Looking for an inexpensive air fare this summer? You’ll need all the wiles you can muster. Don’t be fooled by the 60-percent-off summer tickets that domestic airlines advertised as early as February, a month earlier than last year. The deals sound better than they really are, since the carriers have boosted full coach fares by an average of 10 percent over the past year or so.
And if you’re headed overseas, expect to pay about 20 percent more this year than last. Reason: Foreign travelers are more than willing to pay full fare to come here and exploit our weak dollar.
But while it’s going to be tough to beat last year’s ticket prices, Tom Parsons, editor of Best Fares, a monthly travel magazine ($58 a year; 800-880-1234), says: “It won’t be impossible.”
With the guidance of a half-dozen travel experts, we compiled these seven great strategies to help you slice as much as 85 percent off a full-coach fare now:
– Call a pro–but dig on your own, too. Enlisting a savvy travel agent is more important than ever this year, because he or she may be able to finagle deals you can’t. For example, an agent who books lots of passengers may be able to persuade an airline to grant you a cheap 21-day advance-purchase fare after the 21 days have elapsed.
Your agent might not offer much help, however, with the fast-growing low-fare regional carriers such as Ft. Lauderdale’s Carnival Air, Dallas’ Southwest and Colorado Springs’ 11-month-old Western Pacific, which are expanding their routes. The small airlines don’t always show up on agents’ reservation computers, and some agents are reluctant to take the time to call them because the commissions they’d get are low.
So figure on calling the discount carriers yourself. Find them by looking for ads in your local paper or checking Best Fares in your local library. Your savings can be substantial: While major carriers recently charged $500 or more for a 21-day, advance-purchase round-trip flight from San Francisco to New York, Western Pacific was getting $364 for its two flights a day.
Don’t get too excited about using the Internet to beat major airlines’ lowest fares. “It’s still too new,” says Mike Hennes, sales manager for Travel 800 (800-FLY-CHEAP), a national travel agency that does some business on-line. Most major airlines’ Web sites provide information only about their routes and typical ticket price ranges.
There are exceptions: Last February, for example, American Airlines began offering so-called Net Saavers deals (http://www.amrcorp.com) of as much as 85 percent off on certain flights from Dallas or Chicago. American’s deals are listed on Wednesdays for departure on the following Saturday.
– Do the dance of the hours. An hour or two difference in departure time can make a huge difference in your air fare, says Randy Petersen, editor of the monthly newsletter Inside Flyer ($33 for one year; 800-333-5937). You can sometimes cut your price in half if you shift hours on competitive routes, especially in New England, Colorado, the Southwest and Florida.
The trick is to find a flight at a time when major carriers are competing head to head with the little guys. For instance, American recently charged $800 for all round-trip Miami-Los Angeles flights except those departing between 5 and 6 p.m., the hour when Carnival was offering a $300 flight on the same route. American’s price at that time was just $298.
– Pick your travel days carefully. Airlines are increasingly offering deep-discount fares on odd days that have brought little business in the past. TWA, for example, recently offered a $400 round-trip advance fare between New York City and Los Angeles. But if you picked a Saturday departure, you’d have to pay only $302. Flights departing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday on major airlines often cost less than those on other weekdays.
– Go a bit out of your way. Eschew the big-city airport in favor of a smaller one nearby. “Even if you save only $50 per ticket, that’s significant if you’re traveling with three kids,” says Parsons. This winter, for instance, Clevelanders headed for Washington, D.C., could have paid just $98 to fly to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, which is only 37 miles from the capital, rather than $350 to Washington’s Dulles Airport.
– Act on your age. People 62 or older can save a bundle this summer by buying special senior-discount coupons, offered by most major U.S. carriers in books of four, for $495 to $542. You can exchange each coupon for a one-way ticket anywhere in the continental U.S. The books are an even better deal than they used to be, since airlines haven’t increased the prices of their coupon books at all in the past year, even as ticket prices soared. For example, if a senior uses two America West coupons to fly round-trip between San Francisco and New York, he’d end up paying $247.50, versus $478 for the 21-day advance-purchase fare.
– Consolidate for savings. Consolidators buy tickets in bulk from airlines at near-wholesale prices, then sell them at deep discounts averaging 28 percent below the carriers’ lowest advertised fares. In early March, for instance, when the airlines’ best round-trip fares to London were at least $500, you could have gotten a $400 ticket through a consolidator.
To find a reputable consolidator, ask other travelers for recommendations and call World Travel Network (800-40-WORLD), a national clearinghouse. You should make sure that the firm you choose has been in business nationwide for more than two years. Two firms with solid reputations: American International Consolidators (800-888-5774) and DFW Tours (800-527-2589).
– Fly by courier overseas. The parcels that couriers shepherd typically contain goods or documents on rush delivery. By shipping them as personal baggage (yours) rather than cargo, international businesses can avoid customs delays.
The most plentiful flights this summer will be to Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Peru and Thailand, says Byron Lutz, editor of the bimonthly 64-page guide Courier Bulletin, which lists courier companies and their flights worldwide ($45 annual membership; 407-582-8320).
Typical drawbacks: To get the deepest discounts, you get only a few days’ notice before you leave; you travel with no more than two carry-on bags; and you can stay for only a week or two. Still, if you can take off in a flash, you can’t get a cheaper ticket.
