Travel

Here's How to Get the Lowest Airfares Possible

By Emiser Largent

Getting the lowest airfares possible has become more complicated since the internet became mainstream. There are so many sites and so many different options that its hard to tell if you really got the best price.

Here are some tricks you can use to make sure you are paying the least amount of money possible:

Secret #1: Call the airline you want to fly on - many of the airlines will give you lower rates that you can get on sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, Hotwire, etc. Why? Because these sites are acting like travel agents and get some sort of fee from the airline for processing the reservation. The airlines simply pass some of the savings on to people who contact them directly. I have saved as much as 5-15% so its definitely worth making the phone call.

2. Check with the airline for special deals which may include discount packages where you get a rental car at below market rates. About a year ago, I called Northwest Airlines to get a ticket to Salt Lake City. I asked the customer service representative if they had any good deals. She told me they had a special going right now with Avis where I could get a free economy car for the weekend when I got a ticket directly from Northwest.

3. Sometimes, you can save big money by traveling to another airport and then flying round trip from there. Check the airfares from other airports within reasonable driving distance 3-4 hrs. Sure, its a hassle, but the rewards may be worth $50 an hour for each hour you drive. Don't forget to include your gas costs when calculating how much money you will save.

4. You can very often save money When you get hotel, rental car and airfare from the same place at the same time. For these special combo deals, visit Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity and others. Hotels, rental car companies and airlines often make unused blocks or rooms, cars and tickets available at discount prices to maximize the use of their inventory.

5. Check out airline last minute getaways. Especially Northwest Airlines. They seem to have unbelievable deals to major destinations if you are a little flexible with your schedule.

6. Secret tip: Ask your ticket agent if there are any better rates or fares than the one you got. AAA, AARP, others negotiate special deals for their members. With a little persuasio skill you may get those discounts too, even though you're not a member!

Hopefully these secrets will help you get the best rate you can for your next flight. If you are little flexible and check every option, you can save a bundle of money.

Emiser Largent is the webmaster and operator of ABG Travel, Inc. which is a premier source for information on travel deals. For comments or questions about this article, please visit: http://www.abgtravel.com

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