Easter is round the corner and whether you’re a seasoned high-flyer or only board a big bird once a year to fly to your holiday destination and back, it makes rands and sense to look out for the cheapest airfare you can possibly find!  With competition between airlines being fiercely competitive, there is no need to fork out for a ‘full price’ plane ticket – there are discounted flights and special deals thick on the ground, if you know where to look! Here’s how to cut travel costs – dramatically:
 
* Be your own travel agent!  The Internet has revolutionised the travel industry as we know it, and you will generally find a better deal online than if using a ‘landlubbed’ agent!  See www.travelstart.co.za.

* Pick an airline:  Choose your preferred airline and “keep your eggs in one basket” when booking a particular trip.  Returning from your destination on a different airline can dramatically increase your airfare – for example, you would have to add an additional R1,000 onto your flight budget to return from Europe to South Africa on a different airline.  This is because you will be charged the ‘published’ or IATA rate for the ticket as opposed to the concessionary rate for your loyalty!
 
* Determine your travel status:  If you are between the approximate ages of 18 to 35 (the age group differs depending on the agency used) you would qualify as a ‘youth traveller’ and pay far less for flights than the normal fare. For more information, contact STA Travel on 0861-781-781 or www.statravel.co.za; Overseas Visitors Club at www.ovc.co.za or Youth Discovery Programmes at www.ydp.co.za.
 
* Ticket savvy: Plan your travel dates around the best discounted air flight deal you can find and remember that flying in low season will always be the cheapest option.  To ensure flight availability and low prices try to book your flights at least three months in advance and book your outbound and return flights at least a week to two weeks apart.  Because the flying seasons are date dependant, sometimes booking your flight just a few days earlier or later than planned could make a huge difference to your ticket price.  Also, remember, that it is usually cheaper to fly on a public holiday or directly thereafter, as opposed to flying a few days before the day; and generally, flights on a Sunday tend to be more economical.
 
* Pick the right destination: You are more likely to find cheaper flights if your end destination is an airport in a major city and remember that direct flights tend to be more expensive than those with multiple stopovers.
 
Never pay full-price for a flight. Surf the net before you fly, book in advance and think laterally when choosing an airline – believe it or not, it has even been suggested that if you book your flight with an airline that has suffered a recent disaster, such as a crash or hijacking, you can be assured of rock-bottom ticket prices and extremely stringent safety measures!