Are There Ways to Get Dirt Cheap Airline Tickets Without Sacrificing Quality?
There is not one industry that has been immune to the economic crisis that we are currently experiencing; and as a result, these industries are offering all manner of incentives to draw in customers. The housing market, which faced its biggest slump in nearly two decades, is slowly beginning to climb out of its financial hell. Builders are offering almost insane incentives to grab consumers ready to tip their toes into the real estate waters.
Not to be outdone, the tourism, travel and airline industries are partnering together to offer vacation packages that include round-trip air fare, hotel accommodations and resort excursions. All it takes is a little patience and Internet savvy to find these deals.
Before you begin to search for dirt cheap travel deals, you must decide when you want to get away and where you are interested in going. Then consider whether you are the least bit flexible in either one of these details. Being flexible often times allows you the ability to capture those “last minute” specials that occasionally come across your computer screen. In addition, there are days that are just cheaper to travel. If you fly out on a Saturday with a Tuesday return flight, cheaper fares and great seat availability may be your reward.
Okay, so you have your dates, your desired locale and you’ve allowed for some flexibility. Grab a cup of coffee or beverage of choice, settle in front of the computer and begin your search.
The best place to start is to do a Google search. Make it easy and search for “dirt cheap airline deals”. Go ahead, I’ll wait. The results are overwhelming at first, nearly 764,000 entries but (and here’s where patience comes in) weeding through, I am confident you will be able to find a vacation package that appeals to your sense of adventure and is easy on your wallet.
When skimming through the results, consider traveling on the lesser known airlines. This does not mean low-cost airlines such as JetBlue or Southwest; but rather, airlines that are less known with names such as Mesa, SkyWest, Republic and Freedom Airlines. You’ve probably never heard of these airlines, but I am quite confident that you have flown on ones that were disguised as United Express or the Delta Connection. These lesser known airlines are actually regional airlines that travel from obscure places like Medford, Oregon to United Airline’s hub in San Francisco, or from Little Rock to U. S. Airways’ hub in Charlotte. (You get the picture). European and Asian travel markets also have lesser known airlines that travel to their areas, including Ryanair, Easyjet, Jetstar or Malaysia Airlines. Although you may not be able to fly direct from the United States on these airlines, they are a viable alternative for international travel.
Despite the airlines’ boast to the contrary, you can get better deals without buying directly from them. Discount travel sites such as Expedia.com and Orbitz are one place to begin your search; however, another viable option is to contact travel agents who may have agreements with a large travel company and can negotiate lower rates. Too, a travel agent may be able to get you first class seats for coach prices by booking the flights under codes such as YUPP, QUPP or Z. These codes automatically award the ticketholder upgrades to first class because they may be matching a low-cost carrier in a particular market.
Another tried and true travel savings tip is to plan to leave from a larger city to avoid paying higher prices. If you are in close proximity to a city such as Atlanta, Dallas, Boston or Los Angeles, consider driving to these airports instead of flying out of perhaps a more convenient regional airport in your home city.
Lastly, I am going to share a little secret of mine – www.ebates.com. This nifty little site offers cash rebates (yes, I said cash) if you purchase anything from the merchants that are listed on the site. The categories are endless – clothing, appliances, baby items, air fares, hotels, car rentals, to name a few. These merchants advertise on ebates and offer either rebates and coupons which are held in your ebates account and distributed to you in a manner you choose. You can get your rebates, which are paid out on a quarterly basis, in what they affectionately term a “Big Fat Check”, in deposit form to your PayPal account or in a donation to a charity, organization or a family member. The savings quickly adds up and it’s a win-win idea.
So, armed with these travel tips, search away and good luck finding your next vacation getaway!