When it comes to airfares, a little effort can save you a bundle. If your plans are flexible enough to deal with the restrictions, courier fares are the cheapest. Tickets bought from consolidators and standby seating are also good deals, but last-minute specials, airfare wars, and charter flights often beat these fares. The key is to hunt around, to be flexible, and to ask persistently about discounts. Students, seniors, and those under 26 should never pay full price for a ticket.

Timing: Midweek (M-Th morning) round-trip flights run US$40-50 cheaper than weekend flights, but they are generally more crowded and less likely to permit frequent-flier upgrades. Traveling with an "open return" ticket can be pricier than fixing a return date when buying the ticket.

Route: Round-trip flights are by far the cheapest; "open-jaw" (arriving in and departing from different cities, e.g. London-Paris and Rome-London) tickets tend to be pricier. Patching one-way flights together is the most expensive way to travel.

Round-the-World (RTW): Tickets usually include at least 5 stops and are valid for about a year; prices range US$1200-5000. Try Northwest Airlines/KLM (US tel. (800) 447-4747) or Star Alliance, a consortium of 13 airlines including United Airlines (US tel. (800) 241-6522).

Boarding: Confirm international flights by phone within 72hr. of departure. Most airlines require that passengers arrive at the airport at least 2hr. before departure. One carry-on item and 2 checked bags is the norm for non-courier flights.

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