Airfare Money-Saving Tips

More often than not, the person sitting next to you on a plane or sleeping in the next hotel room has paid more or less than you did for the same services. Each day, airlines quote more than several hundred fares for flights between the same two cities and hotels charge different rates for the same room. So how do you find the best rates? Here are some tips:

Avoid traveling around the holidays. Most airlines have "blackout days" around popular holidays, when fares are more expensive and passengers cannot use frequent flyer miles. However, flying on the day of the actual holiday (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day) generally means low airfares and plenty of seats.
Sign up for fare special e-mails. When airlines get into a fare war, the cost of a plane ticket can fall overnight and the discounted fare may be sold out by noon the next day. Get on the mailing list of airlines and other travel Web sites so you can be notified immediately if fares drop.
Look into booking your vacation as a package. You might be able to save by booking your airline tickets along with your hotel room or rental car.
Buy your tickets at least 21 days in advance. There are usually four different timetables for advance purchase: 21-day, 14-day, 7-day, and 3-day. The further in advance you book your flight, the lower the fare you're likely to find.
Keep your airline options open. Use a travel Web site to search for fares instead of the individual airline sites, and choose "none" as a carrier preference.
Consider another airport. Find out about all the airports that are near your destination city. You might be able to fly into a smaller airport or neighboring city at a much lower rate.
Stay over a Saturday night. Airlines quote the highest fares to business travelers, who fly during the week and spend their weekends at home. If you plan to leave for your trip on a Wednesday and return on Saturday, your fare would be considerably higher than if you extended your trip to Sunday morning.
Fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Some airlines offer cheaper fares on specific days of the week. Generally, it's cheapest to fly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Remember, though, that a Saturday stay is necessary to receive the lowest rate.
Be flexible about the time of day you travel. If possible, let the fares dictate the day and time of your departure. Often the less popular early morning or late evening flights have lower rates.
Pick a flight with plenty of open seats. Seats in a flight are divided into "classes," and each class has its own price. Since the cheapest classes sell first, the fewer seats that are left on a plane, the more expensive they are.
Sign up for a frequent flyer program. If you are a frequent traveler, it may make more sense for you to fly consistently with the same airline and accumulate frequent flyer miles, rather than base your criteria strictly on which carrier has the lowest fare for a particular destination.

The First Thing to Do When You Get Off a Long Flight

First: Resist the urge to snooze. "No matter where you are going, no matter what time you get there, stay up until midnight local time," says Peter Greenberg, travel editor for NBC's The Today Show. If you absolutely can't keep your eyes open, it's OK to take a short nap, says Dianne Tamuk, a flight attendant for United Airlines. Just make sure you don't sleep for more than a couple of hours. And try to get into your normal routine as soon as possible. Get up when you usually do, and try to eat your meals, exercise, and go to bed at your regular times.

Then: Drink plenty of water to ward off kidney stones (which result from dehydration and are common among pilots and frequent fliers), urges pilot Tony Salmon, a first officer with Alaska Airlines. And, for the first day, "don't eat anything with heavy sauces or anything that your body is going to have to work extra-hard to digest," says Greenberg. Fruit, raw vegetables, and salads are all good choices.

Planning For A Trip

Planning

Know the difference between "direct" and "nonstop" flights, and always opt for the latter. Unlike nonstops, direct flights can touch down at other airports on the way to their ultimate destinations, explains Macon Dunnagan, a baggage handler with US Airways. And while stops are built in to the total travel time, the potential delays they can cause aren't. "Whenever possible, fly nonstop," he says.
Make sure you purchase your ticket under the exact name that appears on your ID. It might seem obvious to you that Betsy is a nickname for Elizabeth, but it may not to a skycap, a desk agent, or a security officer - any one of whom could ask you to show identification with that name before boarding, says Delta Air Lines public-relations representative Katie Connell.

Select your seats ASAP. "If you have a disability and need a premium seat in the bulkhead, tell the agent when you make your reservation rather than at the airport," says David Martin, a Delta passenger-service specialist who creates the airline's policies for customers with disabilities. Other passengers might be able to nab those seats 24 hours before the flight, when they're made available to everyone through the airline's website.
Get to your gateway city as early as you can. "Since delays stack up as the day progresses, it's smart to book the first flight you can into a hub (if you have a connecting flight)," says Dunnagan. "Spending a few extra hours at the airport is better than missing your connection because your first flight was late. "
Double-check foreign document requirements. Some countries - like Chile, Kenya, and India - require a visa for entry; others, like South Africa, won't allow entrance unless a traveler's passport contains at least two blank, unstamped pages. You need to be aware of those requirements before you make your flight reservations or you could get stuck Stateside, according to a source at the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs. For a complete list of entrance regulations, visit www.travel.state.gov/travel.

