How to Get Low-Cost Airfare
By Steve Smith
There are plenty of amazing courses throughout the country. Unless you are really lucky and live close to a few of them, you will have to fly to get there. Flying can be expensive, but if you take advantage of special offers and do some legwork, you can find really cheap airfare and play golf wherever you like.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderate
Search and compare fares on the major travel sites like Expedia.com and Orbitz. Usually, Expedia has the lower fares, but not always. Keep your travel dates flexible and use the "flexible dates" option when you search. This allows you to compare fares flying a day before or after your departure and return dates.
Make use of travel rewards and frequent flier programs. Even if you are traveling to a funeral or family event, enter your rewards program when you book the fare. Travel sites allow you to earn rewards on a vast number of programs for nearly every flight.
Make use of offers for additional airline miles. US Airways recently had a promotion for its passengers to receive 25,000 bonus miles by signing up for its sponsored credit card. Southwest also offers free flights after you book so many (16 flights, or eight round trips) flights through its website. Be forewarned that not all of these programs save money. Look at the total cost of the flights you are buying to get a free one. If you are spending $25 more per flight, you really aren't getting that flight for free.
Pack smart and take just one carry-on bag with you. That will cut down on baggage fees.
Book flights through different airports like Manchester Regional Airport in New Hampshire instead of Logan International in Boston. Rates are typically cheaper at smaller airports.
Tips & Warnings
If you book three weeks in advance on Expedia, your fares will be low-cost.
About The Author
Steve Smith has published hundreds of articles on a wide range of topics, including cars, travel, lifestyle, business, golf, weddings and careers. His articles, features and news stories have appeared in newspapers, consumer magazines and on various websites, including Trails.com and eHow.com. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from University of New Hampshire Durham.
