Early Retirement Extreme Forums

hi all!

I am trying to visit my brother in boston coming from ann arbor michigan, and then going to home to california after.

I thought this might be a good place to ask the questions of all the little tips and tricks i could do to find the cheeeeeaaaapest flights possible. any tips help!

thx!!

-You can try to fly to another airport nearby and drive/bus to your destination, but need to factor that cost in.

-A flight may look cheap, but don't forget about the taxes and extra fees (for example checked baggage can cost $25 to $50 a bag, bags over the weight limit get charged more too and this varies by airline or the amount you pay per seat)

-The old days of flying standby don't really work anymore. Too many others have first dibs like flight attendants, etc. Also, don't expect to get bumped either, though it does happen!

-Read the fine print and know what you can pack in your carry on so you don't end up tossing your toiletries!

I'm not really sure about your experience with traveling or the details so it makes it hard to give specifics.

The major airports have the lowest fares. For example- Chicago, NYC, Boston, Atlanta, LA, Denver, Phoenix etc. You will find the lowest air price from major city to major city. Also, based off an extensive study by Cheap Air, the best time to buy a ticket is around 54 days before you're flight. Tuesdays are the best day for purchasing tickets in most scenarios because that is the day most airlines offer discounted seats/ sales.

Above all, being flexible is key. Not being picky about flight times or days gives you way more options and a much larger chance of obtaining the lowest fare(s).

You can try using Google ITA Matrix to search for airline ticket prices, although you can't purchase directly from their site: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Take the AirRide to DTW $12
http://www.myairride.com/

DTW to BOS $212
https://www.google.com/flights/#search; ... ;q=dtw+bos