Everyone uses their own timing strategies when it comes to buying airfare — too close to the flight and you’re bound to pay out the nose, too many months in advance and you’ll see that same fare drop in price. A new study puts some science on the issue, coming up with the magic number of six weeks before a flight as the best time to buy. [More]
airfare
Tuesday And Wednesday Are Best Days To Buy Airfare, Smart Guys Say
By 2.1.11
The best day to buy airfare is often Tuesday, but Wednesday also offers good deals, which are sometimes even better. How come? [More]
American Airlines Yanks Fares From Orbitz
By 12.23.10
In a contract tussle, American Airlines has removed all of its fares from Orbitz. [More]
How Do Airlines Compare On Fees?
By 9.27.10
It’s hard to keep track of all the extra fees airlines have invented to pad a ticket purchase, especially since they keep introducing new ones; USA TODAY says revenue from added fees have jumped nearly 16% from a year ago. The newspaper reviewed fees from 13 airlines in the U.S. and compiled this handy reference chart of current fee schedules, to make comparison shopping a little bit easier. As expected, Southwest continues to be one of the best values. [More]
Advice For Holiday Travelers This Year: Buy Your Tickets Now
By 9.20.10
CNN’s Travel Companion suggests you start looking for Thanksgiving and Christmas tickets now, because airlines have cut capacity over last year, and the peak travel times for those two holidays are shorter this year than usual. The article also provide some tips for getting a good price: shop for single seats; aim for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday flights; and if you can, try to fly on an actual holiday. [More]
Rotten Economy Might Mean Big Savings On Airfare This Fall, If You Can Afford To Travel
By 8.2.10
Travel guru Christopher Elliott thinks that airfare prices could drop significantly this fall, thanks to a double-dip recession and general economic misery. So far prices for car rentals and cruise packages are going up, but Elliott says he’s hearing from travelers and travel companies about “dramatic, unexpected bargains” and “rates … on par with last year’s record-low prices” when it comes to flights. [More]
Book On Tuesdays, Fly On Wednesdays
By 6.23.10
Looking to save money on airfare for that fun summer getaway? The best time to buy an airline ticket is Tuesday around 3pm, and the best time to fly is a Wednesday. Why? [More]
Senator Joins DOT Secretary In Blasting Spirit's New Carry-On Bag Fees
By 4.12.10
Spirit Airline’s ballsy new $20-45 fee for carry-on bags has already caught the attention of the Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, and now New York Senator Charles Schumer is rattling his sword. [More]
Use Codeshares To Find Cheap Summer Flights Abroad
By 5.16.09
Before locking in your summer fare to Europe, see if you can’t find a better deal by searching an airline’s codeshare partners. Airlines use codeshares to sell seats on each other’s planes so they can reach destinations they wouldn’t otherwise serve. Since ticket prices constantly fluctuate, codeshare partners often quote different fares for the exact same flight. Inside, reader Christiana shares how she used codeshares to save almost $300 on a flight to England…
Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia Suspend Airline Booking Fees
By 4.28.09
If you’ve been avoiding the big travel websites because of their booking fees, you might want to reconsider. Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia have all stopped charging airline booking fees until May 31.
Airlines Having A "Worldwide Distress Sale"? Time For A Vacation?
By 3.18.09
You know, we hesitate to use the term “fire sale” to describe airline prices but there are apparently some insane deals to be had right now according to the San Francisco Chronicle
By 10.9.08
../../../..//2008/10/09/delta-is-selling-airline-tickets/
Delta is selling airline tickets from New York City to Chicago for $79 each way. You must depart October 11th and return between October 13-14th. [TravelZoo via their Twitter feed]
Fuel Prices Force Southern Skyways To Abandon Flights
By 5.20.08
Brian writes in to let us know that Southern Skyways has fallen partially victim to soaring fuel costs:
By 2.22.08
../../../..//2008/02/22/today-united-airlines-raised-most/
Today United Airlines raised most of its domestic fares by $10 roundtrip. Maybe now their flight attendants can start answering call buttons again. [Reuters]
Look For Travel Bargains On Country-Specific Websites
By 10.4.07
When you’re looking online for flights or car rentals, consider trying the country-specific versions of popular travel websites, suggests the New York Times. In at least some cases, the price difference can be more than 50%.
Start Shopping For Thanksgiving Airfare On Aug 22
By 8.14.07
According to the fare prediction scientists at Farecast.com, Aug 22nd marks the date to start shopping for Thanksgiving plane tickets. They shared these tips and stats about turkey-time airfare:
Save On Airline Tickets, Shop On Saturday Morning
By 7.21.07
Saturday morning is the best time to find a deal on airline tickets, according to CNN Money. Most airfare sales are released to the Airline Traffic Publishing Company on Friday evening, and then forwarded to travel sites and agencies. With 200 million fares in circulation at any given moment, CNN has a novel solution for ferreting out the best deal:
Does The TSA Consider Pie A Dangerous Liquid?
By 11.21.06
UPDATE: Cleavland confiscates traveler’s pies.