Packing

Set your luggage apart from the pack. Tying a red ribbon to your black bag is not the most effective way to distinguish it. "When passengers use ribbons and bows, they can be torn off in the transporting process," says Chris Gossner, a customer-service supervisor with US Airways for more than 20 years. Not to mention the fact that you'll probably see dozens of other red ribbons circling on the baggage carousel. Your best move is to purchase a suitcase in an unusual color, such as bright blue.
Stockpile samples. To save precious quart-bag space on overnight trips, Freida Burton, a US Airways flight attendant for almost 31 years, carries samples of cosmetics, moisturizers, and prescription creams, which she requests from her doctor. Go to walmart.triaddigital.com/free-samples.aspx or www.freesamplesblog.com for a variety of regularly updated freebie offers. Or take advantage of Sephora's and Kiehls's policies of giving three free samples with any online order at www.sephora.com and www.kiehls.com.
BYO blanket (and disinfecting wipes, too). "I hate to say it, but tray tables are rarely cleaned, so wipe them off before you use them," says Sarah Scott, a former US Airways flight attendant who worked for 19 years. "And steer clear of the blankets and pillows. They're only washed when they look dirty."
Pack your electronics in a single layer. You will increase your chances of speeding through security if you take the time to lay your electronics flat. "When things are tossed in haphazardly or jumbled together, we spend more time determining what they are (from the X-ray) and have to manually check bags," says Sterling Payne, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration.
Do your own bag check before you leave. To keep from getting stalled in security and losing innocent (but sharp) items you forgot were in your bag - hello, nail scissors! - carefully check each piece of luggage at home first. "If you think through the screening process as you're packing, you'll be fine," says Stephanie Carter Naar, a transportation security officer based in Washington, D.C.

At the Airport

Know your airport's code. It's easy for luggage-destination tags to get mixed up at a curbside check-in. Learn the three-letter airport code for your destination and make sure your skycap labels the bag properly. The codes aren't always intuitive (for example, New Orleans's Louis Armstrong Airport is MSY), so check the list at www.airport-technology.com, especially if the city you're going to has more than one airport. "Cities with multiple airports can cause problems if passengers don't know which they're flying into," says Tim Wagner, a spokesperson for American Airlines.
Ask about your options. Many airport waits can be made more enjoyable by asking insiders for advice. Stuck with your children at Boston's Logan Airport? An airport employee can direct you to terminal C, where a baggage carousel-style slide anchors a play area. Tired of the same old food-court choices? In the Austin, Texas, airport, make a beeline for Salt Lick - it serves up some of the state's best barbecue. You can even get through security faster by seeking out additional lines: "Airports will often open another line during peak times, so it pays to ask," TSA spokesperson Sterling Payne says.
Exercise caution in duty-free shops. "Not everything in duty-free is a bargain," says Janice Mosher, director of the Customer Service Center for U.S. Customs. "If you really want that bottle of Opium perfume, find out what it costs in your local department store first." And consider the three-ounce rule when stocking upon things like alcohol and olive oil. "If you are transferring to another domestic flight after clearing customs in the United States, you'll have to put your liquid duty-free purchases in a checked bag," Mosher says. "And if you don't have room in your suitcase, you'll have to leave that big bottle of olive oil behind."
Spring for an afternoon in the lounge. For a fee - usually about $50 a day, which you can pay on the spot - you can take advantage of the drinks, snacks, uncrowded bathrooms, and comfy chairs at most airline club lounges, plus you can get help from the club's dedicated ticket agents. "Several times when it's looked like I would be stuck somewhere for another day, a club agent has pulled a rabbit out of his hat," says Bill Coffield, an attorney who flies between 50,000 and 100,000 miles a year.

Arrival Gate

Call for help. If you've missed a connection, don't stand in line to rebook with a gate agent. Instead, use your cell phone to call the airline's customer-service number (tuck it in your wallet before leaving). You may speak to someone faster, giving you a better shot at a seat on the next flight. Also, "the people on the phone are slightly less frazzled, because they don't have 10 angry customers in their faces," says fashion designer Melody Rains, who flies about 70,000 miles a year, domestically and internationally.
Utilize cell-phone lots. These free-parking areas, where drivers can wait for the "I'm here" call for 30 minutes or longer, have sprung up at more than 50 airports in the last few years. "The lots cut down on congestion at the arrival areas. Now I can call my husband as soon as I start walking down the concourse, and we meet just outside the door," says Sara Nelson, a United Airlines flight attendant for 12 years. (For a complete list of these lots, visit the Airports Council International website at www.aci-na.org.)
Get fed fast. It's late. You've just landed, and you're starving. To have dinner waiting in your hotel room when you arrive, call and order room service from the road. "It can save a hungry half hour," says Barbara Talbott, an executive with Four Seasons Hotels in Toronto who flies about 20 times a year.

