If you need to fly, you may wish you didn’t have to.  This is because of the high airfare most airlines are charging.  What use to be a cheap trip across the country is now one that most Americans cannot afford.  Whether you are flying across the country or to the next state, you want to save money.  There are many money saving travel tips available online.  These are nice, but who has the best tips?  The travel experts and what do they have to say?

Avoid weekend departures

This is when most people travel, as they don’t have to miss additional work.  If you can, fly on Wednesday.  Wednesday is the best and cheapest day to fly.  What are the worst?  The worst and most expensive days to fly in the United States are usually Mondays and Fridays.  Why is this?  Friday is usually reserved for the weekend warriors.  Monday flights are loaded with those traveling for businesses.  You can easily save at least $100 by departing on Wednesday instead.

Consider flying in the vacation off-season

If you are flying to take a vacation, consider waiting.  What is your destination and when is the off-season?  For example, Florida is most popular in the winter and New York is most popular in the summer.  By avoiding these busy months, you not only save money on airfare, but your car rental and hotel too.  Why are these special discounts offered in the off-season?  Airlines have no problem filling up flights from New York to Orlando in January, as those in the Northeast want to escape the cold.  It is however, harder for them to fill the same flight in the month of July.  The Northeast now has warm and beautiful weather, so less travel.  With that said, the airline still needs to fly between these destinations.  To ensure a full flight, they offer deals and discounts.

Avoid flying during the holiday

Although it is cheaper to depart on a Wednesday than a Friday, there is one simple way you can save money.  That is stay home for the holidays.  Airfare skyrockets around Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  Why is this? Airlines know this is when Americans travel the most.  Staying home is nice, but don’t let it ruin your holidays.  If want to fly back home to spend Thanksgiving with your parents, do it.  Price compare to find the best deals and leave early.  Around the holidays, the most expensive flights are the two days before the holiday.  Arrive three to four days before Thanksgiving; you should find better airfare rates.

Book your flight at the right time

Did you know that when you book your flight is just as important as when you depart?  Most travelers are surprised to hear this.  Travel experts state there are two good times to make airline reservations.  They are Wednesday morning and Saturday morning.  Around these times, airlines review their status for their upcoming flights.  If there are more seats to fill, cheap discounts are temporarily offered.

As you can see, there are many ways to fly cheap in the United States.  According to the experts, you should avoid holidays, fly on Wednesdays, book your flight on Wednesday or Saturday morning, and vacation in the off-season.  If you can implement these expert recommended moneysaving travel tips, do it.  You may save hundreds of dollars on airfare.

If you are looking to reduce the cost of airfare, you may stop and consider budget airlines.  These airlines claim they have the best rates in the business.  What do you sacrifice for these rates?  It depends on their airline in question.  You may give up an in-flight snack, drink, movie, first class, or assigned seating.  If this does not concern you, you may be ready to book your travel plans.  But wait!  Do these budget airlines really save you money?  Yes and no; it depends on a number of factors.

The budget airline in question

After a quick search online and after requesting free price quotes, you will see that not all “budget,” airlines are so budget after all.  In fact, some charge fares that are inline or more than popular and well-known companies, such as Delta and American Airlines.  As great as budget airlines are, never assume you are getting the best deal.  Most times you are, but there are no guarantees.  Determine which airlines can get you to point a and point b and then back.  Visit the online websites for these airlines and request a free quote.  If a budget air carrier is truly cheaper to fly with, make your reservations.

If your travel dates are set in stone.  Unfortunately, life happens.  It is hectic and plans change all the time.  If you book a flight with a budget airline, you want to make sure this does not happen.  It is best to schedule your reservations after you are sure of your travel date.  Why?  You are charged a fee for changing your plans.  Some budget airlines, like Southwest, charge you a fee and then hold on to your money.  This money can be transferred to a new ticket within twelve months.  If you don’t use it, you lose it.  For many first time travelers, this seems risky and shady.  Yes, it is a pitfall to flying on a budget airline, but not if you are 100% sure about your travel dates and time.

The price you see upfront may not be the actual price.  Most well-known airline companies, such as Northwest and Delta, let you know your fees and taxes upfront.  For example, you search for a flight.  Each of your options appear on the screen.  The large price is your flight price.  The smaller printed price is the total of your flight after taxes and fees are included.  You know this information right up front.  You rarely do with budget airlines.  It usually takes you two or three pages, after seeing your flight options, before you see the total for fee and taxes.  So, don’t get excited right away if you can fly between Las Vegas and New York for $89 each way, as this is not the final ticket cost.

