I'm looking for budget air fares. Wondering how I should start planning. It looks like a lot of work comparing airfares but can I get some tips on how to book so I'd get low fares? my friends always manage to get cheaper tickets than I do!

I go for advanced bookings. If you book a flight a couple of months before the trip you get discounts and they add up. Hotel bookings could work that way too probably, I haven't tried those though.

I prefer traveling out of season, when there is more demand for tickets the fares are higher too.

Yah, I agree with the others, the more picky you are with days to travel on the harder it is to get a cheap ticket. If you like to travel over the weekend why do you think others wont?

Fly economy. :P

hehe...ok, seriously though, return tickets cost less than one way tickets. I wonder why though :?

Of course the obvious reason would be they have future revenue confirmed or maybe its something else.

I also think being rigid in terms of destination airport makes tickets cost more. Change destination from New York airport to Newark one and you will see the difference, the train ticket from Newark to New York will not cost even close to the difference, it will only mean some extra travel time so if you are up to it, why not?

It has been talked about but what has benefited me most during my travels is traveling when the rush is over. Days leading up to the Christmas are busy so I travel on the Christmas day, or on thanksgiving instead of before or after it. Few try that option really, or only those that don't manage to get away earlier but its cheaper.