William Shatner makes crappy Priceline.com commercials. We are bombarded by Travelocity.com , Expedia.com, and advertisements for other travel “deal sites”. The Internet is a great tool for getting good deals on travel, but what tools and sites to use can be tough to navigate.
Important: If you travel more than once or twice a year make sure you sign up for the frequent traveler program of whatever airline or hotel you are doing business with! They give you free stuff…it’s like the punch card where the 7th coffee is free. Visit frequentflier.com for amazing information on the different airline/hotel programs. (If you travel extensively they have an amazing tool for tracking your rewards points mileport.com )
Plan in advance: The rule of thumb is that if you book at least 14 days in advance you get the best deal. However, on some occasions I have found that sometimes waiting longer can pay off. There are a lot of last minute deals and tools like Southwest’s DING!, that alert you to a short window of opportunity for a very cheap flight. For the most part, it is still usually best to book flights in advance.
Flexibility: The more flexible you are with where/when you will be traveling, you will often get a much better deal.
Other Airports: Sometimes a nearby airport might be much cheaper. For example, the Cincinnati Airport (15 miles from downtown) is very expensive, and you can usually save hundreds of dollars by flying out of Dayton (45 miles from downtown).
Where to search for flights: When booking travel the very first step I always take is going to www.kayak.com this site searches the database of all the major airlines, hotel chains, and rental car companies and gives you the prices from each. It also searches “deal” sites like Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity if you select that option. Generally, the prices are better booking directly on an airlines website, rather than on the “deal” sites.
Low-cost airlines: There are some low-cost airlines that offer a barebones service (no drinks, no meals, pay for checking bags, etc.) for a very low cost. These airlines typically fly to only a few cities, and sometimes they don’t fly to the main airport, but rather a smaller one outside of the city. You can however, sometimes find amazing deals throughout the US with JetBlue, Southwest, and AirTrain. Also, Virgin provides great deals (and great service) on flights between NYC, SanFran, LA, Miami.
Hidden Costs: Beware of the new hidden costs. With JetBlue now charging $7 for a pillow and a blanket, gone are the days of free snacks and meals, checking 2 bags, and complimentary headsets. Expect to pay for everything, and do your research before booking flights. Find out how expensive it is to check a second bag, and pack your snacks ahead of time.
