Hey all, does anyone know what time and on what site would one find the cheapest flights? THANKS !
The best time to book is when there is a sale, which is completely unpredictable.
As long as you book more than 2 weeks in advance, it’s pretty much random.
I prefer to use http//matrix.itasoftware.com to find fares, then book them with the individual airline. ITA Software has a great interface for finding flights and booking with the airline usually saves you a small fee and can get you extra frequent flier miles. ITA Software (like most sites) doesn’t include fares on jetBlue or Southwest, since both of those airlines don’t want to be in the fare comparison systems.
Depends on where you’re flying to and from, some sites I like are:
www.kayak.com - checks several major airlines and gets discounted fares, but it does NOT check the discount carriers.
www.southwest.com - Southwest airlines usualy low fares
www.usa3000.com - USA3000 also low fares, limited destinations
Where are you flying to? Also try to book lights late at night. Try to leave early or late night and get there late night or early morning. Sometimes its better but not always.
Yeah, there are sooooooooo many factors that determine when and where you’ll find the best prices. It takes a statistical geek to figure out exactly how the airlines determine their fares. One thing’s for sure though: If fuel prices don’t come down in the not-too-distant future, ALL fares are going to be going up, so if you’re looking now, it might not be a bad idea to skip the wait-and-see game that used to allow you to “screen out” the better deals. (I know, many carriers hedge their fuel and are locked in to a set price, but the difference will be paid for at some point, and it’s the flying public that will ultimately foot the bill.) It’s amazing how $different$ the fares can be between different carriers, and if you’re lucky enough to have different airports to choose from. You’ll almost always get the best deals online as well, so stay off the phone. 