I am constantly being asked how to get the best deal on airfare.  And while I wish there was just a simple algorithm ,such as buy your ticket at 2 am on the first Tuesday of the month, two months ahead of time, the answer is not quite that easy and straightforward. My main advice is you need time on your side and you need to do your research if you truly want to get the best price possible for your tickets.

First off to understand how to get the best deal on airfare, you need to understand how airlines structure their fares. Airlines are so savvy when it comes to structuring their ticket prices, it’s almost mind-boggling. It is all based off of supply and demand and the metrics they use are complex. Airlines set aside a certain number of discount seats on each plane. Once they are gone, they are gone. Usually once a plane’s seat for a certain flight is set up they start with a basic fare somewhere in a middle rate. Most people think it’s based off of a first come first serve basis, but it’s usually not the case (it is for some airlines though). If people don’t start buying seats right away then the price starts to lower, but as more and more seats fill up the price goes up. So you really don’t know when those discount seats are going to be available. Sometimes they will be saved for the last minute for an airlines last-ditch effort to fill up seats (this is rarely the case now, since there have been so many cuts recently in loads).

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Hey all- I did a guest post over at CheapOAir that I thought you might be interested in reading. In the post I offer five tips on saving money this year so you don’t have to get rid of your vacation just because of the economy! Check it out here!

Oh the economy. How I have grown to despise that word. Even more so since it has been affecting me personally. And while it’s scary- there can be a lot of opportunity as well. If you are feeling the economy blues- it may be time to take a quick vacation to forget your troubles for a few days.

It’s important to look for some bargains when your pockets aren’t as deep as they used to be. Here are some tips for traveling cheap and in style.

Sign up for e-newsletters: As annoying as they can be- signing up for discount traveling sites newsletters can help you save money when you are very flexible on your plans. Updates will come to your inbox informing you of awesome Las Vegas hotel deals, and cheap airplane tickets to Orlando (and more- those were obviously examples).

Sign up for Airline’s e-newsletters and download widgets: Along the same lines as the above tip, many airlines also have a newsletter that will ping you when they have can’t miss deals. Delta and Southwest are both known for last minute deals that can be found by their newletters or widgets. However with those deals you must act fast- they disappear as quickly as they come.

Be flexible: While many places are slashing prices to be competitive others are raising prices to keep afloat. If you are dead set on a location then try to be flexible on timing. For example many hotels are cheaper during the week then the weekend (depending if they are a tourist location- you will find the opposite if they rely on business travelers). If you are set on your timing then try to be flexible on location.

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Ok not really, but wouldn’t that be amazing? In preparation for my upcoming Europe trip, I have been keeping my eyes open to articles that will offer me advice on how to save money while I am overseas. I came across this really great article that gives tips to alleviate a tight wallet when visiting Paris. I found it really helpful as the author Gaelle Faure talks about ways to save money visiting the museums, where to stay and eat as well as how to get around. It’s worth checking out. My favorite tip- the Louvre and all other major museums are free on the first Sunday of the month, I actually rearranged my trip so that I will be in Paris on a first Sunday! Plus I love the idea of renting a bike for only 1.50 and going on a self-guided tour of Paris. It’s also good to know that Paris is a truly connected city offering Wi-Fi free all over town, gives peace of mind knowing I will be able to blog while I am in the city of lights.