Wherever you fly, get the most for your money
Tips for getting the best airfare savings
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Try days around your desired travel dates. . If you're not impressed by the fares you see on the first dates you try, check out the 30-day Flexible Search tool -- it could make a difference.
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Search certain days of the week. For better savings, consider departing on a Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday. Return on a Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday. For international travel, the best deals can often be found by departing Monday through Thursday.
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Weekend getaways for less. If you're going away for a short weekend trip, flights leaving on Thursday and returning on Sunday are generally less expensive than itineraries leaving on Friday and returning on Monday.
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Stay a Saturday night. Spending the weekend at your destination will generally result in better airfares.
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When comparing fares, take taxes into consideration. The fare we show you is the final price for round-trip travel, including taxes and fees. Other sites may display one fare, and then add on taxes and fees that can increase your total price by as much as $25-50 per domestic ticket and $50-100 per international ticket. With Hotwire, you know what you're paying before you agree to book so there are no unpleasant surprises later. (Please note that we do not include any international airport departure taxes that may apply because they are based on your destination and are paid when you leave certain countries.)
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Consider alternative airports. When you search for fares, we always try to include nearby airports to find the best results. For example, if you're traveling to New York City, we'll check Newark, JFK and LaGuardia for our lowest available fares. When you get your search results, departure and arrival airports will be identified for each fare. You can also add new ones in the "Change Your Search" box to the left of your results.
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Act quickly on a fare you like. If you need to coordinate your air travel with other people or events, it's best to figure that all out before you search so you can act quickly when you see a good deal. Airline ticket prices frequently go up and down within minutes. Whether you're booking through Hotwire, a travel agent or any other source, the airfare you want could be snatched up before you complete your transaction. Don't rush into any decisions, but realize that someone else could also have their eye on the same low fare.
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Fly on off-peak days around the holidays or on the holiday itself. Varying your departure and arrival date by even just a day can make a difference. For example, consider flying on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, rather than the peak weekend days before and after these holidays.
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Fly during the off-peak season. Travel destinations may also have especially high volume during particular seasons. For example, popular summer spots include Europe, Hawaii and Alaska. Spring is a peak travel season for Florida, New Orleans and Southern California. Flying during other periods can result in substantial savings.
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