TAMPA, FL -- According to online flight tracking service, Yapta, airfares go through an average of 21 price changes over a 45 day tracking period.
That means it's possible your fare could drop after you already booked your flight. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's too late to save some cash.Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com, says airlines are suffering from a traffic slump, and since October we have been seeing weekly airfare sales to drum up business. On top of the sales, we’ve discovered many airlines and travel websites are offering low price guarantees. That means if you buy a ticket and then the price drops, your airline could give you a refund or a voucher.
Forexample, Delta and Northwest claim that if you discover the same itinerary for a lower fare somewhere else, the airlines will refund your money or give you the fare difference plus a $100 travel voucher. But, you only get the deal within 24 hours of booking.
Orbitz has a 24-hour low fair promise. If you find a published airfare online for the same airline, and that flight costs at least $5 less than what you paid on Orbitz, you'll get a $50 coupon for future travel.
Expedia will give you a $50 dollar coupon and refund you the difference.
Outside of the 24 hour window, most of the major carriers charge a “change fee”of $150 dollars. If the difference is less than that, it's definitely not worth it.
However, Jet Blue, Southwest and Alaska Airlines don’t charge a fee if you find a cheaper price. These airlines will refund you the difference if your price of your flight drops, but you have to find a cheaper price for the same exact itinerary.
Seaney says airfares change three times a day, 10am, 12:30pm, and 8pm. How can you track the price of your flight? Sign up for free tracking services like Yapta or FareCompare. These will notify you if the price of your flight changes.
