By using www.airmaniac.com you can get the best deals for your airfares, but if you’re willing to put in a little time and effort, you could save big on your next airline ticket.
1. Buy Early
Especially during peak travel periods, making reservations late in the game can cost you a lot of money. airfares prices typically go up 21 days, 14 days, 7 days and 3 days before flying, so if you’re planning ahead, try to make the call before these deadlines. And if you’re traveling internationally, you’ll want to book even earlier — from three to six months in advance — for the best prices. However, sometimes you can get lucky if you wait, which brings us to:
2. Buy Late
Often you can buy tickets at the very last minute for a great price, if the airlines have failed to fill their planes. Many airlines offer weekly newsletters that feature their best last-minute deals. You can also find many of them at specialized sites like lastminute.com and airmaniac.com. If you can stand the suspense, and if you are flexible with your itinerary, you can find fantastic money-savers to very attractive travel destinations.
3. Shop Around
No matter how good it sounds, you should never book the first fare you see. Start your search by checking a few of the major online travel providers, like Travelocity.com, www.airmaniac.com. Checking these sites will give you a preliminary idea of which airlines fly your particular itinerary, what the going rate is and what restrictions might apply.
If you don’t see anything in your preferred price range, don’t be afraid to bide your time and watch the fares for a bit. Most major booking sites have alert features that will e-mail you when your fare drops to a price you’re willing to pay.
4. Know When to Buy
The hardest part of booking a flight is knowing when to stop tracking fares and make that final purchase. If you’re flying within the U.S. or to select international destinations, Bing Travel can help you reach that decision, offering fare predictions for most major cities. Just plug in your itinerary and the site will advise you either to book now or to wait, depending on whether the fare is expected to rise or drop.
Finally, keep in mind that most airlines launch fare sales on Tuesdays and Wednesdays — so if you decide to buy on a Monday, you may be gnashing your teeth on Tuesday when your destination goes on sale.
5. Be Flexible
If you live close to more than one airport, check out the fares from all of the airports near you. Many online fare searching engines will ask you if you are willing to depart from or arrive in more than one city. Yes! Also, experiment with different travel dates; shifting your itinerary by a week or even a few days can make a significant difference in fares. You’ll usually find the best deals on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
6. Don’t Forget the Discounters
As their nickname suggests, discount airlines can save you a bundle, but they’re not always easy to find. Luckily for consumers, discounters are cropping up more frequently on aggregators and booking sites but there are still a few holdouts, such as Southwest and Allegiant Air, whose fares can’t be found anywhere but their own Web sites. If you’re traveling outside the U.S., don’t forget to check the international discount airlines as well.
7. Use Your Frequent Flier Miles
Use Your Frequent Flier Miles Why pay a fare at all when you can use your frequent flier miles? Although redeeming miles has gotten more difficult in recent years, it’s still a good option to consider, particularly if you’re booking early; airlines designate a very limited number of seats on each flight as eligible for award travel, and these seats go quickly. For more on redeeming your miles, check out our frequent flier Q&A with mileage guru Tim Winship.
8. Get a Refund When Fares Go Down
If fares go down after you’ve purchased your ticket, ask for a refund! You may not always get one, but policies vary by airline — and many do not publicize the fact that they will refund you the difference if prices go down. It can’t hurt to ask.
9. Consider an Air Pass
In order to promote tourism in their countries, many national airlines offer air passes at reduced rates for tourists. If you’re planning to do extensive travel in one country or region, an air pass might be your most cost-effective option. For example, Qantas offers an Aussie AirPass for travel throughout Australia. For more information, see our guide to air passes. Planning an even bigger trip? Look into around-the-world tickets and fares.
10. Check for Deals and Discounts
Don’t forget to check our comprehensive Travel Deals for the latest fare sales — we post new ones every weekday. If you or your traveling companions are senior citizens or children, you’ll want to take a peek at our senior and family areas as well.
Yes such a good idea to remember to use the frequent flyer points. Sometimes they run out so best to use them before they do