Find tips to get the best prices on airline travel to events.
Traveling to tournaments is expensive and competitors and families need to find ways to save. Every dollar saved could mean one more division entered, one fun sightseeing trip or just staying within a travel budget. Here are some ways to find the lowest prices on airline tickets:
Book Tickets Early: Analysts recommend booking six weeks in advance to find the best prices. The 42 day advance rule is not set in stone but appears to be an airline trend.
Scan For Morning Deals: Airlines put out deals in the morning and once they are gone – they are gone. Check early in the morning. Also, analyst recommend checking on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. Eastern for best deals.
Fly Out on Wednesday: This is the day with the lowest number of passengers and the day you are most likely to find deals. Tuesday and Saturday departures are also good for lower prices.
Don’t Just Rely on the Aggregate Sites: If you are using Kayak, Orbitz or other sites to find fares for you, this is not enough. Also check the airline websites individually as some sales will not show up on the aggregate sites. Some airlines like Southwest do not even allow their fares to appear on aggregate sites at all.
Get the Airline Credit Card: If you fly a certain airline frequently, it might be worth it to sign up for the airline’s credit card. Most cards allow you to get your first bag checked for free for you and all your companions which could save hundreds.
Sign Up for Frequent Flyer Miles: If you fly often, enroll in the airline frequent flyer program. It could mean a free ticket down the road! Make sure to ask the tournament hotel and rental car agency if it participates in your airline frequent flyer program to get extra miles.
Follow Your Favorite Airlines on Twitter and Facebook: Sometimes airlines will post special deals through social media – don’t miss out.
Founded in 2000, SportMartialArts.com is the largest media outlet and PR organization for open sport martial arts events around the world. Our blog posts are aimed at making your competitive experience the best it can be!
