Cheap Airfare - Travel Deals

For most people, Christmas is all about family and spending quality time with people you love (and may not get to see much during the rest of the year). It’s a pity, then, that getting home for the holidays without spending a fortune can be such a royal pain in the you-know-what.

Finding cheap Christmas airfare is definitely a challenge, as anyone who’s started looking can attest to. You plug in your travel dates and get hit with huge ticket prices. You think you can use the old trick of shifting your trip by one or two days in either direction and you still run into the same high prices. It’s frustrating. Oh, and don’t count on using those precious frequent flyer miles you’ve accumulated, either, because the Christmas holidays are typically part of an airline’s blackout dates.

But even though you may not find a super bargain-basement price on an airline ticket over Christmas, there are still some things you can do to avoid paying more than you need to for your flight.

Thanksgiving is all about family, feasting, and friends - and, unfortunately, ferociously long lines at the airport. It’s notoriously the busiest travel time in the United States, which can lead to increased delays, more flight cancellations, and higher ticket prices. It’s hard to avoid some of the troubles that can come along if you have to travel over Thanksgiving, but there are definitely some things within your control - including traveling on days that aren’t as nightmarishly busy.

In recent articles on this site we’ve explored some of the aspects that make traveling at Thanksgiving so bad, and what you can do to make them less bad. Here’s a round-up of what we discovered, with links to each article for more in-depth information.

One of the things you’ll read over and over again when you’re looking for the best ways to find travel bargains is that being flexible is key. For the most part, that means being willing (and able) to move your trip by a day or two in either direction from your chosen travel date, or taking an early flight instead of one that lets you sleep in. But even beyond that, being flexible with the airports you fly in and out of can help you expand your ability to find travel deals, too.

Keep in mind that the big hub airport in your area may be the one that most often has the best deals, simply because it’s got the most traffic coming in and going out and therefore airlines are more likely to have empty seats they want to sell cheap. But sometimes the smaller secondary or even tertiary airports in a region will have deals the big hubs won’t - if a discount carrier only flies to the smaller airport and not the bigger one, or if the smaller airport charges the airlines lower fees to operate there, for instance. So even if you end up flying in and out of the bigger hubs most of the time, it never hurts to check the alternate airports nearby.

Traveling at Thanksgiving can be one of the most stressful things you’ll do all year, but if you end up paying too much for your ticket that’s just adding insult to injury. There’s not necessarily much you can do to make the airport less crowded or the weather any more pleasant for flying, but there’s definitely something you can do to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible on your ticket.

A few somethings, in fact.

In this article we’ll look at the best ways to find cheap airfare for Thanksgiving travel, some of which are tips that will apply to non-holiday travel and some of which really are targeted to these overly busy times at the airport. For starters, you should pat yourself on the back for taking the first step in getting a deal on Thanksgiving airfare - you’re doing the research. Well done.

Now take that forward momentum further with these tips, too.

Fall is in the air, and with the crisper air and changing leaves also comes some absolutely fabulous deals on travel. With kids back in school and the holiday travel season still months away, autumn is actually the ideal time to save big bucks on travel o just about anywhere. Low airfares, cheap hotel rooms and a lack of crowds in tourist-filled towns make the fall months the perfect time to pack your suitcase and head out on a vacation. With plenty of cheap hotels and fare sales, there is no reason even the cash strapped in the recession can’t afford a little getaway this fall.

In fact, with a little savvy and know how, there is no reason you can’t save a ton of money on airfares both domestically and internationally. This morning, I peaked at Travelocity’s web site and noticed round-trip airfares to Mexico for as little as $149 and flights to Ireland for as little as $278 round-trip on Aer Lingus. Travelocity SAVES You 20% or MORE on Air Fares

New York City is best known for the dynamic Times Square, the statue of Liberty, shows on Broadway, eclectic diversity, socialites, a vibrant art scene and expensive hotels. While it isn’t all that difficult to score a great deal on cheap flights to nyc, it is certainly a little more difficult to get a great deal on an affordable hotel. This is exactly why it could be worth checking out some of Expedia’s hot New York hotel deals right now. Last minute New York values at Expedia.com!

The resurgence of the dollar and unbelievably low airfares are making for ideal conditions to take that trip to Europe this summer. In fact, with prices lower than they have been in ages, you’d be foolish not to take advantage of some of the deals out there at the moment. Save up to 48% on travel to Europe!
Free Nights, Free Breakfast, 20% discount voucher on activities. Book by 3/29.

Saying you love Hawaii is a little bit like saying you love cookies or French fries. Just like there isn’t a whole lot not to love about a fried, salty potato, there also isn’t a whole lot not to love about awe inspiring scenery, great beaches and warm Pacific waters. Turns out Hawaii is also a whole lot cheaper than it used to be, as the sluggish economy continues to drive down prices on everything from airfare to hotels in Hawaii. Relax in the Sun and Save: Hotel Deals in Hawaii

Perhaps the most depressing part of being an “adult” is that no matter what I do, I will never again experience the pure bliss involved when you hear the school bell ring for the last time for a whole 3 months. The anticipation, the glory, the pure joy of knowing you’re off for THE WHOLE summer to hang out at the pool and eat popsicles just can’t be recreated. So, in efforts to get as close to the euphoria of “school’s out for the summer,” I always like to book a great summer vacation to look forward to. Especially with prices across the travel industry way down this year, you can save mucho dinero by everything from airfare to hotels. Priceline.com Airfare - Choose your EXACT flight & time!

During the past 14 months or so that I have posted travel deals on this little ol’ blog of ours, I have come across some fantastic travel deals, as well as some deals that were merely average. On the scale of merely average to fantastic, I have to say that the deals I found today are beyond fantastic.

Want to go to Europe this winter? You, my cyber friend, are in luck. You can fly from Philadelphia to Frankfurt, Germany for $365. That is insane. There is also a new direct flight from Portland, Oregon to Amsterdam, Netherlands for $664. As someone who lives in Portland and who eyes European flights like a hawk, I can safely tell you that it will never get much better than this.

In fact, Priceline’s PriceBreakers! have goodies from all parts of the United States to all parts of Europe. The usual restrictions apply, meaning you can’t get these deals during peak holiday season and you might have to travel on odd days of the week, but those are sacrifices well worth making when it means getting an outstanding price on airfare to Europe.