The best deals for airfare are available online, but you need to be patient and know where to look. I am a former travel agent so I frequently booked my own airfare online, even though my travel agent discount was supposed to be less, it never was.

Start out by looking at the major travel sites like Expedia.com, Sidestep.com or Orbitz.com. They will provide you with a list of the airlines and general prices to and from your destination. Once you know which airlines are offering the best fares, then go to the airline's website directly. Major travel sites usually charge higher fares because they bought the seats from the airline and need to make a profit. Also check sites like Priceline.com, Hotwire.com and Cheaptickets.com.

Don't be too hasty to book the cheapest fare offered right away. If you have time before you leave, keep checking the rates for a couple of weeks. Airfares tend to fluctuate from day to day. It is also helpful to call a few of the airlines and ask the agents if their fares will be going on sale soon.

I've booked many flights online and got some fabulous rates. If the fares seemed too high at first, diligently checking different websites every day definitely paid off in the end. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

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