The more flexible you are, the better your chance of getting a really cheap plane tickets. Try different departure and return dates. Mark the anytime departure, even if you don't want to leave at midnight the savings might change your mind. Try all the options. If the savings aren't enough, you can always book first class, direct flights, or whatever you prefer. Traditional airlines like American, Continental and United are selling more tickets at lower fares, aggressively matching or even undercutting prices on routes where discounters fly. Officially, ticket prices climbed 11.6% between December and January. But that doesn't include the fuel surcharges airlines began tacking on, which can add as much as $40 to a round-trip.
