Tips

Orbitz, Cheaptickets, and many other online aggregators actually run on Ita Software’s platform, and, frankly, it’s easier to perform a flexible-date search at itasoftware.com itself. You can look by weekend or over the span of one month. The site digs up special fares that even the airlines’ own reservations agents don’t know about. It breaks down all the components of the price, so you’ll see base fares separate from taxes and fees. It also alerts you to tight layovers. Since you can’t book on the site, keep the fare code it gives you handy: You’ll need to reference it when you call the airline to buy your ticket.