Top Websites for Cheap Flights

I've been hearing about some new travel sites that would be helpful in travel, so I decided to update the article I'd already published on discount websites with these new additions. I've also included some omnibus sites which include helpful links for specific help such as currency converters, government travel websites and all kinds of travel map sites as well as travel advice and travel guide links.

Depending upon the website, there are different means of tracking down the cheapest airline tickets. Most of the sites I usually use advice a traveler to especially check for flights on Tuesday through Thursday and to look for hotel deals especially on the weekends for the bast available prices. I've noticed no difference in price for what time of the day or night the reservation is for.

I have noticed over the years, however, that sometimes a special doesn't follow that pattern and you need to explore the available days to see if there are any different prices during the time the special is offered. Sometimes there is no price fluctuation from beginning to end. Other times the pattern will follow the Tuesday through Thursday. Then other times the best prices are either at the beginning or middle of the offer and gradually increase near the deadline.

The same can be true for last minute travel and travel that has been reserved at least a month in advance. Sometimes you can get a good deal at the last minute, although more often, the opposite is true. But, if you can reserve a special at least a month before your travel date, you will find when you go back in and search nearer to your departure time, you'll find that the prices usually skyrocket. I'm talking about the discount sites since I only use discounted tickets.

Another way to find cheap airline tickets is to save your frequent flier miles and use them. You'll need to use the specific websites to cash them in. There are several ways you can use them depending upon what the specific airline is offering.

There are often, three ways to go about this; 1; Save enough miles to buy the ticket outright. Some websites also charge a handling fee and that varies according to the airline. 2; Cash and Miles are sometimes offered during the year at specific times. This is especially good when you don't have enough miles or money to buy a ticket outright, but you do have enough in combination. 3; Then this is similar to the second where you claim a frequent flier ticket without enough miles and buy the rest when you purchase the ticket.

I've organized this guide with the additional cheap flight sites listed first, then the omnibus and advice sites in a separate section next:

Discount Travel Sites:

Kayak:

This site tracks multiple discount sites for airline and hotel prices before you buy your ticket or reserve your accommodation.

Yapta:

This site tracks down both airplane flights and hotel reservations and shows their discount prices before you buy. It is powered by Kayak and its appearance is quite similar to Kayak, having the same discount websites.

Yapta sends email alerts to let the traveler know when prices drop and when is the best time to buy at the lowest price
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If the price of your flight drops below what you paid, Yapta helps you get a refund for the difference. The rules for a refund vary depending upon the airline which are posted on the website.

Bing Travel:

Bing travel uses technology and data that helps them to tell the traveler within a seven day period when the best time is to buy a ticket, when to fly and where to stay. They predict airfare prices based on the data they acquire and through their technology which indicates when a price is going up or down for both the US and worldwide.

Their search utility helps compare and narrow down the search results from multiple websites. The best predictions for cheap flights or hotel rooms are highlighted including the best dates and destinations. The rate indicator also shows whether the current good deal is by comparing it to the hotel's rate history.

When you have made your selection you're taken to the website that's offering the cheap flight or good deal on the hotel room.

Adventure Land Travel:

This website has an encyclopedia of different websites to check out on world wide discount travel and on just about any other type of world wide travel information or need that you may have involving anything to do with travel.

Toppest Travel:

This website has a list of budget travel websites, specialty travel sites and sites with helpful travel information.

Expetron:

This website lists links for bargains on airfare, hotels, vacations packages, attractions, events, cruises, car and limousine rentals and vacation deals.

Omnibus and Advice Websites:

Ruba:

This site lists travel guides written by Ruba users. You can plan a trip yourself or find a tour. You can explore different countries, make a guide for a certain country or find a tour that you want to go on.

Airline Quality:

You will find reviews on places to go to. You'll find out about the airport or airline you're thinking of using before you buy any tickets or make plans.

Travel Hotel Search:

This website mainly covers all kinds of global accommodations from youth hostels and B&B's to luxury resorts and hotels. But at the bottom of the page it also covers the latest headlines pertaining to travel interests and updates.

Travel and Transportation in the Yahoo Directory:

This website lists all kinds of travel websites, both bargain and otherwise as well as all relevant government websites pertaining to travel along with several mapping sites. It also has links to all kinds of guides and specialty travel as well as websites for specific travel needs, such as volunteer travel, senior travel or traveling with pets for example.

Additional Reading:

Activities Outside the Newark and Milwaukee Airports During a Long Layover,
The Airports I've Been Through: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,
Top Websites for Cheap Airfares,How to Keep Your Family Together While Traveling on Business,
I'm Stuck at the Memphis Airport - What Can I Do While I Wait?,
Help! I've Just Arrived for a Two Week Trip and I Can't Find My Suitcase,
Safety Tips for Solo Travel,Travel Safety for Women in Western Europe

Sources:

http://www.kayak.com/

http://www.yapta.com/

http://www.bing.com/travel/

http://www.adventurelandtravel.com/

http://www.toppest.com/travel.htm

http://www.expetron.com/

http://www.ruba.com/

http://www.airlinequality.com/

http://www.travelhotelsearch.com/

http://dir.yahoo.com/Recreation/travel/?skw=discount+travel+websites+directory+hot