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How to save money booking travel

Posted at 12:39 PM, Nov 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-04 13:46:23-04

The holiday travel season is here. While some of us might already have our plans set, others might still be hoping to catch some airline deals.

Bobbi Eskew, General Manager at Allen Samuels House of Travel in Waco, shared some expert advice.

"Travel is like the stock market. The prices change as the day goes on. So, maybe one thing that's priced in the morning low by the afternoon might be a little higher. Tomorrow maybe more, or the next day may have down in price,” Eskew said.

Experts said there is no formula one could use to beat airlines and find the cheap fares.

One factor that does make a major difference is time. How far in advance one looks for deals.

"As you fill a plane up, prices will get higher as they go," Eskew said.

But that might not always lead to the cheapest fares since airlines sometimes put cheap flights on the market just days before scheduled departures.

"And, there are some good fares at the last minute to fill up some space or seats," Eskew said.

Another factor is how flexible one is with the dates one is able to travel.

"Are you able to leave on a Saturday instead of coming home on the Sunday? If you are using the right combination of dates and things, that can make a difference on the price," Eskew said.

Also, the trick of buying on a specific weekday does not always work.

"You hear people say buying tickets on Tuesday evening is better. That does sometimes happen, but usually it’s based on what's open and what hasn't been sold so far," Eskew said.

So, which airline is the cheapest to fly? Eskew said there is not concrete answer.

"When one airline in the market starts a sale, usually the other airlines will match or follow. So, it's not always which airline has the best price, it's who starts the sale," Eskew added.

Eskew said that constantly monitoring airline websites is key. But, if you don't have time to do that, she recommends reaching out to a travel agent.

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