Holiday Travel 101

Be Flexible with Travel Dates

Thanks to new online flexible-date capabilities, it's easier than ever to quickly check fares over a range of dates. Look for a feature that says "flexible dates" or "more options" on both the airline websites and the metasearchers like Kayak.com and Sidestep.com, which let you customize results (affordability, acceptable airlines, nonstop flights, morning departures only, etc.).

For international trips, check out specialist Vayama.com, which is still in beta stage but has already proved successful at securing good deals even from obscure airlines.