On the Plane

Bring a car seat for your child. "Car seats aren't just safer for children," notes Veda Shook, a flight attendant who has been with Alaska Airlines for 16 years. "They also help kids stay calmer, since they're used to being in them." Shook suggests investing in a car seat / stroller combination. "The seat slides right out of the stroller part, which you can check at the gate," she says.
Corral your in-flight necessities. Blocking the aisle during boarding while you dig for gum, a book, or a snack isn't just a drag for you; it can delay the entire plane. Dezirae Bridges, a Delta flight attendant for 11 years, suggests packing small must-haves in a re-sealable gallon-size bag that you can toss onto the seat while you put away everything else.
Stow your bag near your seat. "It's tempting to toss your suitcase into the first empty space you see, but that slows down deplaning, as passengers who had to stow their bags near the back move downstream to collect their belongings," says Beth Jones*, a US Airways flight attendant with 34 years under her (safety) belt. To avoid backtracking, board as early as you can and enlist the help of a flight attendant when storing bags.

�Į*Name has been changed.

How to Actually Use Frequent Flier Miles
Look into partner airlines and alliances. "If you have enough American Airlines miles, you can fly across the Atlantic on British Airways or Iberia," says Mark Ashley, a travel expert and the founder of www.upgradetravelbetter.com. (Search for alliances at www.airlinetechnology.net.)

Consider branching out. Flying into a lesser-known airport may allow you to use miles you otherwise could not, says Kurt Stache, a vice president of American Airlines and the general sales manager and former head of its AAdvantage program.

Check early. Frequent-flier tickets can go on sale 11 months in advance, so for the best chance of getting a seat, book ahead. Ashley recommends picking up the phone when you're trying to book. "Even if the airline charges you a fee, it's worth it to talk to an agent. An online search of one airline won't pull up award flights on a partner airline," says Ashley. "You have to pick up the phone for that."

Consolidate. You'll earn award travel faster if you do most of your flying with one airline or within one alliance group. And don't open accounts with multiple airlines in the same alliance. "Northwest, Delta, and Continental are all in SkyTeam, for example, so if you have mileage with Northwest and fly Delta, don't open a Delta account. Credit the miles to your Northwest account," says Ashley. Those who already have small balances in multiple loyalty programs can exchange miles through a conversion website, such as www.points.com.

Look alive. Most programs require members to earn or redeem miles regularly - at least every 18 months, in order to retain those that they've accrued, so keep your account somewhat active.

Get a quick fix. If you are within a few thousand miles of a reward and are planning a vacation, you can top off your miles almost instantly by purchasing more. But, Ashley warns, this can sometimes be a rip-off. A better option may be to sign up for the airline's credit card. "Some offer bonuses of up to 25,000 miles for the first purchase," he says.

Explore your options. If you still can't book a flight with your miles, don't sit back and let them expire. Upgrading, sometimes for as little as 5,000 miles, is one of the easiest ways to use miles, Stache says. They can also get you free car rentals and hotel stays. Better yet, donate miles you'll never use to worthy causes, like Make-A-Wish, UNICEF, and Operation Hero Miles.

Travel Contacts Advice
Whether you're stuck in an airport during a snow storm or in need of medical help in a foreign country, there's no worse feeling than not having anyone to call for help when you're far from home. That's why it's vital to program your cell phone with important numbers in advance. Before you jet off on your next vacation, make sure you have the following contacts at hand:

Your Airline's Reservations Center: This number can be especially helpful when you miss a connection or your flight gets canceled and you need to rebook. I've rebooked flight connections while sitting on the tarmac during a delay.
Frequent Flyer Elite Service: If you're an elite mileage member, you can often get help from your airline more quickly by using an exclusive elite customer service number.
Airport Pick-Up: Your friend, relative, transfer service, or whoever is picking you up will be grateful if you can inform them of delays or changes to your flight itinerary.
Travel Providers: You'll need the contact information for your hotel, car rental agency, cruise line, tour operator, and any other travel provider you're using should you need to alter your vacation plans or if you experience a service problem.
Travel Agency: If you used an agency to book your trip, they're often the best resource when trouble arises.
Local Cab Company: Look up the number of a major cab company in your destination before you go. You never know when you might need a ride.
Google SMS: Google's nifty text messaging services comes in handy in so many situations. By texting 466453 (GOOGLE) with a short message, you can get flight status information, weather forecasts, local listings, and even directions in just a few second - no iPhone or BlackBerry required. To learn more about this service, go to www.google.com/sms.
Emergency Contacts: This goes without saying, but have the numbers of several trustworthy relatives or friends on hand.
Health Insurance Company: This number is vital should you become ill or injured while away and need to verify your insurance coverage.
Travel Insurance Provider: Whether you have trip cancelation, travel medical, emergency evacuation, or any other type of travel insurance, you won't get coverage unless you call and get approval from your insurance agents.
Local Emergency Responders: Know the local 911 equivalent for emergency calls in your destination. If health or security is a particular concern, it may also give you peace of mind to have the numbers for the local police and hospitals.
Your Doctor: Bring your doctor's phone number in case you have a non-emergency health concern or need a prescription written.
U.S. Embassy or Consulate: Whether you need a stolen passport replaced or are dealing with a more serious problem abroad, the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate may be able to assist you.
Credit/Debit/ATM Card Company: When your card is lost, stolen, eaten by a bank machine, or rejected by merchants, you'll want to be able to report and resolve the problem as soon as possible. It's helpful to have these numbers written down somewhere or stored online should you lose your phone