How do I get Airfare cheaper?

[Albort]

That is more of an urban myth.

huh, i always though thats how skiplag works.

 

[mfly]

Interesting tips! Congrats to the OP on getting your tickets booked!

Can anyone explain how the companion pass on SW works?

If you earn 110,000 Companion Pass eligible points with Southwest within a calendar year (Jan 1 to Dec 31), SW will issue you a Companion Pass. The CP is good for the current calendar year, and the next. (Example: If you earn CP now, you'll have it through December 31, 2017).

Anytime the CP earner books a flight, whether they paid with cash or with points, they can use their CP to book a flight for their companion to fly for free. As long as their is any seat available on the plane, the companion can be booked. The companion will just pay the mandatory 9/11 Security Fee, which I believe is $5.60/one way.

You can change who is designated as your companion up to three times per calendar year.

The easiest way to earn the qualifying points is to sign up for two of Southwest's Chase Visas. There are three available: Personal Plus, Personal Premier, and Business Premier. Although the general public offer on Southwest's website is much less (I believe it's currently 25k points), there are ways to get a 50k sign-up bonus with all three cards. Each card has a minimum spend of $2,000 within 3 months of opening.

If you sign up for two Southwest cards and complete the minimum spend, you'll already have 104,000 points (50k sign-up bonus + 50k sign-up bonus + 4,000 points for meeting the minimum spend on both cards). You'll only be 6,000 points away from the CP, and there are many ways to get that last 6,000. Additionally, when you earn the CP, you don't trade your 110,000 points for it. You'll keep your points.

 

[WDWNY]

Sometimes I find it cheaper if you book two one way tickets vs one round trip ticket. Also be open to flying different airlines going/ coming back.

 

[shandysugar]

Thanks for all of these tips! We are trying to buy flights to Costa Rica in July and the price now is outrageous! I guess patience will hopefully pay off!

 

[bearzabout]

If Delta flys from your nearest airport, consider getting their platinum Amex card. It costs $150/year but you get a free companion ticket, one free checked bag on each flight for each person booked on your reservation and early boarding in zone1. I think it is a great deal since this bonus is earned every year.

 

[seashoreCM]

Except for really popular dates, like late on Sunday after Thanksgiving, wait for a sale instead of buying at their everyday low price.

Don't buy early just for the sake of buying early.

***********************************************

Long long time ago, airlines wanted to sell tickets early for the sake of selling tickets early (and getting more cash in their coffers sooner). Which is the only reason why they would reduce the fare of previously purchased tickets if the customer found a lower price for the the same flights on the same airline and asked for a price match.

Nowadays, airlines find they make more money not price matching themselves. So the customer should respond by waiting a reasonable amount of time, and not buying early and getting that part of the trip planning over with.

 

[kniquy]

usually tuesday coming and going seems to have some of the cheaper fairs. It also depends on the time of year. I was pricing out our possibly april trip during school vacation. If we waited to go in May and have the kids miss a few days of school it was a little cheaper -- really not a huge savings but a couple hunrded$$ for 5 people. Sometimes you can do different airlines coming and going. We did that once out to Vegas it saved a little. I am not sure is there is any considerable savings with doing it this way.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

skiplag if you dont have check baggages.

Also try to look up flights in incognito mode. Statistic show that airlines base price on where you live.

how do you do incognito mode?

 

[bcwife76]

Super helpful thread! We are looking at flights from Vancouver to Houston for January 2017 (so the dates have only just been released recently) and so far the prices are higher than I thought they would be :/ I've got time, obviously, but there are some great ideas on this thread!

 

[Albort]

how do you do incognito mode?

usually right click on your browser icon, it should have an incognito mode. or its also called private mode.
Another user pointed out this doesnt work though... but i guess its worth a shot.

 

[chglass]

For going to WDW, we will often fly into Jacksonville. For us, the flights are much cheaper. We rent a car and drive down to Orlando, which is about 3 hours. You could also look into flights into Tampa.

 

[3 DD love princesses]

usually right click on your browser icon, it should have an incognito mode. or its also called private mode.
Another user pointed out this doesnt work though... but i guess its worth a shot.

thanks I'll have to try it out next time I'm doing a search

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Another tip is to book 6-8 weeks out for international flights and 2-4 weeks for domestic. Also, Skyscanner and Skiplagged are great websites to look at as well.

My mom has been able to get dirt cheap prices on domestic flights about 5 days before I'm actually supposed to leave. Don't always trust you'll find something that close. I always look at the Kayak price graph (for confidence in buying) and I've found it surprisingly helpful.

My husband and I travel a lot (he flies well over 100,000 miles a year) and this is bad advice. You are not going to get "dirt cheap" prices on any airline ticket five days before the day you want to fly. Prices just go up the closer to flight date. The recommendations for international flights and domestic flights are way off as well. You should purchase your flights a lot earlier than these recommendations.