Find Summer Flight Deals

June 24, 2007 — -- Summertime ushers in the vacation season each year. But before booking flights, consumers should know there's technology online that used to be used exclusively to airlines.

"The airlines file airfares three times a day, so it's kind of like the stock market," said Rick Seaney, CEO of farecompare.com. "We get that data at the same time as the airlines, and we e-mail it to you almost immediately."

"Good Morning America Weekend Edition" decided to put the Web site to the test. A Las Vegas couple bought round-trip tickets to New York for $300 each.

Seaney said the best flight was one for $109 on Feb. 23. It would have saved the couple more than half its money.

Besides the longer-term stock market-like aspect of air fares, prices also fluctuate within each week. In fact, airlines charge $50 to $200 more for the same flights on certain days of the week.

"What you're doing is beating the system by going on days when there's less traffic," Seaney said. "Those days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday."

There also will be less overcrowding, and flying during the lulls decreases the chances of being bumped.

If you don't snag the best fare, some airlines offer reimbursements if prices drop. A new Web site called yapta.com gives consumers the inside track to those refunds. It sends free e-mail updates on when and how to get the rebate.

Booking early usually is the key to low summer fare. But Seaney said it is never too early to book.

"The best time to start shopping is about four months before your departure date," he said. "Any time before that, they charge a premium of anywhere from $50 to $200."

Sites exist to help those who with last-minute travel needs.

"It's really simple. It's a site called lastminute.com," said Amy Ziff, editor at large of Travelocity.com. "It specializes in last-minute trips and last-minute trips that are affordable. So you can get a package. And this is a procrastinator's delight."

Another way to beat the system is to pre-ship your bags and skip the dreaded baggage carousel altogether. A growing number of companies, including Direct Baggage, Bags Inc. or even FedEx, are offering door-to-door service for about a $100.