Home
>
Aviation & Flying
>
Top Ten Secrets to Saving Big Money in the Airline Flights

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

In The News:

Aviation International News
GE Aviation and Emirates Airline Work Together to Optimize Traffic Flows ...
MarketWatch (press release)
DUBAI, May 22, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GE Aviation has been selected by Emirates airline to provide GE's airline-based flow management system for a 16-month validation at Dubai International Airport. To commence in July, 2012, the Emirates "FLOW ...
GCC aviation set for huge growthKhaleej Times
Dubai airport show off to a flying startTrade Arabia
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed opens 12th Airport Show in DubaiWAM - Emirates News Agency

all 53 news articles »

UK considers sale of aviation fuel network
Reuters
Ministry to launch tender if sale plan approved * Supplies 40 pct of UK aviation fuel LONDON May 22 (Reuters) - Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Tuesday it was considering selling its 2500-kilometre long aviation fuel network to generate ...

and more »

News10.net
Reno Air Races plans to change course this fall
The Associated Press
Reno Air Racing Association Director Mike Houghton said he'll ask the Federal Aviation Administration for its required permission to move the largest pylon course for the 49th annual championships away from the crowd that typically numbers in the tens ...
APNewsBreak: Reno Air Races still a go this fallBusinessWeek

all 407 news articles »

EU appeals to China to join global emissions talks
Boston.com
Talks on a global emissions system have begun in the International Civil Aviation Organization, a UN body, said Matthew Baldwin, the European Union director of aviation. He said the EU might alter its Emissions Trading System if an agreement is reached ...
EU appeals to China to help negotiate global airline emissions agreement amid ...Washington Post

all 90 news articles »

eTurboNews
Seychelles Ministers lead tourism aviation delegation to Paris
eTurboNews
David Savy, Bernadette Willemin, Elsia Grandcourt, Joel Morgan, Alain St.Ange Two Seychelles Ministers, Alain St.Ange responsible for Tourism & Culture, and Joel Morgan, responsible for Internal Affairs & Transport, jointly led a tourism and aviation ...

and more »

Asia Aviation Sets Thai IPO Price At THB3.70/Share, Raising Up To THB4.48 Billion
Fox Business
BANGKOK â€“ Asia Aviation PCL, a holding firm that owns a 51% stake in budget carrier Thai AirAsia, Tuesday priced the initial public offering shares of the Thai airline at THB3.70 apiece, raising up to THB4.48 billion ($143 million).
Asia Aviation plans initial public share offeringThai News Agency MCOT

all 6 news articles »

AerCap Holdings NV Announces Closing of its Private Offering by AerCap ...
Reuters
Schiphol, The Netherlands, May 22, 2012 - AerCap Holdings NV (NYSE: AER) (the "Company") today announced that AerCap Aviation Solutions BV (the "Issuer"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, closed its previously announced offering of $300 ...

and more »

With the Troops: 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade pilots driving success in ...
Fayetteville Observer
In the cockpit, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Randy Swanson of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade's Task Force Saber peered through a pair of night vision goggles as he executed a two-wheel landing at the peak. The whole time, voices crackled over the radio, ...

and more »

The Hindu
Ajit Singh's US visit deferred by 2 weeks
The Hindu
Finally, the crisis-ridden Air India, which is still grappling with the two-week old pilots' strike, has put off a visit of Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to the United States to take delivery of the brand new long-range Boeing 787 'Dreamliner' ...
Jet Airways to sack 72 expats to take locals on boardEconomic Times
AI pilots have not heeded appeals to withdraw strike: Ajit SinghTimes of India
Ajit blames pilots for AI lossesDeccan Chronicle
TravelBizMonitor -Firstpost -Calcutta Telegraph
all 172 news articles »

UC, GE Aviation launch research institute
Cincinnati.com
The University of Cincinnati will spend $5 million during the next five years, along with millions of dollars from GE Aviation, to start a venture aimed at getting new technologies to market faster. Details of the UC Research Institute emerged today as ...

and more »

Google News

Top Ten Secrets to Saving Big Money in the Airline Flights

Aviation & Flying