Guest post: Five Ways to Save Airfare

Today's guest post is from Heather Johnson, a contributor at Credit Card Lowdown.

The cost of airfare continues to soar with the surging price of oil these days. The days of hopping on a flight to anywhere guilt-free seem to be gone. Amazingly with just a little extra effort you can still find deals out there that will take away some of the stress that accompanies flying these days. You can still find deals out there and here are some tips for the frugal flier:

1. Give up your seat. When an airline is overbooked they'll look for people to volunteer their seat. If you give up your seat you'll earn free flights from the given airline. Sometimes, the airline will even give you cash. Monday morning and Friday afternoon flights are most typically the most overbooked. So if you can afford delaying your travel plans you stand to save money and maybe put some cash back in your pocket.

2. Veer off the beaten path. There is no doubt the fastest way to get somewhere is to go from point A to point B in a straight line. If point B is Washington D.C., an expensive destination, go to point C first, even if it is Baltimore. There are always cheaper flights to less desirable locations near the real hot spots.

3. Surf the web. At the last minute, many airlines will have slashed their fares, especially near a weekend. If an airline has seats to fill they'll do so by offering incredibly lower prices than advertised. Keep an eye out for these sudden deals that spring up.

4. Competition breeds lower fares. If one airline company offers a discounted flight to one destination then it's a safe bet the others will do the same. Just like any other line of business, competitors monitor what each other are offering to the public and will usually attempt to follow suit to stay in the game. This is your chance to swoop in and get a great deal.

5. Burn the midnight oil. Most airlines will reload their computer systems at midnight. If passengers have reserved a seat but have not paid their seats will open up to the general public. If you can stand to wait up that late you might be able to land a great deal on seats. Just remember the airlines need to and want to fill up as many seats as possible and this may be a perfect way to jump in on a great deal.
   

Heather P. Johnson is a freelance writer, as well as a contributor for Credit Card Lowdown, a site for finding credit card reviews. Heather invites your comments and freelancing job opportunities at her email address: heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.