Spring Break is almost here; are you ready? FareCompare can help. But you must act quickly; that’s because normally we say, “start shopping for airfare about 4-months ahead.” This is especially true for holidays (when airlines love to charge premium prices), and Spring Break traditionally falls close to Easter. So let’s get to it: click “more” for my 6-Tips for Spring Break Airfare Savings.

6-Tips for “Spring Break” Airfare Savings (and Sanity!)

1. Buy your tickets now.

• It’s already late; if you can, purchase your tickets this week.
• Try to purchase by late Thursday, to avoid an expected fuel surcharge increase.
• Don’t expect last minute deals (”real” bargains are rare around holidays).

2. Beware the 3-holiday weekends.

• This year, Easter falls on March 23; avoid flying Easter weekend, and the weekends bracketing the holiday (March 15-16 and March 29-30)
• DO fly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the best deals

3. Fly during off-peak times-of-day.

• Noon-time is often cheaper than the more popular morning or afternoon flights.
• Evening flights are also in less demand (and often cheaper), especially “red-eyes”.

4. Look for destinations with alternate airports.

• If you’re heading to Miami, check prices on flights to Ft. Lauderdale, or even Tampa (or Alabama); cheaper airfare may make the extra drive-time worth it.

5. Look at alternate destinations.

• If you want to ski, see if Albuquerque, New Mexico is cheaper than Aspen.
• Sunseekers: check to see if Puerto Rico is cheaper than the Virgin Islands.
• Do some research on this before you buy!

6. Prepare for delays; last year, 1 out of 4 flights were delayed.

• Take direct flights; if you must connect, stay away from northern cities to avoid weather delays.
• Carry your luggage onboard, don’t check it.
• Have a back-up plan; here’s a list of airline contact information, flight routes, hotels and rental car agencies.