Travel Deals: 5 Ways to Save on Airfare

With rising gas prices, frequent flyers must deal with the wrath of higher airfare. Even though the summer months and holidays result in increased air travel, some travelers are opting to stay home, or choose destinations closer to home. Of course, air travel is sometimes unavoidable - especially if family lives across country or your job requires extensive travel. Rather than spend a fortune on airline tickets, savvy travelers seek other alternatives.

• Book Months in Advance: Most airline carriers will not allow passengers to book flights more than four months before the schedule flight. For example, if traveling in December, the flight cannot be booked until August. Once you have a travel date set, immediately book the airfare. As you get closer to the travel date, the airfare price will increase.

• Choose Low-Cost Airline Carriers: Even though the majority of air travelers do not have a preferred airline carrier, some people favor big name carriers like Delta, Northwest, United, etc. Yet, you can save some bucks by flying smaller or discount airline carriers like JetBlue, Southwest, or AirTran. When scheduling air travel, contact the airline carrier directly, or visit the carrier's official website. Sometimes, you may be able to find unadvertised prices or better deals not listed on travel sites like Expedia or Travelocity.

• Be Flexible: If planning a vacation, attempt to book airfare first, and then make rooming arrangements. During certain times of the year, airfare is super cheap. Furthermore, try and travel during mid-week, perhaps on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Most travelers book flights on the weekends; thus, prices may nearly double. Also, be available to travel at strange times during the day. For example, a flight leaving at 3 A.M. could be $75 - $100 cheaper than a flight departing at 10 A.M.

• Choose a Connecting Flight: Even though traveling on a non-stop flight is convenient, and you avoid hassles like delays and missed flights, these flights are more expensive. If possible, choose at least one connecting flight. When selecting a connecting flight, avoid scheduling the flight times too close. For example, if your first plane arrives at 12:30, and you have the option of choosing a connector that departs at 1:00 or 1:30, choose the later flight. This way, you allow ample time to reach the terminal.

• Travel Standby: If the airplane is full, you have the option of purchasing a standby ticket. These ticket prices are discounted and ideal for saving money. On the other hand, standby flying is only recommended for flexible passengers. Boarding the plane is contingent on another passenger failing to show up.