Landing the Best E-Fares

Nearly half of all travel arrangements are now booked online. Here's how to get the lowest airfares.

Nearly half of all travel arrangements are now booked online. Get the lowest airfares:

Tweak Your Timetable
It's not unusual for a fare on the same flight to be priced differently at the major travel sites. Compare all three -- Orbitz.com, Expedia.com and Travelocity.com -- side by side, advises Bill McGee of Consumer Reports WebWatch. For added savings, try typing in different times of day for departure and return. If your schedule is flexible, you may find fares on less popular flights for hundreds of dollars less.

Drill Down
Greater savings can be found by avoiding the booking tools on a site's home page. Instead, click the link that offers more search options. "The more data you plug in, such as airports within a 50-mile radius, the greater your chances of saving more," says McGee.

Match the Catch
Compare your fare to one at the airline's site. "Over the last six months, many airlines have become more aggressive about pricing -- even undercutting their own fares posted at major travel sites by up to $40," says McGee.

From Reader's Digest - June 2005

 

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