Here are some valuable tips on finding cheap airplane tickets, using some of the airlines’ own recommended methods and other lesser-known secrets used by savvy travelers:

Unless you have a complicated itinerary and you need personal assistance in putting it together, you’ll usually find cheap airplane tickets online yourself instead of going through a travel or reservation agent. Since you’re not tying up an expensive resource (a person), airlines can pass along some of those savings. You can either use a carrier’s own online reservation tool, an aggregator like Fly.com, or an online travel agency like Priceline.com or CheapOAir.com to shop for the best prices.

To buy airline tickets weeks in advance of your departure can also save you money. A purchase made seven days prior to traveling is usually the minimum needed to realize any discounts; even better would be buying your tickets 2, 3, or 4 weeks in advance. (Although tickets bought at the last minute are usually the most expensive, some travelers consciously use that as a strategy to save money; more on that approach is below.)

If your itinerary allows for travel during the weekend, you will save money by flying on Saturdays, Sundays, and other off-peak hours. This is because travel during the week is predominantly business-related and therefore commands higher prices from the airlines. You should expect to stay over at least one night in your destination city to qualify for cheap airplane tickets.

One of the most effective ways to buy airline tickets at a discount is to be as flexible as you can be with your travel schedule. Just as the day of the week can make a difference, so can the time of day you choose to fly. Flights departing earlier than 7:00am, mid-day, and after 7:00pm are all usually priced less than those during peak periods.

If you ever find yourself needing just a one-way ticket, you may actually save some money by purchasing a round-trip ticket and just discarding the return half of the fare. Be aware, though, that if you’re a no-show for the initial leg of your trip, the airline can, and frequently will, cancel the return leg. Always make sure you fully understand what the airline’s policies are on granting refunds, credits, etc. before buying discount airplane tickets.

Put these little-known secrets to work for you the next time you buy airline tickets, and plan on saving some money!

Hemante Garces is an infrequent leisure traveler who has finally learned how to find cheap airplane tickets. Avoid the mistakes he used to make and save yourself some serious money! Also, here are some of Hemante’s favorite places to find those sweet discount airfares…