Deadly Sushi
Formerly The Giant Mojito
The best way to start off your cheapo trip is with a low airfare. Thanks to the Internet, these low fares are getting easier to find. Like everything else, though, it takes a little effort to insure you get the best rate available. Take some time to do a thorough search and you'll get your trip started right.
Cheapo Search Tools:
Get a pen and paper because you'll need to write down the different prices we come up with from the following sources:
Expedia
Hotwire
Priceline
Airfare Search Engines
The Airlines
Travel Agents
Low-Fare Tips
Step One - Using an Online Discounter
Start your search by checking for fares on Expedia. They get discounted tickets from most major airlines, and work out a lot of package deals with airlines and hotels. They don't necessarily have the lowest prices, but it's a good source to see a lot of options all at once.
Step Two - Online Auction/Consolidators
If you're able to be very flexible with your dates and the times you want to fly, sometimes your best bet can be using Hotwire or Priceline. Both of these services negotiate special rates with airlines, but neither of them will give you all the details of your flight until you've paid. Sometimes their fares are the best around -- especially if you're flying on short notice -- so if you don't mind taking a red-eye or a flight with a few connections, these services could be your best bet. Check them out, but don't commit until you're sure they have the lowest rates, because once you do, there's no going back!
Step Three - Airfare Search Engines
Next, check out Qixo.com and Orbitz.com.
Each of these sites searches multiple web sites for you and returns the best fares. They're a great one-stop option -- you enter the information once, and they do the searching for you. We strongly recommend, however, that if you do find a great fare on one of these sites that you book it directly with the airline, not with the sites themselves. Both of these sites charge a service fee. If you feel bad about using their service and not paying the service fee, more power to you. But for us, we've got no problem doing just that.
Step Four - The Airlines
By this point, you might be tired of searching, but don't worry, we're almost done. Get the web addresses for the airlines that serve an airport near you, and do a quick search for yourself. Sometimes the airlines reserve special "web-only" fares for themselves, so a quick look on their site can't hurt.
Step Five - Travel Agents
Ever since we started booking our flights online, we've felt less and less inclined to talk to a travel agent. The exception to this rule is when we have a complicated itinerary that involves multiple connections or one-way tickets. Sometimes it's just easier to let somebody else figure out the logistics for you. In addition, we've seen some specially-negotiated fares from travel agents that we couldn't duplicate online. If you have an agent you can trust, check with him before booking.
Step Six - Still not Satisfied?
If you've gone through all these steps and the rates you've been quoted still seem high, there are some tricks you can try:
· Stay over Saturday night: Weekend fares are always cheaper than weekdays, because they figure if you're flying in the middle of the week, you're a bigshot business person, not a lowly cheapo traveler. If you can, include a Saturday night in your stay.
· Try an Alternate Airport: Sometimes small airports offer better fares than their bigger counterparts. This might not be true of tiny regional airstrips, but in large cities with more than one airport, check all your options. If you can save $100, it might be worth the extra drive.
· Don't Set Your Dates in Stone: Try checking the day before or after your ideal dates. Sometimes the prices of flights can drop considerably in just a single day.
· Buy Some Visine and Catch a Red-Eye: Sure, flying overnight can be a little unpleasant, but it can also save you a lot of money. We like to take a red-eye home after our vacation. Usually we're so tired from having so much fun that we have no trouble sleeping on the plane.
Step Seven - Who's Cheapest?
By now, you should have a fare you can live with. Check you notes, find the flights that best meet your schedule and price range, and book it! You're all set to go.
CheapoTravel home
Cheapo Search Tools:
Get a pen and paper because you'll need to write down the different prices we come up with from the following sources:
Expedia
Hotwire
Priceline
Airfare Search Engines
The Airlines
Travel Agents
Low-Fare Tips
Step One - Using an Online Discounter
Start your search by checking for fares on Expedia. They get discounted tickets from most major airlines, and work out a lot of package deals with airlines and hotels. They don't necessarily have the lowest prices, but it's a good source to see a lot of options all at once.
Step Two - Online Auction/Consolidators
If you're able to be very flexible with your dates and the times you want to fly, sometimes your best bet can be using Hotwire or Priceline. Both of these services negotiate special rates with airlines, but neither of them will give you all the details of your flight until you've paid. Sometimes their fares are the best around -- especially if you're flying on short notice -- so if you don't mind taking a red-eye or a flight with a few connections, these services could be your best bet. Check them out, but don't commit until you're sure they have the lowest rates, because once you do, there's no going back!
Step Three - Airfare Search Engines
Next, check out Qixo.com and Orbitz.com.
Step Four - The Airlines
By this point, you might be tired of searching, but don't worry, we're almost done. Get the web addresses for the airlines that serve an airport near you, and do a quick search for yourself. Sometimes the airlines reserve special "web-only" fares for themselves, so a quick look on their site can't hurt.
Step Five - Travel Agents
Ever since we started booking our flights online, we've felt less and less inclined to talk to a travel agent. The exception to this rule is when we have a complicated itinerary that involves multiple connections or one-way tickets. Sometimes it's just easier to let somebody else figure out the logistics for you. In addition, we've seen some specially-negotiated fares from travel agents that we couldn't duplicate online. If you have an agent you can trust, check with him before booking.
Step Six - Still not Satisfied?
If you've gone through all these steps and the rates you've been quoted still seem high, there are some tricks you can try:
· Stay over Saturday night: Weekend fares are always cheaper than weekdays, because they figure if you're flying in the middle of the week, you're a bigshot business person, not a lowly cheapo traveler. If you can, include a Saturday night in your stay.
· Try an Alternate Airport: Sometimes small airports offer better fares than their bigger counterparts. This might not be true of tiny regional airstrips, but in large cities with more than one airport, check all your options. If you can save $100, it might be worth the extra drive.
· Don't Set Your Dates in Stone: Try checking the day before or after your ideal dates. Sometimes the prices of flights can drop considerably in just a single day.
· Buy Some Visine and Catch a Red-Eye: Sure, flying overnight can be a little unpleasant, but it can also save you a lot of money. We like to take a red-eye home after our vacation. Usually we're so tired from having so much fun that we have no trouble sleeping on the plane.
Step Seven - Who's Cheapest?
By now, you should have a fare you can live with. Check you notes, find the flights that best meet your schedule and price range, and book it! You're all set to go.
CheapoTravel home