Daily Travel Deal » Travel Tips

Tips for finding lower fares

Darcy — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:31:49 +0000

Airfareswatchdog.com is offering consumer tips for finding low fares. It says that airlines are increasingly offering promotion codes, with discounts range from $10 to 50 percent off published fares. To get the codes, sign up for the airlines’ frequent flyer programs and newsletters. These fares are never listed on other popular travel sites. It points out those surprising sales that sometimes appear on Saturdays and holiday weekends. For example, during the Martin Luther King three-day weekend this year, US Airways launched an unadvertised sale to Europe with fares up to 60 percent off. For competitive reasons, airlines often sneak in the very best unadvertised sales when they think the competition isn’t watching. It advises searching for fares throughout the day, several times a day. Fares go up and down throughout the day, so if you don’t like what you see at 10 a.m., come back later and search again. Seat availability can also change throughout the day. For more information, visit www.airfarewatchdog.com.

Budapest Card Now Available for Purchase Online

Darcy — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:00:39 +0000

The Budapest Card can now be purchased on-line from European Cities Marketing. The card entitles visitors to a range of benefits, including free use of the city’s public transportation system. Purchased in advance, the Budapest Card can be used immediately upon arrival. For more information, visit www.budapestinfo.hu or www.europeancitycards.com.

Airfares for the holidays are up over 30% percent from 2007

Darcy — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:54:57 +0000

Travelers could be spending upwards of $100 more per ticket than last year. So it is important to keep these tips in mind:

à Be flexible with your travel dates. If you have flexibility you will be rewarded with big savings. Returning on Monday or Tuesday versus Sunday may save you more than $90 per ticket.

à Watch October for holiday price drops. Most previous late December itineraries saw price drops in the first two weeks of October. Farecast data suggest there are 50% more price drops during the holidays than other times of the year, so alerts are critical to catch elusive deals.

à If you’re traveling from a big market you should wait. Major markets are much more likely to see price drops this Fall, and you should closely monitor for lower fares before purchasing. If you’re flying out of smaller/regional airports, you should buy as soon as you find a fare you’re comfortable in.

à You will pay more this year. Unless you find the deal of the season, you will pay more for holiday flights than in years past. You should accept this and not hold out for a lower fare. It likely won’t come, and the cost will just continue to rise.

For more comparisons, visit Farecast