Consumer Watch Team Finds Secrets To Cheaper Airfare

Taylor Bowdish can't wait for her vacation back to Las Vegas.

"I went there last year, didn't really get the whole affect, so I kind of want to go back and see everything I missed," Bowdish said.

Like most of us, Bowdish doesn't want to spend all her vacation money just to get there. She searched several travel websites to find the cheapest flights.

"They pretty much have everything on there," Bowdish said. "You can compare all the airlines."

So how do we get the most bang for our buck? Chuck Mai with AAA Oklahoma says before booking a trip, consider four things:

* When you fly

* When you buy your tickets to fly

* Where you go

* What resources you use

Rates are based on supply and demand. So you'll want to avoid holidays when everyone else is in the air. Flying Tuesdays and Wednesdays may be our biggest money saver.

"Airlines are flying fewer planes now and the planes they're flying are smaller, so supply has shrunk," Mai said. "If you can take advantage of that and go at low demand times, you can save some money."

Mid-week is also the best time to book your trip.

"Any discounts or fare reductions that airlines have imposed have kicked in from the night before, but they haven't had time to gauge how that fare is doing," Mai said.

When deciding where to go, Karen Carney with Will Rogers World Airport said competition can work in our favor.

"For example, out of Oklahoma City, if you look at Denver, we have three different airlines that serve that single market," Carney said. "So you're going to see some pretty competitive fares in Denver."

A smaller airport can also mean big savings.

"If you're going to Florida, the Florida Keys, you might look at flying into Ft. Lauderdale versus Miami," said Carney. "That could afford some savings."

Besides travel websites, Mai said a travel agent may be our best vacation investment.

"They know when you want to go, what your requirements are and they can check for those lower fares when they come in," Mai said.

Travelers we spoke to say persistence and flexibility are key.

"If you plan further ahead, it's cheaper, so I was able to get a redirect flight that basically cost half as much as a normal ticket," Troy King said.

"Just always keep checking because there's always that deal out there,"Cory Anderson said.

Changing the day one mom flew by just two days saved her hundreds.

For Bowdish, saving on airfare is her ticket to fun.

"When you go on vacation, you want to take as much money as you can to spend on fun things there," Taylor said. "You don't want to spend it all on your hotel and travel."

Time is also money, so if you want to lower your chance of delays, book the earliest flight possible. That's why morning is typically the busiest time of day at Will Rogers, so get there early.

For even more secrets to booking cheap airfare