If you are traveling to a popular vacation destination.  Budget airlines keep their fees low, hence the name.  There are many ways they do this, including eliminating many perks for passengers.  They also carefully choose the airports they service.  Ohio is a great state, but it isn’t one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States.  So, if you need to fly to Ohio, you may be unable to find a budget airline that can get you there.  Your chances of flying budget and getting the lowest fares increase with the more popular destinations you choose.  Luckily, most budget airlines are known for their no or one-stop flights to popular vacation destinations, like Las Vegas, Florida, and New York.

In short, budget airlines are doing a good thing.  They are working hard to provide customers with cheap ways to fly.  If you are more concerned about saving money and getting from point a to point b, you should consider flying budget.  If you want the perks that come with being an air traveler, it is best to go with the airlines you know and trust.

Do you need to travel by air?  Whether you must attend a special event, like a wedding, want relax and hangout with old friends and family, or just have the adventure of a lifetime, you want to save money.  Right?  Don’t you want a cheap flight?  With the tough economy and the fact that airlines are losing money at an alarming rate, many consumers mistakenly believe the days of cheap and affordable airfare are gone.  They aren’t   You just need to know where to look and how to find these cheap rates. How?

Compare airlines

Unless you are flying out of and flying into a very small airport, you should have at least three different air carriers to choose from.  Most can choose from at least five.  Visit the websites of well-known and budget airlines operating in the United States.  You can do this with a standard internet search.  Then, request a free travel quote for your intended dates of travel.  You should get varying results.  Compare your findings.  Which airline will get you to and from your destination the cheapest?

Compare online travel websites

Typically, it is cheaper to book a flight directly through the airline, but not always.  It will not hurt to visit third-party travel websites, like Orbitz.com.  Use the same information you entered above to get a price quote directly from the airlines.  Which way is it cheaper for you to book your flight?  Don’t forget to include the cost of taxes, fees, and so forth.

Don’t give up

As previously stated, you should check and request free airfare quotes from all airlines directly and third-party travel websites.  Yes, this does sound like a lot of work and it is, but it is very easy.  The internet allows you to move around quickly.  It should take less than an hour for you to get airfare rates from all popular travel websites and all airlines.  Keep going because the last place you visit may be the one to save you the most money.

Signup for email alerts from airlines and travel websites

Technology is cool.  Most of us internet users rely on technology and airlines are now starting to embrace it too.  Are you a regular traveler or someone who only flies when you get a good deal?  If so, signup for email alerts.  Most third-party travel websites and now some airlines offer them.  In some cases, you can customize your alerts to include moneysaving discounts for specific states, airlines, and airports.  If you like getting last minute travel deals, this simple step can make it happen.

Be flexible with your travel dates and times

Typically, mid-day and overnight flights are the best.  People avoid these flights because they are an inconvenience.  No one wants to be on a plane overnight because it is hard to sleep.  Vacationers don’t want to lose a valuable afternoon of their vacation, so they fly early.  If you can be flexible, you can save money.  With many airlines, you are able to shave $100 or more from your flight by departing Wednesday, as opposed to Monday or Friday.

Book your reservations in advance

Many travelers hold out for last minute travel airfare deals.  Yes, these do exist, but they are risky right now.  Since many airlines are losing money, some have reduced their flights.  Since there are fewer planes in the air, those that are up there are fuller.  You may be unable to find a flight with an empty seat at the last minute.  Not only that, but not all airlines offer last minute travel deals and discounts.  Some even raise the price!

Finally, getting a cheap airline reservation isn’t the only way to reduce the cost of your flight.  To save money, familiarize yourself with your airlines baggage fess.  Did you know that some airlines now charge for your first checked back of luggage? Many do.  If traveling with family, condense luggage to reduce the suitcases.  Only pack what you need, rely on your carryon bag, and use space saving travel bags.

If you want or need to travel in the coming months, you may turn to online travel websites.  These popular websites, which include PriceLine.com and Orbtiz.com, are a great way to book a trip.  In fact, many have special deals and discounts.  For some individuals, these deals and discounts can save hundreds.  For others, there are no savings.

