Where to Find Bargain Christmas Flights

As much as Hollywood likes to mock family holiday reunions (this year it's Four Christmases/Nothing Like the Holidays) there's something about being together on Christmas that makes us all warm and fuzzy inside. And this year with your 401K disintegrating, the economy in tatters and the world descending into chaos, people are on the lookout for cheaper fares than ever.

First the good news,The TSA has rolled out a system across the country that streams families, infrequent travelers, and those needing extra assistance into their own lane at security. Those passengers will be able to move at their own pace and won't have a stressed out businessman breathing down their neck; and us frequent fliers won't have to wait behind a family of five as they struggle with the new concept of a "metal detector" and a "X-Ray machines", and how many ounces are in a juice box. Initial reports are that it works with wait times being reduced by about 15%. Hopefully this will do something to bump up their dismal consumer satisfaction rating .

Also good news for bargain hunters is that the price of gas is down significantly from the beginning of the year and fares are priced close to what they were in 2007.

Now for the bad news. Prepare to be disappointed when looking for a bargain. Airlines are still reeling from the explosion in gas prices and prices are about 8% higher than they were in previous years. In addition they've cut capacity by about 10% this year. Wait too long looking for a cheap ticket and you might find yourself with no seat at all. So what's the cost conscious traveler to do?

1. Use an aggregator

Websites like Farecompare.com, and Kayak.com scour the web looking for flights so you don't have to. They will also let you compare your results from other travel websites like Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline and others. Their fare comparison system also allows you to check whether certain days are better to book on than others so you can figure out the best time to buy your ticket.

2. Have a Un-Christmas

By planning to celebrate Christmas early you can travel off peak and find cheaper tickets than those busiest travel days of the year. Everyone's still together, the gifts are still under the tree, a Christmas CD is still playing, and the nog is flowing. Who care's that it's the 18^th?

3. Travel Standby

This option is reserved only for airline employees and their fool-hardy friends and family. Know someone at an airline? Try to weasel a buddy pass from them. Be warned however, there are some serious problems with this strategy. A standby pass is just that, you "stand by" the plane hoping to get on. Then you "stand by" the window watching the completely full plane depart the gate without you. Flying standby during the busiest travel time of the year, with load factors at record highs might seem stupid to some, however if you've got flexible travel plans and a place to stay near the airport it might not be that bad an option. Plus there's the added excitement of never really knowing whether you'll make it home until you seated in the plane.

Whatever your travel plans it may be good to reflect on the fact that while once the skies were reserved for only the super-rich, air travel has never been more affordable. Today you can get a seat on a plane for about the same price as you would on a train or bus, except that 3 hours on a flight beats 30 hours on a bus no matter how bad the legroom is.