Here's how to get the lowest airfares possible

Getting the lowest airfares has become a challenge because
there are so many different rates available and so many
different sites offering those rates. When you finally
decide to buy a ticket, its hard to tell if you really
got the best price.

Here are some tricks you can use to make sure you are
paying the least amount of money possible:

Secret #1: Call the airline you want to fly on -
many of the airlines will give you lower rates that you can
get on sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, Hotwire, etc.
Why? Because these sites are acting like travel agents and
get some sort of fee from the airline for processing the
reservation. The airlines simply pass some of the savings
on to people who contact them directly. I have saved as
much as 5-15% so its definitely worth making the phone call.

Secret #2: Check with the airline for special deals that
include special pricing when you get a rental car from a
"business partner" of the airline. You may get the rental
car free or at a substantially reduced rate. The rental car
you get is often an economy model, so you may opt for an
upgrade when you pick up your car at the counter.

3. Check the airfares from other airports within reasonable
driving distance 3-4 hrs. Sometimes, you can save big money
by traveling to another airport and then flying round trip
from there. Then drive back home. Its a little bit of a
hassle, but the rewards may be worth $50 per hour of
driving after gas costs. The reason for these savings is
a direct result of the "hub system" that is in place across
the USA. When a hub does not have a value airline such as
Southwest with a good schedule, the airfares go up.

Secret #4: Check out package deals that include hotel,
rental car and airfare. This is where you want to visit
Orbitz,Expedia, Travelocity and others. They often get
blocks of rooms, tickets and rental cars they put together
at great prices.

5. Check out airline last minute getaways. Especially
Northwest Airlines. They seem to have unbelievable deals
to major destinations if you are a little flexible with
your schedule.

6. You also want to ask the ticket agent if there are any
other discounts available that you may be elgible for.
AAA, AARP, others often negotiate special deals for their
members and you may, with a little sweet talking, be able
to get those discounts too, even if you're not a member!

I hope this helps you get the best rate available for your
next trip. Be diligent, be creative and be flexible, it can
save you a bundle on airfare.

Emiser Largent is the owner of
ABG Travel
which is a premier source for travel information.
For more information please go to:
http://www.abgtravel.com