By Jillian Ryan on November 18, 2010 in
‘Tis the season for lots of shopping and lots of flying. For those with families and loved ones scattered across the country, there's no avoiding airplane travel during the holidays. While it can be a hassle, we have some airline savings tips that will help alleviate the headache and the pressure on your wallet.
Check and recheck rates
Airfare prices fluctuate depending on the day and the time, so make sure to check frequently, at least two to three times a day, while you are scoping out the best rates. It will only take a few minutes to check but monitoring the rates can lead to more money in your pocket.
Flexibility is key at this point
Unfortunately, the primetime flights at major airports with convenient departing times are probably already either sold out or prohibitively expensive. If you take the redeye or fly out at the crack of dawn, it could mean big-time savings. Also, the day you fly is an important factor since the days before and after a holiday have an added $10 to $30 surcharge for “peak days.” (See FareCompare.com for a helpful chart.) For example, for Christmas travel, avoid Dec. 23 (which has a $30 surcharge); instead consider an early Christmas day flight (no surcharge). Another option might be to fly from a smaller airport instead of a major hub.
Follow travel websites on Twitter or Facebook
There are plenty of great websites and booking engines that can scope out the best holiday airfare deal for you. Ones to consider this holiday season: Kayak, Cheapoair, TripAdvisor, FareCompare and Airfarewatchdog. Also be social with these companies and follow them on Twitter or Facebook; fans often get early notice on sales.
For connections, think "warm"
If you can't snag a nonstop flight to your destination, consider the connection cities. For example, choosing a connecting flight from Houston or Memphis may be a better choice than connecting in Chicago or Philadelphia, where holiday snowstorms can quickly jam up runways.
Don't forget to check Southwest
Southwest airlines doesn't allow its schedules and fares to be searched by major travel sites like Kayak.com (our go-to site for starting your airfare search), so be sure to check its website too.
Get on the bus
If you're traveling less than 500 miles, it might be cheaper to hop on a bus. Many companies offer amenities such as free Wi-Fi and extra legroom to make your bus ride more enjoyable; consider looking into Bolt Bus for East coast cities; Greyhound and Peter Pan nationally.
If we missed any other tips, send us some suggestions for holiday airfare savings our way on Facebook and Twitter.