Cheap Tickets Discount Fare Websites

Finding reasonably priced plane tickets can be a long and complicated process. Depending on the desired dates and destination, ticket prices can reach into the thousands, taking up the larger portion of any trip budget. Still, there are many discount fare websites that travelers can explore to find budget tickets.

Types of Discount Fare Websites

The most popular discount fare websites are either a booking engine or an aggregator. Booking engines allow travelers to view and book tickets directly through the website. Aggregators search through online travel agencies and airline websites and offer a price comparison.

Booking engines can be more reliable than aggregators but they aren't always cheaper. Often, buying tickets packaged with hotels or rental cars can help secure a better deal. Because booking engines sell tickets directly, they add their own policies. This means that if the traveler needs to cancel or change a ticket, they'll need to handle it through the website rather than the airline.

Aggregators often require users to find the tickets they like, then search for them again and purchase directly through the airline. These allow users to compare a wide variety of prices, however, sometimes their information is less accurate. Whether using a booking engine or an aggregator to find discount fares, it's a good idea to read the fine print, and also some reviews of that particular service.

Tips for Knowing When to Buy

When using a discount fare website, knowing when to buy can also help travelers find discount fares. Most people know that booking in advance can secure cheaper tickets and provide peace of mind. It can be helpful to begin searching for tickets well in advance of the travel date just to get an idea of what the standard prices look like. There is, however, a prime time to buy.

• The best deals are released between three weeks and three and a half months of the travel date
• Booking on Thursdays and Mondays can offer cheaper fares
• Flying on Tuesday and Wednesday can be cheaper when flying domestic
• International flights are cheaper when flying during the week

Top 5 Routes for "Cheap Tickets Discount Fare Websites"

1. Priceline.com This website is a widely recommended booking engine. They also offer deals on packages when combining airfare, hotels and rental cars. They also use a 'Name Your Price' tool which can secure cheaper travel. However, the refund or policies to change travel can be stricter when using this tool.
2. Expedia.com This is another trustworthy booking engine. They offer deals on airfare, hotels and cars and sometimes receive exclusive discounts. They also offer a points system that can benefit frequent travelers with travel rewards and hotel discounts.
3. Skyscanner.com Skyscanner is a recommended aggregator, particularly for purchasing international fares. They search a broad range of airline websites and travel agencies to find the cheapest fares. As an aggregator, they direct users to a third-party website to complete the purchase. Sometimes the fares shown include non-connected flights or quite long flights, so it's a good idea to double check the itinerary with the airline.
4. Airfarewatchdog.com This website comes highly recommended by budget travelers. Specifically, travelers reference the website's ability to find sales or error fares that can provide steep discounts. The website is an aggregator that partners with a booking engine to secure the advertised fare and complete the purchase.
5. Hipmunk.com This website is an aggregator that's well known among budget travelers for its user-friendly interface. It can provide some of the cheapest tickets. The website takes flight information like flight duration, layovers and price then scores it so users can view relevant information in an easy to understand chart.