photo credit: lemoncat1

With Thanksgiving only two months away, now is the time to start thinking about your holiday travel. Here are a few tips to find the cheapest airfare -

• Book at least 21 days in advance (30 for international flights) – Airlines only allot so many seats for low fares. The farther in advance you book, the better chance you have at getting those fares. If you wait until the last minute, the fares can double or even triple.
• Consider neighboring airports – When I lived in the San Francisco area, I would often fly out of the Oakland airport. Smaller, nearby airports may have lower fares. For example, those in the NYC area could fly out of Newark.
• Fly on the days others don’t want – Instead of flying the day prior to Thanksgiving, fly on Thanksgiving Day. The airport will be less hectic and you’ll save money. Or instead of returning on that Sunday, return on Monday.
• Comparison shop – Rather than searching on the airline websites, look at sites that show multiple airlines. While the most popular sites are Travelocity and Expedia, I also like Kayak. However, once you find a fare, book directly on the airline’s site for better customer service if you have an issue.

What methods do you use to find low airfare?