• Snagging Prime Dates With Frequent Flyer Miles
“First, try to book a seat using frequent flyer miles. If you get it, great, enjoy your complimentary roast flying pig. If not, take the first available seat, even if it’s for days or even weeks later. Then show up at the airport with your e-ticket on the date you really wanted to fly on. Ask to get on a flight that day.”

• Hack Your Southwest Air Boarding Pass To Get On Faster
“4) Open the saved page with any HTML editor. Change the boardingB.gif or boardingC.gif to your saved file.
5) Print out your modified boarding pass and bring it to the airport…”

• Pack A Pistol And You’ll Never Lose Your Luggage
“The case is extra-tracked…TSA does not want to lose a weapons case. This reduces the chance of the case being lost to virtually zero.”

• Avoid Airport Delays With Free Online Tools
“…it becomes more important for the jet-setting consumer to stay informed of possible airport delays. Here’s a suite of tools to keep your travels free of travail.”

• Get Last-Minute Plane Tickets For A Funeral With Bereavement Fares
“Death can strike without warning, making it hard to get a good deal on an airline ticket for the funeral. When this happens, ask your airline about a special “bereavement fare.”

• Free Maps Of Best Seats For Every Airline
“SeatGuru is a site featuring seating charts for aircraft on all major carriers. Their charts tell you important things like, does this seat smell of satanic beer farts and airplane toilet chemicals?”

(Photo: jenkardux)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.