Booking a Cheap Flight or Airline Ticket

I, like many others, am always looking for cheap flights.  I get excited about weekend getaways, maybe a quick Friday morning to Sunday evening, a couple of rounds of golf… Can I get a three-day weekend in around family day?  Would love to.

So, what do I do as a travel professional to look for a cheap flight?  Here are a couple of tips:

1. Start your search by being very flexible.  This will allow you to see what is out there.  2 connections, 1 connection, red-eyes, overnights… get all the information and don’t just zero-in on what your ideal would be.  You may miss out on something.
2. You need a minimum of two nights if you are traveling transborder or international.  Inter-Canada flights can be inexpensive to go out in the morning and return next day because they are priced each way, but if you are traveling to and from the US or international, you need 2 nights at a minimum to have a chance at a cheap ticket.
3. Check meta-search sites like Kayak, the actual airline site such as WestJet or an OTA (Online Travel Agency) such as TargetVacations.ca.  This will give you a well-rounded look at what kind of price is out there.
4. OTA’s will offer you something most others won’t and that is consolidated or contracted fares.  With a minimum of 2 nights or even a Saturday nights’ stay for international travel, consolidated fares can save you 50-75% depending on the route and time of travel.  The rules are very restrictive and availability is not great, but if you are flexible and your timing is right, you can really save.
5. In addition, OTA’s will offer charter flights which do not have the frequent schedules of someone like United Airlines or British Airways, but the prices are general much better.
6. Do you have Frequent Flier points accumulated?  Now could be a good time to use them.
7. Finally, booking a charter flight last minute is a good idea as the rates generally go down, but do not wait for a scheduled carrier.  The closer you get to departure, the worse it gets… generally, you have to book outside one week prior to departure.

Do you have any suggestions or tips for cheap airline tickets?  I would love to hear from you along with fellow readers.

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