When trying to score a cheap seat on a commercial airliner, timing is everything. If you are looking to travel to your favorite vacation destination, now is the time to fly.
January and February typically see the fewest number of flyers. So as an incentive to frugal travelers, a number of airlines are offering fabulous fare sales to fill empty seats. AirTran and Southwest were among the first of the major carriers to launch widespread sales. The discount airlines have slashed fares for flights through mid-February. Savings are as much as 50 percent lower than holiday and summer ticket prices.
Other airlines are offering similar sales, but they aren’t advertising as much as Southwest. To get access to the fare war I would suggest signing up to get alerts on Internet travel sites, such as Orbitz, Expedia, Travelzoo or TripAdvisor. I’ve learned that it is best to use more than one, which is why I signed up for email alerts at Airfarewatchdog.com and check Expedia regularly.
According to travel experts, you can save the most on flights to key destinations. Currently, the best deals are being offered on flights between Denver and the East Coast and between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Airfarewatchdog has flights between L.A. and Vegas priced as low as $38 one-way. As the experts point out that’s less than an average tank of gas or the cost of checking two bags.
Just remember to read the fine print before forking over cash for your tickets. Most of the bigger sales include restrictions and expiration dates. For example, Southwest has round-trip deals starting at $128, but you must book by next week and you must complete travel by May.
Also, you’ll know when you are getting a super deal if you monitor the cheapest prices to your favorite destinations. When a killer price pops up, you’ll know if it’s worth taking.
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