Save Money When Flying
|  Video
|
| Kevin Gribble |
| 11/18/2009 |
 |
| `Tis the season for giving. And when it comes to flying, travelers are giving a whole lot to the airlines. Planes aren`t all that are sky-high these days. This year, airfares are up, and there are more extra fees than ever. So what are traveling families to do in order to save some dough? Planning to fly around the holidays this year? There`s now a fee for that. Want to check a bag? Prepare for another fee. Want to choose your seats? Depending on your choice, yes, you guessed it, more fees. Some are easy to avoid, others not so much. To avoid the holiday surcharge, do your best to book on dates that don`t get slapped with that new fee. And you can save really big by flying on a holiday itself. If your family must check bags, Try combining the contents of two pieces of luggage into one being careful not to exceed the weight limit. To avoid booking fees, stick to the internet, unless you`re flying Allegiant. Allegiant charges a fee to book online. It`s free in person at the airport. So you tried to avoid some of those fees. Maybe you were successful, maybe you weren`t. But what else can you do beforehand to save yourself some money?"= You can always copy the Holma family. They`re flying out of Bismarck, even though they live in Canada. Even though it`s a four-hour drive from where they live, it`s cheaper for the family to drive to Bismarck, than it is to fly out of Canada. The Holma`s say the savings are worth it. Here are some other examples: If you`re flying to Los Angeles or Orlando, it might be cheaper to drive to Fargo, where Allegiant offers discount flights that Bismarck does not. The same principle applies to your destination. Check nearby airports to see if they`re cheaper to fly in to, like the Holma`s did. "Once we get to Vegas, we`re going to drive to Phoenix for the NASCAR race," says Tara Holma. You can also save money by flying at off-peak times. Priceline.com says those are between 5:00 and 7:00 in the morning and after 8:00 at night. Weekend stays might also lower the cost. But the best advice may be to start early, shop around for a few days on multiple websites, including the airlines` own sites, and perhaps even consult a travel agent. Another tip is to bring snacks with you to avoid paying high airport or onboard food prices. And if you need a car or hotel, try booking them all at once as a package. Sometimes bundling can save you big. |
BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO REGIONAL STORIES
© 2009 KFYR-TV
Home | News | Weather | Sports | Webcast | Morning News | Programming | Primetime Rewind | Advertising & Sales | About Us
Community Connection | Movies | Contests & Promotions | Search | Links | Contact Us | Follow us on: Facebook and twitter
Sister Stations: KMOT in Minot, KQCD in Dickinson, KUMV in Williston
