Early bird catches the cheaper airfare

(e-Travel Blackboard)- Planning ahead can save you big bucks, according to research, that found travellers could pay up to 116 percent more for an airfare purchased one day before travel compared to a ticket booked three weeks earlier.

A FCm Travel Solutions study on tickets for the departure date of 5 July found tickets purchased 21 days before the date were at an average cost of $105, while the ticketing price for the day before departure shot up to $227.

The company’s regional general manager Nick Queale said the study indicates that last minute tickets with most domestic carriers experience significant price rises and leisure travellers as well as business could benefit from booking early. Read more here…

Tourists on the rise

(Khaleej Times)- Dubai’s travel industry is experiencing a bullish trend this Ramadan, up by 18 per cent over that of 2010 mostly traceable to special airfare packages.

An Emirates spokesperson said that Emirates bookings from Dubai during the month of Ramadan are strong, with the airline witnessing a marked increase in bookings when compared with last year.

“This increase is a result of a number of factors, notably Ramadan falling within the full month of August in addition to our increased capacity and a number of new route launches, including Copenhagen on August 1,” the spokesperson said.

Emirates’ key markets for travel during Ramadan include Middle East points, the UK, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur and Colombo. Read more here…

Grabbing a deal on Vegas vacation

(The Seattle Times)- Las Vegas offers a lot of bang for your vacation dollar, especially when you find a package deal that combines airfare and hotel.

There's lots of competition among airlines for Vegas, which keeps fares low. When those fares are bundled with hotel rates, you can save even more.

Along with bundling, the days of the week you travel can make a big difference in price.

The best days to depart are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday or Friday departures with Sunday returns will bring the highest fares, and hotel prices are highest Friday and Saturday nights. Read more here…

Buy too early, pay too much for airfare

(The Seattle Times)- When it comes to airfares, early booking usually gets you a better price, right?

That's what most people believe, but with airlines changing the way they price tickets and the economic outlook withering once more, it's no longer necessarily true.

Buy too early and you risk paying too much. Just ask anyone who bought a ticket in January or February, or even early spring, for travel this summer to Europe and many U.S. destinations. Read more here…

The Perks of Off-Season Travel

(Business Wire)- Price sensitive American travelers looking to take a European vacation may want to consider traveling in the off-season. According to Gate 1 Travel, a leader in independent and escorted vacations, consumers traveling between November and March can save up to 40% on their vacations. Here are some additional reasons why a winter trip abroad provides a budget friendly vacation option. Read more here…

15 ways to save on airfare

(Regina Leader-Post)- 14. Know your award travel requirements. Some airlines charge if frequent fliers try to book award travel within 21 days of flight (considered a "rush" booking). Still others charge to renew expired mileage points. Examine the small print before you begin the process. Check out Smarter Travel's complete guide to frequent-flier fees.

15. Book online. Some airlines now actually charge a fee for booking in person or by phone, somewhat like banks now charge you for the privilege of talking to a teller. You could even get charged extra for paper tickets. Make sure you read the fine print and stick to the internet when finalizing flight plans. Read more here…

List: Top 100 airports for airfare prices

(Bizjournals.com)- Houston-George H.W. Bush Intercontinental Airport has the most expensive average domestic airfares and Atlantic City, N.J., has the least expensive, according to data released Wednesday by the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Houston's average airfare in the first quarter of 2011 was $477 compared to the national average of $356 per ticket. The data includes the cost of the ticket and taxes that are assessed at the time of sale but not baggage and other fees. Read more here…