Holiday airfares won't bring much joy

Some families may have to nix the fixings and just buy the turkey after spending so much money flying home this Thanksgiving or Christmas.

With fewer seats available this year, airfares are higher than they were for the 2010 holiday season, said Bryan Saltzburg, general manager of TripAdvisor Flights.

For the five-day Thanksgiving travel period - from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through the following Sunday - Trip-Advisor found that the average domestic airfare for 2011 is $368.16, up 10 percent compared with 2010.

For the Christmas holiday travel period Dec. 23-26, the analysis found that average domestic airfare for 2011 was $413.89, up 9 percent.

There are still tickets available for Thanksgiving travel, but passengers should book now, especially if they find a good fare, said Bill Miller, senior vice president of Strategic Partnerships for CheapOair, an online travel agency.

"Prices are not likely going to drop between now and Thanksgiving," he said.

U.S. airlines have cut the number of planes flown, especially domestically, and raised fares as fuel prices and demand for seats have increased.

Expedia did find that some airfares out of Houston were cheaper this year than last year if passengers purchased the tickets two weeks to a month in advance.

Flexibility saves money

One way to get a cheaper ticket is to be flexible and avoid traveling on the peak Thanksgiving holiday travel times - Wednesday night and Sunday night.

"Carriers are charging an arm and leg for those seats because those flights are full," said Saltzburg, who also suggests shopping for two one-way fares instead of just round-trip prices. "It's all supply and demand."

Flying out Thanksgiving Day and returning before or after Sunday could save hundreds of dollars per passenger.

"As in past years, flights on the peak holiday travel days were the first to sell. However, customers who are flexible with their dates of travel can still find good bargains and seats available for award travel," United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson said.

Houston attorney Sorcha Landau paid about $375 last year to fly to Detroit to spend Thanksgiving with her father in Ann Arbor, Mich. This year, the airfare is $700 to depart Wednesday and return on Sunday. So she decided to return on Saturday, which dropped the fare to $475.

"It makes it doable as opposed to, 'I'll see you next year,'" Landau said.

Her mother paid for Landau's ticket from Houston to Minneapolis for Christmas, and that was also expensive.

"My mom wouldn't even tell me how much it was because she didn't want me to feel bad," Landau said.

Landau's mom tried to book the ticket using frequent-flier miles but could not find any seats available.

Don't forget about fees

Travel experts warn that consumers should also factor in new fees for the cost of checking bags and other services before they buy.

"There's more cost to flying than just the ticket," Miller said.

A family of four lugging one or two bags each could face hefty fees when they get to the airport.

"Knowing the fees upfront could make a difference of hundreds of dollars," Saltzburg said.

CheapOair's Miller said the higher fares and assortment of airline fees could persuade some travelers to drive instead of fly.

"Consumers have to figure out what is their threshold," Miller said.

Try this site: Airport Transportation Houston 

Flying over the holidays is going to cost more this year. And the longer you wait to book, the pricier it's likely to get.

The average domestic airfare for the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas is $383, 4 percent higher than last year, according to Expedia.

As airlines fly fewer routes and planes to cut costs, there are fewer seats available. Flights are fuller than ever, and airlines can charge more.

Airlines have an additional reason to charge families more during the holiday season: There are fewer high-paying business travelers, and airlines need to make up for that loss of revenue.

But fliers can save by manipulating travel websites, planning itineraries that are a little less convenient and taking advantage of airfare refund policies.

A simple but valuable strategy: If you find a good fare, jump on it. The price might drop later on, but not much.

Here are seven tips to help you save.

Be flexible

Adding a couple of days to your trip before or after peak travel days can lower fares significantly. So can flying on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or early on the morning of New Year's Day. These days tend to be less busy.

A flight from Chicago to Seattle, leaving the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and returning Sunday, cost $420 on a recent search. A budget-conscious traveler could leave on the morning of Thanksgiving, return the following Monday and cut the airfare to $327.

Most travel websites have search options that make it easy to find the cheapest days to travel.

Try to connect

Flying nonstop is ideal, but that convenience isn't free. Booking an itinerary that includes one stop could save you $100 round-trip. Just make sure to leave plenty of time to connect so that even if your first flight is late, you don't miss the second leg.

And be careful booking an itinerary that includes a stop in a cold-weather city. Last year, a Christmas weekend snowstorm on the East Coast caused more than 10,000 flight cancellations, stranding passengers for days.

Fly, then drive

Some airlines have a virtual monopoly at certain airports, allowing them to charge more. One of America's most expensive airports is Cincinnati, which is dominated by Delta. To save money, many fliers instead choose airports in Dayton, Ohio, Louisville, Ky., or Indianapolis.

Other airports are expensive to fly in and out of because they lack a low-cost carrier to keep prices in check or because business travelers are the primary customers.

Most search sites can check fares at airports 50, 75 or even 100 miles from your destination. The savings are potentially big enough to make the car rental and extra travel time worth your while.

Take two airlines

Most airlines now sell one-way flights at reasonable prices. One airline might be cheaper for the outbound flight and another for the return. You could even arrive at one airport and depart from another. Many sites automatically display these multi-carrier itineraries; others require separate searches.

Use the 24-hour rule

Most big airlines allow passengers to cancel and rebook tickets purchased through their websites within 24 hours without penalty. After you book, check the next morning and see whether the price fell. Alaska, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United, US Airways and Virgin America all allow this.

Search multiple sites

The cheapest flight doesn't always show up on every website. Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity are the biggest online ticket sellers. Sometimes better deals can be found on sites such as Kayak, Hipmunk, AirfareWatchdog, Yapta, FareCompare, CheapOair, Mobissimo and Fly.com.

Some airlines, like Southwest, aren't included on many of these sites. Most airport websites list the airlines serving them. Look there to make sure you aren't missing a carrier.

Save on other costs

Hotel and car-rental reservations are typically refundable. Check frequently and rebook if prices have fallen. Alternatively, if you're willing to commit, many hotels offer discounts for nonrefundable bookings.

Hotels and car-rental companies frequently offer discounts to members of AAA and AARP and to government workers. They also have special rates for employees of certain companies. It never hurts to ask.

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