AIR TRAVEL TIPS

AIR TRAVEL TIPS
Have a stress-free vacation
Other ways to save this summer and avoid hassles:
Book early, especially if you need to fly on particular dates. Fares go up as seats disappear.
Travel early. You may see better fares if you go before June 15. After that, many schools are out, and families start traveling.
Allow lots of time at the airport, at least two hours when flying to another U.S. city.
Look for price wars. In Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., where low-cost carriers recently added service, fares booked on Hotwire slid by 5 percent to 15 percent overall, Bohutinsky said. Not all routes to these cities are affected; it depends on how hot the competition is. These are great family destinations, replete with U.S. history. Overall, transcontinental flights between big cities can be cheap because discounters are expanding there too.
Bid for air fares on Web sites such as www.priceline.com, or go for discounts on www.hotwire.com, where you usually don't find out the airline or flight time until you book. You must be flexible, of course, and a bit adventurous. Need to know what you're flying first? Try travel agents, who can help you book cheap tickets with consolidators.
Think contrarian. To better your chances for a lower fare, fly the week before or after a major holiday, when traffic usually drops. Or take a quickie trip during a three-day holiday, out early on Saturday and back Sunday. The best fares are often for Tuesdays and Wednesdays -- again, lower traffic days. Try New Orleans or Florida in the summer. Yes, it's hot, but so are the deals on flights and hotels, at least if you avoid Orlando, with its popular theme parks.