7 tips for saving on holiday flight and accommodation

NEW YORK – Flying over the holidays will cost more this year. And the longer you wait to book, the more expensive it is likely to get.

The average price of domestic flights for the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas is $ 383, 4 percent higher than last year, according to Expedia.

As airlines fly fewer planes and routes to reduce costs, there are fewer places available. The flights are fuller than ever, and airlines can charge more.

The airlines have an additional reason to charge more families during the holidays: there are fewer high-paying business travelers, and airlines need to compensate for this loss of income.

But leaflets can save money by handling travel sites, travel planning that are a little less practical and taking advantage of the reimbursement policies ticket.

A simple but valuable: If you find a good price, jump on it. The price could fall thereafter, but not much.

Here are seven tips to help you save.

Be flexible Adding a couple of days for your trip before or after the peak travel days can lower the rates significantly. So, can fly on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or early morning of New Year's Day. These days tend to be less busy.

A flight from Chicago to Seattle, leaving the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and return Sunday, would cost a whopping $ 420 on a recent research. A traveler on a budget could leave the morning of Thanksgiving, returning the following Monday and cut the ticket to $ 327.

Most travel sites have search options that make it easy to find the cheapest days to travel.

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LOOK for non-stop flight is ideal, but that convenience is not free. Reservation of a route that includes a stop could save you $ 100 round trip. Just be sure to leave enough time to connect so even if your first flight is late, you do not miss the second stage.

And be careful to book an itinerary that includes a stop in a town in cold weather. Last year, a blizzard of Christmas weekend on the East Coast has more than 10 000 flight cancellations, stranding passengers for days.

Fly and drive some airlines have a virtual monopoly on some airports, allowing them to charge more. One of the most expensive airports in America is Cincinnati, which is dominated by Delta. To save money, leaflets choose instead many airports in Dayton, Ohio, Louisville, Ky., or Indianapolis.

Other airports are expensive to fly in and out because they lack a low-cost airline to keep prices in check or because of business travelers are the main clients.

Most of the research sites to check fares at the airports 50, 75 or even 100 miles of your destination. The savings are potentially large enough to make the rental car and additional travel time worth your time.

Choose two different airlines most airlines now sell one-way flights at reasonable prices. An airline may be less expensive for the flight and another for the return. You might even get to the airport and depart from another. Many sites automatically display the multi-carrier routes, others require separate research.

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Consider Rule 24 HOURS Most airlines allow passengers to cancel and rebook great tickets purchased through their Web sites within 24 hours without penalty. After you book, check the next morning and see if the price dropped. Alaska, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United, U.S. Airways and Virgin America all allow.

SEARCH multiple locations, the cheapest are not always appear on each site. Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity are the largest online ticket-sellers. Sometimes better deals can be found on sites such as kayaking, Hipmunk, AirfareWatchdog, Yapta, FareCompare, CheapOair, and Mobissimo Fly.com.

Some airlines, like Southwest, are not included on many of these sites. Most airports list of airlines that serve them. Look there to make sure you are not missing a carrier.

SAVE ON HOTEL ROOMS, CAR RENTAL Hotel and car rental reservations are repayable. Frequently check and re-let if prices fell. Alternatively, if you're ready to commit, many hotels offer discounts for booking non-refundable.

Hotels and car rental companies often offer discounts to AAA members and AARP and government workers. They also have special rates for employees of certain companies. It never hurts to ask.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material May not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Submited at Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 at 4:00 am on Tips by sofia
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