10 Ways to Save on Airline Tickets

3. Booking windows: The earlier that you know you will need a ticket, the better chance you'll have of getting the best price. Airlines have booking windows of 21 days, 14 days and seven days in advance of a travel day. Ticket prices usually increase when these windows come and go. In addition, if you want to use frequent flier miles to get your ticket, you must reserve as far ahead as possible, since getting these seats is quite competitive.

4. Alternate airports: Smaller airports on the outskirts of cities often are less expensive to fly into and out of than the main airport. This is the concept the new airline Skybus, which offers ten $10 tickets on every flight, uses. Check prices at all the airports near your departure city and arrival destination to find the best fare. Again, be sure to do the cumulative calculations. If you save $50 on the ticket, but the extra travel costs to and from the smaller airport exceed this, then you really aren't saving money.

5. Time: If you're not on a tight schedule, sometimes flights with stopovers will be less expensive than direct flights. This will mean you'll have to spend more time traveling to your destination, in exchange for a less expensive fare. Be sure to calculate what your time is worth. If you're saving $25, but spending five extra hours getting to your destination, it probably doesn't make sense to get the lower fare. Also be aware that stopovers will increase the chances that your luggage gets lost or delayed, possibly costing you more time and money.

Let's Make a Deal

Once you have determined how flexible you can be, it's time to start hunting for the best ticket prices. Unfortunately, this will take some digging. It is worthwhile doing each of the following steps in order to find the best price.

1. Comparison Web sites: Your first step should be to head to the main airline comparison sites, such as Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity. They do a good job keeping up with the latest fares, but they don't list all the airlines. Prices may even vary between these sites.