Finding Cheap Airfare Online

By Author: Dora Davies
Total Articles: 3
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We have all spent hours surfing the web trying to find a travel deal. There are so many sites to choose from - how do you decide which one will offer the best price? Here are some great tips to make sure you get the best deals on airline tickets.

Sign up for e-mail updates:
If you have used a website and had a positive experience with their travel arrangements, sign up to receive their e-mail updates. Often they will let you know when travel to a particular area or resort is on sale. They also keep track of the airline rates to their locations and can be a great way in securing cheap airfare. A couple of sites that I subscribe to are SmarterTravel.com and CheapCaribbean.com. I like to get out of the long Wisconsin winters to a sunny, white sandy beach and these sites help me to plan my travel around the sales that are offered.

Get it straight from the horse's mouth:
Websites that book air travel for you, typically charge a fee for their services. If you book your airline tickets directly from the airline, you can save yourself those fees. I like to use one of the popular websites like Priceline.com ...
... to learn which airlines have a route that would include my departing and arriving airports. Once I learn who flies where I want to go, I visit the individual airline's websites to see who has the schedule and price that best fits my needs.

Free or reduced prices:
Don't forget to sign up for airline bonus miles clubs. Also, you may be interested in applying for the airline's credit card and they will offer you bonus miles or points toward future travel. Be sure you understand what is required to receive the bonus before you sign up. You don't necessarily need the credit card to earn points, you just need to sign up at the airline's website and be sure to book the majority of your travel through one airline so that you can maximize your savings.

Book it all at one time:
You can definitely save time and money by booking your travel as a package deal. Watch for specials during off seasons to your favorite locations. Then book airline tickets, hotel and car all at one site. The airlines often work with the hotels/resorts to come up with these specials. It's worth it to check them out.

Don't forget your miles:
Be sure to check your current credit cards to see if they are offering points toward airfare. You could receive 1 or more points for each $1 you spend. Plan your credit card spending accordingly.

Consult your favorites:
If there is a hotel or resort chain that you favor, contact them to find out if they can offer assistance in booking cheap flights to one of their locations. Be sure to ask if the resort has any upcoming specials as well. Do the same with your favorite cruise line. They may be able to come up with a great deal.

Listen to your peers:
Be sure to check out travel blogs on the web and read what people are saying about their recent travels. There are often sad stories of "the trip to Hell" or lost luggage lamenting, but if you sift through these tales, you can often glean great bits of insider information. Of course you should also talk to family and friends to get their advise and they may have a few tips of their own on how to obtain cheap airfare.

Jeremy Stiverick writes about travel, destinations, quick getaways and great tourist locations. From finding Cheap airfare & cheap flights to tips on picking a travel destination. Visit us: http://www.lowfares.com .