Are the airfare deals offered by most online travel websites a good deal for you?  It all depends.  To decide, examine their pros and cons.  Then, apply them to your own personal situation.  After doing so, you have your answer.  So, what are the pros and cons of the airfare deals offered by most third-party travel websites?

The Pros of Online Travel Website Deals

You have a number of online travel websites to choose from.  As stated above, PriceLine.com and Orbtiz.com are two popular travel websites.  They are not your only options.  Perform a standard internet search with the phrases “travel websites” or “travel deals,” and you will be surprised with the results.  Orbitz.com and other similar websites tend to specialize in domestic and international travel.  You can also find websites that deal with specific vacation destinations, such as Hawaii, Florida, or the Caribbean.

You have a large number of travel deals and discounts to choose from.  As previously stated, there are many online travel websites to use.  Most offer moneysaving deals and discounts.  In fact, it is common for one website to offer at least ten deals.  Some can be for last minute airfare; others can be for vacation packages, and so forth.  Your best chance of finding a good deal is to examine each online travel website and their moneysaving offers.  It will take time as there are many, but you could save hundreds or thousands of dollars on your next trip.

You should save money.  Since travel deals and discounts are designed to save you money, they should.  The only tricky part is finding a special deal on airfare that gets you to where you need to go.  For example, if you are flying to a little-known city in Idaho, your chances of finding an amazing airfare deal is slim.  Most often, these deals are offered for popular destinations, such as Las Vegas, New York City, and San Francisco.  As long as your destination is popular and serviced, you should get a good deal and save money.

The Cons of Online Travel Website Deals

Most of the discounts are for last minute trips.  Airlines want to fill their flights.  They lose money each time a seat is empty.  As the flight date approaches, they offer discounts directly to travelers and to third-party travel websites.  For that reason, most of the “amazing,” deals and discounts you will find are for last minute travel.  If you are flying to attend a special event, like a wedding or an important business meeting, it can be risky to wait.  These last minute deals are ideal for those who have money to spend and vacation time to use.

These travel deals and discounts rarely last long.  For most, it is going, going, and gone.  For example, say it normally costs $399 to fly roundtrip from New York to Las Vegas.  If an online travel website offers one-way flights to and from the same destination for only $99 one-way, there is a great potential to save money.  Since many travelers want to save that money, the available seats on the cheap flights will be snatched up quickly.  When you find a good travel deal or discount on a third-party website, there isn’t much time to do research.  You usually need to act now.

In short, online travel websites do offer many deals and discounts.  If you can find a flight that applies to your travel wants or needs, take the offer.  You can save money.  With that said, third-party travel websites are known for adding extra fees.  Read the fine print before making your reservations.  Ensure your cheap flight will stay that way.
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If you need to fly, the cost is likely to be a turn off.  Watch the news and read financial reports; you will see that airline companies are in financial trouble.  Many are barely staying afloat.  What does this mean for you?  It means higher airfare.  If you want to save money and find a cheap flight, you may wonder whether you should book your trip in advance or wait until the last minute.  Each option has their pros and cons.

The greatest benefit of booking a flight early is the preparation.  If you are planning a vacation, you not only need to make your airline reservations, but reservations for a car rental and hotel too.  For some travelers, it is too nerve-wracking to wait until the last minute.  And, the price difference varies from airline to airline.  Some airlines offer $100 or more discounts for last minute travelers, some offer a measly $25 discount, and others actually increase the price.  If you are the type of person who needs to plan, go ahead and do so.

Another benefit to booking your airline reservations early is that you are guaranteed a seat.  As previously stated, most airlines are in financial trouble.  To save money, they have not only increased fares, but cut flights.  There are now fewer airplanes in the air.  The planes that are flying are usually booked full.  If you wait until the last minute to book your airline reservations, your flight options may be limited.  This will not happen if you book early.  In fact, you should have a number of flights to choose from.  Are you traveling with kids?  Choose the trip with the fewest and shortest layovers, so you aren’t stuck in an airport with bored kids, and so forth.

As for waiting until the last minute to book your airline reservations, you may find good deals.  It all depends on when you look.  Towards Saturday morning, you are likely to find the best deals on last minutes flights.  Airlines just reviewed their flight lists.  They are trying to fill all empty seats.  To increase appeal, they offer better discounts.  This is your chance to save money and get a cheap flight.

