How To Save On Airfare

If I have heard this once, I have heard this a thousand times. What is the best airfare to [ Insert Any City]. It is almost like some people think we are walking GDS systems and have every airfare memorized. There are many factors that will net you some savings when booking flights. Let’s discuss the ones that I think are the most important to consider. Of course the best thing is to book with your Travel Advisor. Even though we charge a per person ticketing fee, there is good reason for that. We are going to do everything I will recommend below. And then some. Because we have the knowledge and experience after searching flights for so many years. There is rhyme to our reason.

Assuming again that you planning ahead, be flexible. What does that mean exactly? Numerous things, actually. First and foremost, don’t be set in stone on the day and time you want to fly. For example, in the past Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday’s were less busy days to fly. That may not hold totally true anymore, but I would first check schedules and prices for any of these days. And generally, staying over the weekend can give you a little break in airfare. Why? Because business travelers don’t, so you should. Plan a Wednesday to Tuesday roundtrip, for instance. I also look at pricing for early morning vs late night departures/arrivals. Nonstop flights are always desirable, but may not be the most economical. If you do take a connecting flight, make sure you have a minimum of 1 hour or more between flights. Trust me on this one. If your first flight is late you may miss your next flight with a short connection.

One big thing you need to watch out for in today’s world are ‘the cheapest’ fares. There is a reason they are ‘the cheapest’. As I said early on, you should be booking with your Travel Advisor. But if not, book directly with the airlines. The cheap OTA (Online Travel Agency) websites may not be telling you that the cheapest fare is bare bones basic economy. No seat assignment, no overhead compartment space, no changes, no legroom, no nothing! Booking directly with the airline, or your Travel Advisor, will let you see exactly what you are booking so there are no surprises. Trust me, the gate agents have no sympathy for you when you arrive at the airport with your $10 ticket and you are complaining that you are getting stuck in the center seat in the back row. The old saying “You get what you pay for” rings true when you are traveling.

Let’s say you are flying to Miami to take a cruise. You want to arrive the day before your cruise so you don’t have to worry about flight delays on day of embarkation. (Good traveler!) The airfare seems higher than you would expect roundtrip in and out of Miami. If I was booking it for you, I would be looking at Fort Lauderdale as an alternate city. It is less than 30 miles between the 2 airports. If you can save a couple hundred dollars, it is totally worth it to fly into Fort Lauderdale and take a transfer to your Miami hotel.  Same would hold true for a cruise out of Long Beach, California. You can fly into Los Angeles LAX, Long Beach Airport or Orange County Airport. Consider the roundtrip airfare cost and the transfer cost and plan accordingly. Your Travel Advisor would. There are many of these alternate airport situations that will come up frequently, if you  know to look for them. (Hint…..I do….)

So let’s review. First you are going plan ahead and be flexible. ✓ Second you are going to pay attention to what you are getting so you don’t get stuck like the guy in the middle photo – NO legroom. ✓ Third you will take into consideration close by alternate airports for cost savings. ✓ But the number one overall thing you promise you will do is to contact your Travel Advisor!  Yay! And we are right here ready to help you out.