How do I find cheap airline tickets?

Travel is something most people enjoy, but the expense of travel can be somewhat overwhelming. The fact is that with rising fuel prices, higher security, and fewer flights, the cost of flying has gone up. So what can you do to find cheap airline tickets? The following are a few ways to get cheap airline tickets.

First and foremost, you have to know what a good deal is to be able to take advantage of it. So, the first thing you want to do is do a quick search to see what an airline ticket should cost you. So, call a local travel agent, call the airline directly, or get online, and find out what it is going to cost you to travel to and from your destination without any sort of deal. Now that you know the cost you can start looking for "cheap" tickets, or in other words.cheaper tickets.

The best way to find cheaper tickets is to do it online. There are times that you can get promotional deals by booking through an online site. Other times, you get incentives that are not offered by the airline, but by the site trying to get your business. So, start your search online with various discount travel sites, such as: Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline, Travelocity, etc. See what they offer as the best deal, and then look for a way to sweeten the deal. For example, on Priceline, you have the opportunity to name your own price and see if it is acceptable to the airlines. So, bid low, they will tell you how much more you have to pay to get the deal.

Some discount sites offer affiliate programs that will make the flight cheaper. For example, if you book with Travelocity, you can sign up for Great Fun and get a 5% -15% rebate of your flight total, after your travel is over. You have to fill out a one page form and send it in, but you really do get a check back in the mail, and even if it is only $20, that can make your flight cheaper than any other option. The membership for Great Fun is free for 30 days, and you can cancel at any time. So, while somewhat of a hassle, it can save you money.

Another great thing to do is combine flight, hotel, and car, when you book on this site. Sometimes you really only end up paying a few dollars more to get a hotel as well as an airline ticket, which means, while your flight costs you the same, you get the added benefit of not needing to spend money on lodging. So, you do not really get a cheap airline ticket, you just get a really inexpensive hotel stay. (It can literally be as low as $10 a night). This is a really good option if you are intending to spend money on those things anyway, and will help offset the rising cost of airline tickets. However, if you were not planning on purchasing a rental car, or a hotel stay, then it is not a good option.

The advantage of using this option (buying airline tickets online at a discount travel site) for getting a cheap airline ticket is that you do indeed get an airline ticket at a discount, although the discount is not always as significant as you would like. However, with this advantage comes some real disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is that most of the time when you purchase a ticket from a discount site, the ticket is non-refundable, which means even if your grandma dies and causes you to miss the flight, you won't get the money back for your flight. Another disadvantage is that you have fewer rights. The ticket issued is subject to change without warning. So, you might pay for an afternoon flight, and get changed to a red-eye, and that is just too bad for you, no discount, refund, etc. The third disadvantage is that when you do this, even if you fly with an airline you are a frequent flier on, you do not get any of those benefits.

The second way to get cheap airline tickets, or at least cheaper airline tickets, is to book tickets for bad times or options. If you book a really early morning flight, or a red-eye, or a flight that has a lot of stops, or one that is on a commuter plane instead of a big jet, you often pay less. Of course, you get what you pay for, so your quality of flight can be sacrificed when you chose this option. This can also hold true for booking flights to tourist destinations during an off season. Flights to a winter ski resort in the middle of summer may be far less expensive then going dead of winter. Booking flights that are no where near holidays can save you money etc.

A third way to find cheap airline tickets is by taking advantage of clubs and memberships you already have. Often times travel clubs, such as Triple A offer discounts on specific flights or airlines. If you own a time share, you may be able to get a discounted rate through the company, etc. This is sort of like booking through a travel agent, accept, instead of paying a commission or fee to that agent, you pay your yearly dues and this slight discount is included. Depending on your destination, how advance you book, and what airline you choose, the discount can be almost nothing, or in some cases fairly substantial. Some clubs and memberships offer special deals during certain times of the year, such as discounted Hawaii airfare in October, etc.

Another way to pay less for airline tickets is to take advantage of Credit Card Rewards Programs, Frequent Flier Programs, and other such travel related, reward based programs. If you earn sky miles on your everyday spending, you essentially are paying less, and therefore getting cheaper airline tickets. For some people it could take a whole year to earn even one ticket's worth of rewards, but it is still a good option for cheaper tickets. You may even be able to trade some sky miles on one airline with someone for sky miles on another. Ask around, you never know who has 100 Delta sky miles laying around because they started flying American Airlines instead. Trade, or buy their miles at a discount. There are sites that allow you to look for people with sky miles, or you can try your local classifieds.

Last but not least, a good way to get cheap airline tickets is to go with a budget, or economy airline. This would be an airline that for example, does not serve any sort of snack or beverage on the flight. You may choose a newer company, or a local airline, or an airline such as SouthWest that only flies in the US. When you choose an international airline, you usually end up paying more simply because the planes they use may cost more, the pilots have to have more schooling, etc. So, find a smaller, or newer airline and often times you can get a discount. A good example is choosing Jet Blue, however, they only fly to specific destinations, so you would have to be going from and to one of their specified ports.

There is not one big secret to getting cheap airline tickets. In fact, the rules change, sometimes it is best to book last minute because they discount seats to fill the plane, other times taking this tact means not getting a flight. Sometimes it is best to book early, and you may get an early bird special, other times you miss out on special promotions because you booked too soon. So, if you want cheap airline tickets, try for the discount travel sites online, or get on a mailing list, and become a part of a rewards program for your favorite airline. Keep your eyes and ears open for good prices, and know a good price when you see one. A lot of times packaging a deal is the best way to get an affordable price, so consider that before booking any of your other accommodations or entertainment.

The best thing to do to get cheap airline tickets is to do your research. Do not just look on one site, check them all out so that you do not pay some fee that makes your ticket cost more than it has to. Be sure when you are comparing ticket prices that you know what is included in the displayed price. There are taxes, security fees, fees tacked on by the site, agent, or airline for sales, etc. So, get a final price before deciding if you are really getting a discount, and most importantly if what you are sacrificing (such as the right to a refund) if the ticket is actually worth the discount.