With Halloween on the horizon, the holiday season will soon be in full swing. If you haven’t booked your holiday airline travel yet, now is the time to start shopping for the best fares. Take a look at these easy ways to save on airfare:
Shop Around and Compare
The sheer volume of options when it comes to booking airline travel can be daunting, but don’t give up and book the first thing that seems like a bargain. Allow yourself enough time to shop several travel sites and the airlines’ own websites to compare prices and ensure you’re getting the best deal.
Be Flexible
If you absolutely must arrive and leave on a specific day, at a certain time, to just one airport, you’re going to limit your options significantly. Be open to taking early morning or red eye flights and flying into or out of outlying airports. You’ll also save big if you travel on the holiday itself. It might not sound like fun, but the trade-offs are much lower fares, breezing through check-in, and plenty of room on the plane. Building flexibility into your travel plans can really help you save on airfare.
Check Into Using Miles
If you’ve been accumulating airline points on a credit card all year, now is the time to use them. Miles programs vary widely from card-to-card, so you may encounter black-out dates or other restrictions, but it’s worth your time to investigate your options before making any final decisions.
Watch for Fees and Charges
Before you choose a fare, be sure to take into account the total cost. Are there any additional fees for checking baggage? Snacks and beverages? Holiday surcharges? The list of potential extra fees and taxes is long and varied. Unfortunately, some of them are unavoidable. Just be sure you know the actual total cost of the fare before committing to it.
Scrap the Flight and Hit the Road
If you have the time and feel like an adventure, it might be cheaper (and more fun!) to road trip to your destination instead of flying.
