Christmas and New Year just flew by and you’re done with all the booking hassles of the previous months. As we welcome 2012 our line up of events and holidays like the Chinese New Year, Cinco De Mayo, Easter, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hajj, Eid Al-Adha, Labor Day, Valentine’s and a lot more go into full circle. Just to make sure you will not encounter the same trouble you might have encountered in booking your flights we’ve got here some tips for your next holiday travel plans:

Airline Fees

Airline fees started to go sky high in 2008 and just last year it started to increase by 87%. So that means that travelers have to consider airline fee in their overall travel expenses. Frequent travelers are so used to pay for their checked bags but objectionably new fees keep on surprising them like the initiative of Spirit Airline to charge the boarding passes that ticket agents issued. Also the announcement made by AirTrans about their plans on weight restrictions and the passenger taxes that President Obama proposed. 

Extra fees for checked bags are still the biggest concern particularly on holidays. So even if American flight is giving the lowest quote you may still want to consider budget airlines like Southwest that don’t charge any fee for the initial checked bag. 

Keep an Eye on Your Route

Keeping an eye on your route can provide you with the best fares possible. Lowest fares fluctuates every time so the best thing to do is to monitor the rates on your preferred routes for a day or two to get the best fare before you book your flight. If you have an idea about the rates on the route you prefers then much better to at least give you an idea to how much you’ll be paying. 

You can also visit websites like FareCompare and Bing Travel to help you track airfare. When you established the benchmark on a holiday fare then that gives you the perfect timing when to jump on it. 

No to Last-Minute Deals

Booking your holiday flight can never be too early and don’t think that airfares will still decrease up to the last minute. The fact is that flight prices only increase during the holiday and when the inventory tightens. Try not to procrastinate. So long as you know your destinations and the loose dates you check your route and know your rates to book your flight for the holidays. 

Be Flexible

If you’re pretty much flexible in your traveling schedule then you’re sure to save a lot. You just need to know the peak for holiday travel so you know just when to avoid them. Normally dates on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year celebrations are priced the most. 

You can search online for the flexible dates of travel or check Travelocity and Orbitz websites to look for the most affordable airfares on a particular date. 

Get a Flight and Hotel Package Value

There are business hotels that offer great deals for the holidays when they are not having their usual patrons. So this is the best time for you to factor getting an air travel bundled with hotel accommodation especially if you don’t feel like staying over some relative or friend’s house. 

This bundle package is of great value popping around during the holidays and helps you save a lot. You can check Travel Search that provides some great ways to compare rates during holidays on a lot of package provider websites. 

Holiday flights

It may not be the best option to maximize the holiday if you will fly on the exact date itself like on Thanksgiving or December 25th. But you may want to consider it since airlines offer significant discount on these particular dates and travel surcharges are normally lifted.
Most people already reached their destination during this time so that means big savings and less trouble since there are only very few travelers that are getting their seats.

There may be some risks you need to remember like cancelled flights or delays so to work it out you can opt celebrating on other days just to be able to take advantage of great discounts over the holidays.

Alternative Airports

When a lot of airports serviced the city you are departing from or going to add them in your holiday flight search. In short look for other alternatives just like in Chicago where you can check smaller Midway aside from O’Hare.

Secondary airports that host budget airlines offer more perks like small crowd, less delays and affordable parking. But remember that bigger airports serviced more airlines so it means prices are more competitive. So just keep your options open and weigh them according to what suits you best.

If you are going overseas, you may also want to check the alternative airports which will save you some money, time, and weather woes for hopping on and off connecting flights.

Look Around Online for Other Options

Try all options available and don’t leave a single stone unturned. Shop around online and scout for the best holiday deals. Travel Search is a tool that provides great ways to look for various websites just by keying your travel requirements once. It sure makes comparison so much easier. 

But of course make sure to check the airline’s website as well since there are other budget airlines that doesn’t put up their airfares on travel agents online. It’ll also help you save on ticketing fees if you will book straight from the airline’s websites. 

Get Ready for Layover

Booking flights that has layover can help you save some big bucks but if you happen to find a fairly good holiday flight without stop over make sure to grab it on the spot. It can be a little expensive but it’s worth traveling with less hassle.

If you’re on a connecting flight though, make sure it’s the same carrier so their personnel can assist you in case of screwed up connection. 

Consider Other Means of Transportation

Other than flying it’s recommended to factor in other means of transport especially if it’s only within sensible distance. If you’re traveling with the family, you may want to consider carpooling, which is a very economic alternative. You can check out online Fuel Cost Calculators to gauge your gas costs according to your itinerary and car model.

Traveling by bus is another alternative that offers very low fares even during the holidays. Trains are great to consider too since you can relax with a traffic-free travel and enjoy beautiful scenery along the road.