Changing Rates

• To get good rates, it's important to understand why they vary. In addition to the difference in price between the more luxurious first-class seating (seats located at the front of the plane where passengers receive extra seat and leg room as well as certain privileges and amenities), prices for a flight change based on demand for each particular airline, location, and flight time. Airlines raise prices when seats are in high demand and lower them when they are trying to encourage more people to book flights. This gives you an advantage when booking for days of the week when fewer people travel (weekdays) and a disadvantage when booking for times like holidays or for heavy-traffic seasons, like summer or trips from winter climates to warm vacation spots.
  
  

Booking Early vs. Booking Late

• Booking early and booking late can both have advantages. Booking a flight several months in advance is usually a good way to ensure a reasonably priced fare, though in some cases, you can get a better bargain if you book within a few days of departure. Booking late has disadvantages, however; you may find that flights are the most expensive at this time if they are in high demand, or you may not be able to get passage on the flight you want at all. In general, book early if you can't afford to be flexible about your flight date and time, and book later if you can be flexible and shift your plans a little bit to find the cheaper flights.
  
  

Discount Sites

• Third-party discount flight booking sites, such as Orbitz and Priceline, are able to offer lower prices by negotiating special deals with airlines to help assure that they get more business. However, flights purchased through such agencies can come with somewhat different terms of service and limitations than what you will get booking directly through an airline; you may have to commit to paying for any type of schedule on the date you name or may find that if your flight is canceled, you don't get a new ticket. Be sure to read all purchase agreements very carefully.
  
  Other flight discount sites, such as FareCast or Travelocity, work by keeping track of competing airlines and showing side-by-side comparisons of flights. These are good sites to use to track the change in fares and look to see if prices for the flight you want are fluctuating.
  
  

Practical Matters

• When booking flights, keep practical matters of travel in mind. Whether you're booking online or over the phone, look for and take advantage of opportunities to inform airline staff if you have special needs while flying, such as mobility or health concerns, if you're flying with a child or a piece of oversized or fragile luggage, or if you will need to gate-check items like wheelchairs or strollers. If you can't make preparations for such concerns through automated booking, be sure to call an airline representative to ask for advice and special instruction. Airlines like to keep the flight and boarding process as streamlined as possible, so you will want to be prepared.