by Sarah Donaghy

Created on: March 31, 2007   Last Updated: April 04, 2007

Need cheap flights? Looking around for the very best fare to get you from A to B? Here are 5 quick tips for getting the best out of your search:

1. Know what kind of discounts you are eligible for! Senior citizen? Military? Student? All of the previous can often find flights at even deeper discounts. Students should be sure to visit studentuniverse.com, a site run by Orbitz that offers special student fares on flights. Senior Citizens and military personnel should be sure to enter themselves as such (as opposed to keying in 'adult') when running searches for flights. Some airlines offer flat rate fees for individuals in these categories.

2. Don't assume that discount flight search engines have the best deals! Often, it is worth looking at airlines' web pages directly. There are often deals run that are only valid on flights booked at an airline's homepage.

3. Play favorites! Is there an airline, or a few airlines, that you fly with the most, or just plain prefer over the others? Sign up for e-newsletters with these providers, and enroll in their frequent flyer programs too (it is almost always free to join a frequent flyer program). E-newsletters will let you know first when your airline(s) are running special offers, so that you have a chance to get in on these deals before the competition does. And, by collecting airmiles, you can earn rewards with your preferred airlines, often including many things besides flights. These can be managed quickly and easily on-line.

4. Be flexible! Not just with the days you can fly, but with your departure airport. Play around with flying into or out of other area airports. Sometimes you can save a significant amount by swapping your location. Coming to New York City, for example? Be sure to enter your search with you flying into Newark, Laguardia, and JFK, and see if there is a difference between flight costs. Also, know your short hop airlines. If you are flying from Vermont to LA, it will be much cheaper to take a Jet Blue flight to New York and then a direct flight with a different airline to LA than to make the myriad connections required when flying with Northwest, for example.

5. Be patient! Don't impulse buy the first ok-priced ticket you come across. It often pays to wait things out. Keep searching, and keep your eyes open for deals being run by various airlines. Pick a price that you would like to pay and stick to it. Plan to make your search for flights last over the course of a week. At the same time, if you see a fantastic deal, don't be afraid to grab it. It's your money and your vacation- you set the bar that works best for you!

Happy hunting!

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