pays to keep yourself informed. Bookmark airline tickets portals, sign up for airfare alerts on the routes you like and check them every few days.
Diligent research on airfares will allow you to snag promotional deals when they occur and lock in savings on your favorite destinations. You can also sign up for newsletters that will email you when exceptional airfare savings are available as well.
2. Know What a Good Price Is.
This step ties in with Step 1. Being informed about the highs and lows in the airfare market will allow you to know what is -- and is not -- a great airfare. Savvy consumers who are considering making a major purchase of any kind gather information from all available sources and use that info to their advantage.
Diligent research on airfares will allow you to snag promotional deals when they occur and lock in savings on your favorite destinations. You can also sign up for newsletters that will email you when exceptional airfare savings are available as well.
2. Know What a Good Price Is.
This step ties in with Step 1. Being informed about the highs and lows in the airfare market will allow you to know what is -- and is not -- a great airfare. Savvy consumers who are considering making a major purchase of any kind gather information from all available sources and use that info to their advantage.
Keep an eye out for newspaper, TV and radio ads, and make mental notes about fluctuating airfares to all kinds of destinations. It may help to keep a blog of the rates you notice and the trends you see popping up. You may end up meeting other cheap airfare hounds like yourself who can offer hot tips
3. Specifically Watch the Price Trends On Your Preferred Route.
3. Specifically Watch the Price Trends On Your Preferred Route.
Most air travelers, especially business fliers, tend to fly to the same destinations on a regular basis. Consider tracking prices in a day planner or blog on a consistent basis so that you can track price trends on cheap airfares to your preferred airports.
When it comes to airfare prices, there are few rules and lots of exceptions to the rules. But if you build an informal database for airfare fluctuations, you may be able to predict the best times to grab cheap airfares at their lowest.
4. Airfare Prices Tend To Be Better Between 14 and 21 Days Before Your Target Date.
Overall, this is true more often than not. Airlines try to entice you to buy 2 or 3 weeks in advance with price breaks on airfares. This way the flight fills up and they can increase the profitability on that route.
Like most other markets, airfares are determined by supply and demand. If the demand for a particular route, say Chicago to Orlando in January, is high, the airlines capitalize on demand and increase airfares. If demand is low on the Cleveland to Boise route in October, airfares will trend down. Naturally, low end demand works to the consumer’s advantage.
When it comes to airfare prices, there are few rules and lots of exceptions to the rules. But if you build an informal database for airfare fluctuations, you may be able to predict the best times to grab cheap airfares at their lowest.
4. Airfare Prices Tend To Be Better Between 14 and 21 Days Before Your Target Date.
Overall, this is true more often than not. Airlines try to entice you to buy 2 or 3 weeks in advance with price breaks on airfares. This way the flight fills up and they can increase the profitability on that route.
Like most other markets, airfares are determined by supply and demand. If the demand for a particular route, say Chicago to Orlando in January, is high, the airlines capitalize on demand and increase airfares. If demand is low on the Cleveland to Boise route in October, airfares will trend down. Naturally, low end demand works to the consumer’s advantage.
5. Consider Nearby Airports Instead of the Major Hubs.
This approach is one of the more predictable and reliable ways to bag savings on cheap airfares. Popular airports in specific regions tend to keep airfares in and out of that hub high simply because more travelers are willing to pay for location.
Consider using secondary airports like Chicago Midway instead of the much larger O’Hare International, or Fort Lauderdale as an alternative to Miami International, as these airports are less popular than the nearby mammoth hubs. You can sometimes score lower airfares by opting to fly into these locations instead.
6. Booking at the Last Minute Is Risky, But Can Lead to Huge Savings.
If an airline is facing the possibility of breaking even or losing money on a particular route, they will frequently slash airfares the day before departure to entice travelers to book those airfares.
The downside is that this is a crap shoot. If you wait until the last minute to buy, you’re at the mercy of chance and could possibly end up having to pay premium airfares because the flight is nearly sold out.
7. Always Check an Airline’s Website When You Find a Cheap Airfare Somewhere Else.
This is one of the more reliable ways to find a cheap airfare. If one of the online travel portals offers a great price on a flight, go directly to the airline’s website and see if their price is better.
Airlines allocate a specific ratio of tickets for each flight in different price brackets to help ensure profitability. A travel portal may have access to a great price and pass the savings on to you. Often you can save additional money by cutting out their margin and buying directly from the airline itself.
With a little time, effort and knowledge, you can certainly be a savvy airline insider. You’ll know what it takes to find a cheap airfare and be able to track the airfares you want to use. In no time, you’ll be flying wherever you want and for the best prices.
This approach is one of the more predictable and reliable ways to bag savings on cheap airfares. Popular airports in specific regions tend to keep airfares in and out of that hub high simply because more travelers are willing to pay for location.
Consider using secondary airports like Chicago Midway instead of the much larger O’Hare International, or Fort Lauderdale as an alternative to Miami International, as these airports are less popular than the nearby mammoth hubs. You can sometimes score lower airfares by opting to fly into these locations instead.
6. Booking at the Last Minute Is Risky, But Can Lead to Huge Savings.
If an airline is facing the possibility of breaking even or losing money on a particular route, they will frequently slash airfares the day before departure to entice travelers to book those airfares.
The downside is that this is a crap shoot. If you wait until the last minute to buy, you’re at the mercy of chance and could possibly end up having to pay premium airfares because the flight is nearly sold out.
7. Always Check an Airline’s Website When You Find a Cheap Airfare Somewhere Else.
This is one of the more reliable ways to find a cheap airfare. If one of the online travel portals offers a great price on a flight, go directly to the airline’s website and see if their price is better.
Airlines allocate a specific ratio of tickets for each flight in different price brackets to help ensure profitability. A travel portal may have access to a great price and pass the savings on to you. Often you can save additional money by cutting out their margin and buying directly from the airline itself.
With a little time, effort and knowledge, you can certainly be a savvy airline insider. You’ll know what it takes to find a cheap airfare and be able to track the airfares you want to use. In no time, you’ll be flying wherever you want and for the best prices.
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