Your reasons for travel should also be considered.  If you are traveling and staying with friends and family, you can be flexible with when you make your travel plans.  However, if you are looking to attend a special event and must make hotel reservations, keep these in mind.  You do not want to wait until the last minute to book your airline reservations only to find that nearby hotels are booked solid.  Yes, you may have gotten a good deal on the tickets, but now your entire trip is thrown out of order.

So, should you book your flight early or wait until the last minute?  Honestly, it all depends on your personal preferences.  If you have to plan ahead for your sanity, do it.  If you don’t want to take any chances, book your flight early.  If you wish, monitor the airfares for your flight.  Although airlines are under no obligation to refund you the difference, you can attempt to get that refund.

Since it is risky to book your flight too early and too late, it is best to familiarize yourself with other moneysaving tactics.  For starters, price compare.  Unusually, multiple airlines can get you to your destination.  Price compare to find the best deal.  Next, avoid flying on the weekends and holidays.  Flights departing on Wednesday to the same destination are usually $100 cheaper than flights that depart on Monday or Friday.  Also, consider other ways to save.  Do not fall victim to the high fees passengers are charged for snacks, drinks, pillows, and blankets.  Bring your own.  Even if you pay $2 for a 20-ounce bottle of soda at the airport, it is still a better value than buying an in-flight drink.

If you rarely fly, you may mistakenly believe that first class seats, also commonly known as business class seats, are only for the rich.  They are expensive, so only the rich must be able to afford them.  This is not true.  Did you know that many of the people sitting in first class did not pay full price for their ticket?  In fact, some are relaxing in first class with a free upgrade from coach.  How does this happen?  How can you get an upgrade to first class?

Pay for an Upgrade

When it comes to paying for an upgrade, you have two options.  Most airlines enable flyers to upgrade their seats to first class on their website.  If you monitor your flight and know that first class is quickly filling, you may want to upgrade your seats in advance.  You can usually do this on the airline’s reservation website or over-the-phone with a representative.  You can also upgrade at the airport ticket counter.  When checking in, ask if there are first class upgrades available for sale.  If there are, purchase an upgrade.  They are usually cheaper at the airport and at the last minute.

When it comes to paying for your first class upgrade, you have two options.  You can pay the traditional way with a credit or debit card.  If you are an avid flyer and have accumulated frequent flyer miles, use these to pay for the difference.  While it seems like a hassle, you save more money than just using your miles to buy a first class seat.

Ask for an Upgrade

Whether you want to pay for a first class upgrade or not, just ask.  It all depends on how you ask, who, and when.  If you ask the airline representatives at the check-in counter, you will likely have to pay for your first class ticket.  These individuals specialize in making and changing reservations.  If you want a free upgrade to first class, wait until you are inside airport security.  This group of airline workers takes your tickets.  Before the flight boards, just ask if there are any additional first class seats available.  If there are, you may get a free first class upgrade.

Be Nice

When it comes to asking for a first class upgrade, whether you pay for it or want it free, be polite.  You must be on your best behavior.  Even if first class seats are available, flight attendants are under no obligation to provide upgrades, especially free upgrades.  The key is to be polite.  Right now, most airlines have low approval ratings.  Customers are upset with the long lines, airport security, rules and restrictions, and high airfare.  Many take their anger and frustration out on flight attendants and ticker counter representatives.  Being polite not only puts a smile on their face, but it may get you an upgrade.

Volunteer

This approach is hit or miss, but there are times when flight attendants must scatter the weight on a plane to balance it.  This is a safety issue.  In small flights with first class, this can result in passengers from coach being put in first class for free.  Many times, flight attendants ask for volunteers or seek out passengers flying alone.  If this happens on your flight, be one of the first to volunteer.  Since you are doing the flight attendants a favor by volunteering to relocate, you get a free first class upgrade.

Get Bumped

Most times, getting bumped from a flight is an air traveler’s worst nightmare.  Not everyone is traveling to relax or see friends and family.  Many travelers are on a strict deadline.  These individuals may be flying to attend an important business meeting, see a sick relative, or attend a special event.  If you are traveling just because, offer to be the person bumped from an overbooked flight.  With that said, state you want something in return.  That is a free upgrade to first class.  Most flight attendants and ticket counter representatives will quickly accept your offer.