[Suzanne Oldham – Ambassador]

With summer on the horizon many of us turn our attention to summer vacation. I am no exception but I am also very frugal when it comes to paying for airfare. For me, the thrill of the hunt is the name of the game. I spend lots of hours trolling the internet for airfare deals. Here are a few of my favorite strategies:
• Google Flights: Put in your destination and it will show you airfares and routes with the lowest fares. It also gives you tips on the best approach to booking the flight to get the lowest fare.
• Hopper: Hopper is an app that bills itself as the tool for “when to fly and buy.” You can set up multiple alerts and it will update you on the best time to buy your flight and on what airline.
• Departure city: If you are flying overseas, a major hub has better deals than secondary cities. If you can get a great deal on a flight to that hub city, you can often be better off than flying out of a secondary market.
• One-way fares: It isn’t always the case that round trip is cheaper. You may find cheaper one-way fares and if you are booking multi-city tickets, buying separate tickets may save money.

Have any of you found some tricks to save on travel?

[Stacey Daprile – Ambassador]

I travel a lot! But it wasn’t until recently that I learned that by signing into my Expedia account, I can see (and book) a discounted price on hotels. As a family, I have become a fan of AirBnB. We can often find incredible accommodations for the whole family. For my daughter’s graduation last year, I was able to book a home with five bedrooms and a bonus play room. This home accommodated my family, my brother’s family, and my parents beautifully. That was 12 people in all!

[Suzanne Oldham – Ambassador]

Thanks, Stacy. I just booked my first Air B N B because all the hotels were booked or too expensive. We will save money and be in a better location. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Antoinette Minor – Ambassador]

I want to plan a trip for later this year and these tips will definitely help. I will most certainly look at booking a flight from a hub city. Philadelphia is big but I know I get better deals flying from NY or MD. Thanks for the tips!