AAA Offers 6 Cost-Saving Tips For Holiday & Winter Air Travel

12 November 1997
AAA Offers 6 Cost-Saving Tips For Holiday & Winter Air Travel

    ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 12 --  Thinking about a holiday or winter
getaway, but don't have much money to spend on an airline ticket?  The secret
is in the planning, says AAA.
    "Although last-minute travelers occasionally may find a low airfare
through the Internet, your best bet is to seek the advice of a travel agent
who has access to all schedules, fares and can help out if there's a problem,"
said Graeme Clarke, senior vice president, AAA Travel Related Services.
    AAA travel agents recommend the following tips in planning your next
flight:
    1.  Plan ahead.  Lower fares are more likely when you book your travel as
far in advance as possible.
    2.  Consider an alternate airport.  Flying in and out of nearby, but less
popular airports, may save you hundreds of dollars.
    3.  Be flexible with your departure and return dates.  Traveling Monday
through Thursday is far cheaper than flying on the weekend.  For holiday
travel, some airlines offer considerable savings when flying on the holiday
itself, such as Thanksgiving or New Year's Day.
    4.  Ask your travel agent about late night flights.  Often these "red-eye"
flights are considerably less expensive than flying during morning or
afternoon hours.
    5.  Look into routes that have a connection.  Nonstop, direct-to-your-
destination flights are the most convenient -- and usually the most costly.
If time permits, consider a flight that has a connection or layover.
    6.  Join a club that offers airline discounts.  For instance, AAA members
enjoy special benefits and periodic promotions on several airlines.
    AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 97 clubs, providing its 40 million
members in the United States and Canada with a complete line of travel,
financial, insurance and automotive-related services.
    AAA news releases can be downloaded from the following sites: AOL --
Keyword:  AAA; Click on "News and Events," "News Releases."  INTERNET --
http://www.aaa.com/news/news.html/

SOURCE  American Automobile Association