Top Ten Secrets to Saving Big Money in the Airline Flights

Do you know that some people travel around the country and abroad, for both business and pleasure, and save bundles of money in the process?

They do that by using little known ways of really taking advantage of the most popular form of transportation - airline flights.

They don't rely on the ever-famous "airfare price-wars". They don't rely on their travel agents to save money while flying.

Certainly, you should not dismiss these two methods. The price-wars can work to your advantage. But depending on them too much is a big mistake.

1. Call the airlines.

Call the airlines between midnight and 1 a.m. Monday through Friday to get cheaper tickets.

Most people never realize that at midnight, airline agents revise and load new fares into their computers. The best fares are just after they have done the updating!

2. Check into other airports other than the main one you use.

Many major cities have two airports. Check into surrounding towns and cities so you can compare airfares. You may save hundreds of dollars on your flights.

3. The early bird catches the plane.

The earlier you book your flight the more you save. Most special fares have restrictions of 7 to 30 day advance purchase. Usually non-refundable but they can offer deep discounts.

On the other hand, there are "last minute" deals too. Visit www.smartliving.com to get emails for last minute deals.

4. Get out of town on Wednesday.

Mid-week travel is usually less expensive. If you leave on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and stay over a Saturday night, you can garner terrific savings compared to Friday through Monday when most people fly.

Start taking your vacations Wednesday-to-Wednesday or Tuesday-to-Tuesday. You'll save a lot by choosing your departure and arrival dates this way!

5. Buying a one way or split ticket.

Let's say you travel from Boston to Dallas. It may be cheaper to get two separate tickets. You could buy one ticket from Boston to Nashville and one from Nashville to Dallas.

It all depends on the connecting cities and your airlines hubs. Just tell your agent you are willing to travel out of other airports and connect using regional airports to save money.

6. Open wide.

You should look into what is called an "Open-Jaw" ticket. These are used when a traveler is arriving and departing from different cities.

One ticket is purchased to cover both cities. Check with your travel agent or airline representative to see if this trick is available instead of two one-way tickets. Compare the price of each.

7. An excellent online service www.sidestep.com

You enter destinations and dates and SideStep quickly searches a couple of dozen affiliated regional and international airlines to find the best rates.

8. "Code share".

Ask your agent if this flight is a "code-share" flight. That means the same flight is offered by two different airlines. Just copy down the name of the other airline and check into what they are charging.

Only one of the airlines is actually operating the flight. The actual operator always offers this flight for less, so book with them.

9. Sign up for the airline newsletters.

From weekend getaways to international flight packages the newsletter saves you money on travel and doesn't require that you constantly visit the airline website for the latest offering.

10. The airlines often slash their fares during sluggish travel times.

Scan your travel sections in the newspapers and talk to your agent about these low fares.

Is Your Travel Experience Limited by Your Credit Card? Alex Fir is providing 250+ pages of insider tips and tricks that teach you how to travel cheap and sometimes free. Visit Cheap Travel

---

Airlines, Price Wars, and Branding

Here are some thoughts on the study of the theory... Read More

What Causes Jet Lag?

Jet lag is a common sleep disorder suffered by many... Read More

Automated Satellite Following System for UAV Swarms

Much work is being done and the USAF has implemented... Read More

Inflatable Slots for STOL

Short Take Off and Landing Aircraft are extremely valuable in... Read More

The Wright Brothers

Orville and Wilbur Wright were mere bicycle mechanics, yet they... Read More

Find Cheap Tickets From all the Major Airlines

All of the major airlines are now associated with different... Read More

Sex in a Cessna, Part II

Sex in a Cessna or any light plane can be... Read More

Cheap Airline Tickets! With Internet Access, The Skies The Limit For Great Deals

With easy access to the Internet, the convenience of finding... Read More

Airline Travel Lingo! Does The Language Need An Interpreter?

With airline travel increasing in record numbers, more people are... Read More

The History of the Aircraft Wash Guys, Part Two

The continuation of the history of a small service franchise... Read More

Entering Business Aviation, Part III: Training Options

Time for some training! So, you are not sure what... Read More

Young Men Trying to Imitate the 9-11 Scenario, Part II

What happened to General Aviation after 9-11? Why did we... Read More

The History of the Aircraft Wash Guys, Part Three

As we study this grass roots history of a franchise... Read More

Helicopters Outfitted With Airbags

You know those airbags in your car? Did you know... Read More

Automated Following Jump System for Paratroopers, AFJS

There are many problems of safety in paratrooper drops. Many... Read More

Flying VS Driving

When fuel costs are so high, people favor flying to... Read More

Aerodynamic Inflatable Wing Gates for STOL

Low speed flight characteristic are crucial to safety. Those aircraft... Read More

Material Memory and NASA High Tech Plastics for Rotor Blades

Some new materials, types of plastics seem to be stronger... Read More

Point to Point VS Spoke and Hub? Air Taxi

Boeing it is said took a big gamble in predicting... Read More

Budget Airlines ? Cheap Airfares for Flights around Europe can Reduce Your Vacation Costs

Here's a good tip to help cut the cost of... Read More

Common Cockpit Concepts and Convenient Configurations

One of the big pushes in aviation and military is... Read More

Fuselage Mounted Laser Vortex Enhancer Directed to Airfoils

DARPA has developed a small laser cannon, just like Star... Read More

Airbus A-380 is Pretty Big

You know the Airbus A-380 is so huge it takes... Read More

So You Want to Get Free Airline Tickets: Should You Choose a Reward or Cash Back Credit Card?

If you want to use a reward credit card for... Read More

Essential Oil Skin Care Tips for Frequent Fliers

Are you one of those people that has lots and... Read More