BOOKING TIPS

Is it better to book through airline websites?

Not necessarily. The same flight might be priced differently on different third-party sites. A search engine like BookingBuddy.com lets you compare the same flight on different websites. Sometimes an online travel agency like Expedia or Priceline will offer a lower fare than the airline because of a specially negotiated deal, Hobica said.

But if there’s a problem with the flight, it might be easier to straighten out if you’ve booked directly with the airline.

Other tips:

› If fares drop after you book, you’re probably stuck with the higher fare because airlines charge so much to change tickets. But there are a few exceptions. Southwest, for example, does not charge for changing tickets. And U.S. Department of Transportation rules state that passengers may “cancel a booking without penalty, for 24 hours after the reservation is made, if they make the reservation one week or more prior to a flight’s departure date.” That means if the price drops within 24 hours, you can rebook without penalty on flights at least a week out.

› If you’re buying multiple seats on the same flight, book the trips separately for each traveler. Airlines limit how many seats are sold at the lowest fare, and if there’s only one cheap seat left, you’ll miss the deal if you’re buying two tickets at once. But if you’re flying with kids, best to keep their tickets on the same reservation as the accompanying adult in case of bumping or other issues.

› It may be cheaper to fly one way on one airline and return on another. Just remember that if your outgoing flight is canceled, you’ll be stuck for the return on the other airline.

› Consider airport alternatives: Baltimore versus Washington; Newark versus Trenton, N.J.; Boston versus Providence, R.I.

› Hotel-airfare packages can be cheaper than booking flights and lodging separately. Look for deals on sites like Upside.com.