Cheap Airline Tickets

Here's some common sense advice from Claudine:

If you travel when everyone else does to where everyone else does, you'll have to pay a premium. On the other hand, the herd usually knows something.

More time planning, more savings.

More:

Prices for airline tickets and other travel tickets are rising due to increasing fuel costs. You can, however, get dirt cheap tickets if you know where to look. Prices may have risen, but you still need to travel. Don’t let inflation keep you from going on a vacation or spending a stress-free time with your family. Here are some suggestions for finding the least expensive, dirt cheap tickets on the web.

Give yourself plenty of time
Look for your tickets as soon as possible. The more advance notice you have, the more likely that you will get the best price. Shoot for searching for tickets months before your event or activity. If you can look for tickets nine months in advance of your trip, that’s all the better.
Go straight to the airline’s site
Most people believe that discount tickets on sites like Expedia.com are always the best place to get the cheapest tickets. Airlines, however, sometimes have dirt cheap tickets, or the cheapest tickets that you could find anywhere. Many airlines have features that allow you to check several different dates for the cheapest tickets. Look for several different dates and several times for your trip. Oftentimes red eye flights have the cheapest tickets.

Look for tickets during off-season periods
Try to travel during off-season periods rather than peak travel times. For example, airline tickets are more expensive during the Christmas holidays in the United States. You may be able to find reasonable hotel rates because people tend to stay with family rather than spending a night in hotel during the Christmas holiday. You need to travel when others would prefer to stay at home. Travelers, for example, love to travel during the spring for spring break.

Use Search Engine Power
Use the power of the Internet to search for dirt cheap tickets. If your state has several airports, consider searching for tickets from several different airports (especially if you will have no problem driving to the airport, getting a shuttle, or paying for parking). Search engines such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Cheap Tickets,
can help you search for the lowest prices for several dates at a time.