Get a Cheap Airline Ticket

Taking off for a week in Europe or a long weekend in the Caribbean may sound exciting, but for a poor secretary, vacations are usually out of the question. However, it is possible to whisk yourself away on an exotic escape if you know how to get the cheapest airline tickets out there.

For starters, you need to know how airline pricing works. In the airline game, there is no set pricing – no constant $100 dollars for Row 10, Seat A. Prices are constantly shifting due to supply and demand. If a flight begins to fill quickly, airlines may raise prices on remaining seats to increase profits. Consequently, prices may go down on a flight that’s nearly empty. Other factors at play include competition for certain destinations, an airline’s market share on desirable routes and more.

Pricing decisions occur rapidly throughout the day and may change without warning. This information is communicated through a set of four central reservation systems, which in turn pass this information on to travel agents, discount travel websites and other ticket retailers. For this reason, you may get the best deal by consulting a travel agent. Travel websites may have good deals, but a travel agent has been trained to work with the reservation systems and knows how to locate bargain flights.

The key to getting a good deal is to be open and flexible in your vacation planning. If you’re dead set on going to Paris on October 22nd, you may have to settle for whatever fares you can find. Start searching early (at least 1-2 months) to get the best deals. However, if you aren’t set on a specific date or time of day, you should be able to reduce your costs – most airlines offer lower fares for mid-week travel and red-eye flights.

If you’re totally flexible, you may be able to score a last-minute bargain. Many airlines offer deep discounts on tickets in the week before a flight to fill any remaining empty seats. Discount travel sites like Travelocity and Expedia often offer package deals including flights, hotel stays and car rentals. Why not explore your adventurous side by setting aside some vacation time for the future and picking your trip the day or two before you leave?

Check the airport closest to you for small discount airlines that may offer low fares on flights to specific destinations. Jet Blue offers a $49 flight each way from Boston to New York City – perfect for a weekend getaway. Also look for smaller airports – if you can’t fly into Detroit Metro Airport, you may be able to land at the Willow Run or Ann Arbor Municipal airports.

Are you a Triple AAA member? A senior citizen? A student? Some airlines offer discounts for these demographics and bonuses for frequent flyers. You may also find a good deal from a ticket consolidator. These companies purchase discounted tickets directly from the airlines – avoiding the reservation systems altogether – and may offer them at further discounts. But be sure you buy from a reputable company like www.lowestfare.com or www.cheaptickets.com – small start-ups can go out of business overnight, leaving you with an invalid ticket.

No matter what you do, be sure to check for any restrictions on your ticket. Some deals may require a 21-day advance purchase, a Saturday night stay in your location or steep cancellation fees. Always read the fine print before spending your hard-earned money – any mistake you make is on your hands, not the airline’s. Once you’ve made your ticket purchase, sit back, relax and try not to gloat about the good deal you got on your vacation.

Sarah Russell, aka "The Sexy Secretary," is a connoisseur of living the good life on a budget. Check out her website at www.thesexysecretary.com for more fabulous ideas on how to trim down your expenses without reducing your quality of life.