Flying Economy for Even Less

The National Business Travelers Association, or NBTA, reports that business travel has dropped 10% since 2008 and is being scrutinized by the press and by politicians as an lavish expense. Actually, it’s easier to persuade your prospect when you meet them in person, and business travel creates jobs . What’s needed is an effort to streamline the wasted money rather than try to wipe out business trips entirely.

So if you travel by air, here are a few ways to find a more economical plane ticket :

1. Be flexible   when you request dates to fly. If you’re willing to catch a red eye or even a flight during the off-season, you’ll end up with a much better deal .
2. Sign up to receive deals and alerts by email from your favourite(a) airline or from a number of airlines.
3. Use a frequent flier mile program.
4. Double check for any hidden fees before choosing an airline .
5. Think about flying stand-by, especially if you’re flying during the offseason.
6. Fly coach or economy class.
7. Use credit cards with rewards that are related to travel .
8. Ask about senior or student discounts .  Some flights are reserved solely for students and youth.
9. Avoid booking fees by checking the airline’s website directly .
10. Use the same airline both ways.
11. Check out airports other than your destination’s main airport.
12. research the option of renting a car through your airline—many offer discounts on packages.
13. Fly smaller discount airlines.
14. Accumulate knowledge. Ask about airline restrictions so that you’ll know how to get a cheaper ticket from your favorite airline.
15. Check out a consolidator’s website like lowestfare.com, cheapseats.com, or cheaptickets.com.
16. Book in advance . Generally, the earlier you book the better your deal will be.
17. When you confirm your flight the night before, pay for your bag online.  You’ll end up paying less this way.

Enduring a little discomfort, such as flying red eye, flying stand by, or flying with one or more stops can can be more cost effective for you or your company. Plan in advance by booking early, or use frequent flier miles. In the end, a little thrift improves the public’s perception of business travel altogether. And in a climate where people are hesitant to invest, this could really make your company stand out from the crowd.

Author: Lisa Brown is a Sales and Marketing Associate for Almost Home USA, a corporate housing company, whose goal is to provide such excellent experiences that clients feel almost home.

Tips and Tricks to finding the Cheapest Flights

Travel can be a lifesaver . The right vacation at the right time can revitalize your whole year, not to mention your body and mind . But in today’s economy with airlines adding new fees almost day-after-day and airticket prices sharply on the rise, many have written off travel as too expensive. However, with a few savvy tricks and a little research, there are still a lot of great deals to be had on airtickets and more.

  The Early Bird Gets the Deal . Travel experts say that there are certain times of day when more deals are available. Air Tickets can change many times a day as airlines decline their prices to fill up flights . Early inf the morning is when the ticket prices tend to be cheapest , but it is a good idea to check every 5 hours to track prices as they change throughout the day. Moreover , it’s a great idea to check back again at 5 PM when the airlines are trying hardest to fill empty seats.

Do not follow the Crowds . Fly to popular places at unpopular or even unusual times. The slowest time of the year for travel is in the Fall between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Once again , to try and fill more empty seats, the airlines will lower their prices and offer better deals to get people to fly during this time of the year.

Right place , “wrong” timing ? By traveling to popular airports at unpopular times, you can secure the best prices from hotels and airline companies . Here’s where flexibility in your travel planning will pay you off . Visiting the airticket websites and planning your flight around the best airticket prices offered can result in a fun, cost-effective vacation and maybe widen your horizons to a place you might never have thought of before.

What Wouldn’t a Business traveler do? Traveling when business travelers don’t can save you a lot of money . Most business travelers fly on Mondays and Fridays, so Tuesday and Wednesday are the best choises . Airlines will commonly lower their prices on these days to aggressively try and fill empty seats .

Last minute offers Many times the best deals on airfare can be found as part of a package rate. Most airticket sites have special offers available and they are definitely worth a look. Many times, the entire package (hotel, airfare , rental car) is cheaper than just the plane ticket on another site. Even if you don’t need the rental car , with the money you saved on the flight, you can afford to not pick it up. These deals are especially good on last minute bookings.

With a little inside knowledge and some good timing, you can get yourself a steal on a ticket to the destination you thought you would never reach .