08 Sep Travel on a Dime – Airfare

For years I avoided the prospect of traveling because I just assumed I could never afford it. Flights, hotel, food, I figured they simply didn’t fit in my financial diet. But oh, if I only knew then what I know now. There are tons of sites that offer great deals on low airfare. Here are my top picks!

Travelzoo

Every week I look forward to their Top 20 list, which highlights the best bargains, not just for airfare, but hotels, cruises and more. Late last year I was alerted of an unbelievably low fare to Belize. I had never booked any travel plans through the site before so I was convinced something was wrong. Were they really offering a round trip flight for $152? It was no scam, and in April I enjoyed a week of relaxation and hammocks in the Central American country.

Airfare Watchdog

I discovered this site a year ago while doing a basic Google search. Why I adore them? Travelers-to-be can customize the alerts they receive in their inbox. You can choose daily or weekly emails, fares specifically from airports in your area and sales between particular cities. Right now, I’m on the lookout for any deals between New York and London or Paris so AFWD sends emails anytime these deals appear. I’m holding out for spring travel, under $450/$500 (fingers crossed).

Airline Sites

This sounds obvious to check the websites of specific airlines but with all of the travel sites out there, I think people sometimes forget to go directly to the source. I was looking to head to the Left coast and didn’t see any sales that made me happy and giddy inside. I decided to check American, then United, then Jetblue and finally I stumbled upon Southwest’s 30/60/90 sale. Although it was a bit more time consuming going to each individual site, you can’t beat $222 round trip from NYC to L.A.

So what are your favorite sites for airfare deals? Check back next week for hotel savings!