Slow Days

• Depart on slow flight days.
  
  Book your flights on slow days. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are known to be the slowest days of the week for airplane travel. Book your departure and return on one of those days, and you will get the best rate. It is usually more expensive to fly on Friday or Monday due to the high volume of vacation and business travel. Certain seasons of the year are slower too. Fall is the slowest season, and plane tickets booked for the fall months are less expensive than flights booked for the busy summer travel season. Avoid traveling by air during holiday seasons if you want a cheap flight.
  
  

Off-Season Vacations

• Visit Epcot in October for cheaper airfare.
  
  Vacation in Aspen in the summer or Orlando in October when it is off-season for tourists. Not only will airfare be cheaper during the off-season, but you will save on hotel bills too. You can also look into buying vacation packages to these and other popular resort towns just for the sake of cheap airfare.
  
  

Time of Day

• Book flights late in the day for discounts.
  
  Depart or arrive at your destination during the wee hours, and you may score a cheaper ticket. Peak flight times from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. are also the most expensive.
  
  When it comes to purchasing your ticket, the best time to do so is early morning or after 5 p.m. During those times the airlines are trying to fill seats and may offer lower rates.
  
  

Use Reward Points

• Trade credit card reward points for an airline ticket.
  
  Plan your flight months in advance and give yourself plenty of time to rack up reward points on a credit card. You may be able to earn enough to get your airline ticket for free. Don't forget about other types of discounts such as senior citizen rates and savings clubs. Check with your membership organizations such as AARP or AAA to see if they offer discounts or tips on flying cheap. Join an airline membership club if you use the same airline for most of your flights. You can accumulate frequent flyer miles, which can be traded in for a free ticket.
  
  Don't forget to shop around to find the lowest price for your ticket. Compare online travel agency prices against prices quoted from airlines' websites to find the best deal.