Going on vacation or planning any type of trip can become a big expense. One thing that can help save money is finding reasonably priced airline tickets. There are several options that can be used to accomplish this.

Set a Date and Use Online Tools.

Decide on a destination. Find the time to go online and research available options such as off-peak periods. Airplane tickets are usually less expensive if the flight is done on the off-peak seasons. Also, flying on the actual holiday rather than the day before is less pricey. Use an airfare tracking website to make the determination of when is the best time to buy your airline tickets. When booking a reservation, take special care in choosing departure and return dates since this can have an impact on the price of the airline ticket as well. Flexibility on travel dates can be a big plus in purchasing cheap airfare.

Look for Typical Cheap Flight Days.

The most economical day of the week to fly for the United States and Canadian flights has been established to be Wednesday. Try booking a flight from Wednesday to Wednesday and compare prices with a booking from Friday to Friday. The runner-up days are Tuesday and Saturday. These days, however, have departure restrictions in most cases. Booking on these economical days can also have an impact on cheap hotels. In some cases, snowstorms for example, finding a hotel may not be as big a problem as flying on a Friday or other unrestricted flights. When booking airfare online, make sure all fees are included, read the instructions for canceling and read fine print before purchasing.

Book Flights Early and Use Your Perks.

Many discounts could be available for just purchasing the ticket early. Also, sign up for frequent flyer programs. Accumulated points can be redeemed for free air travel among other things. If traveling in a group, call the reservations desk directly to find out the minimum group rate requirements. Go on a vacation with a group of friends or family to obtain the group discount rate. Contact a travel agent to see what deals and special discounts they are running. Check budget airlines for comparisons to regular and discounted prices of tickets. AAA and AARP members qualify for discounted airfare.

Package Flights with Hotel Reservations.

Most of the tips used in acquiring discount airfare can be applied to obtaining affordable pricing for a hotel. AAA and AARP can be used to lower the cost of a hotel stay. Mid-week reservations can be used also since this is usually off-peak times for hotels as well as airlines. Depending on the reason for the trip, packages are offered that include hotel and airfare. Sometimes this option works out to be cheaper, but don’t stop the comparisons there. Compare various hotel prices and packages until the best possible deal has been found. At hotel check-in, ask for a complimentary upgrade. At off-peak, hotels will usually agree. If the hotel is full, they will not usually upgrade. Hotel websites will also have different offers and promotions. For example, one hotel may cost $83.00 a night, but they are offering a $30.00 gift certificate for the restaurant located on their premises, or they may offer an online deal only.

Whatever is done when planning a vacation or get-a-way, make sure you use all options for lower fares and rates. By using some of the tips above, other deals may surface while searching. Plan carefully and watch the dates that are chosen. Search for vacation spots during their off-peak times and see what deals can be found.