In fact, there are several ways...(^ ^)

(O) First, you definitely want to visit this site to check how much your ticket will cost. Then let's narrow down the fare...(^o^).

(1) Plan ahead! The cheapest ticket nomorally is the 14-day advance purchase. Some airline companies do not require you to purchase 14-day advance like regional airline companies. BUT if you are purchasing from major airline companies, 14-day advance purchase is the cheapest. For the regional airline companies, the fare will get higher and higher as the inexpensive tickets are gone. So nothing is better than "plan ahead."

(2) Next cheapest fare will be 7-day advance purchase.

(3) Then..next cheapest fare will be last minute puchase. This "last minute" means the normal fare (no discount at all). Anything less than 7-day advance purchase has "same" fare (almost same).

(4) So does that mean that there are no last minute discounted tickets? What if you are in Emergency? Or need to purchase the last minute discounted tickets?

• If you are traveling or leaving this coming Saturday and coming back either this coming Sunday, next Monday, or next Tuesday, the best way is wait for the last minute discount from E-saver (USAirways), CO.O.L Travel Special (Continental), Cyber fare (Northwest), Net SAaver (American Airlines), Hot fare (TWA), and Cyber Deal (Carnival Airlines). Normally those specials will come out on every Wednesday by sending you the e-mail. Amazingly, American Airlines, USAirways, and TWA offers the last minute international flight fares. However, please note that the restrictions applied for both domestics and international flights. For example, E-Saver does not always offer the special discount to the destination you want! Also, E-Saver users have to fly out from the cities, which USAirways restricted.
• So what if you can't or couldn't get any last minute tickets? In case of the emergency like hospitalization or funeral, most of the major airline companies offer the discounted tickets called "emergency ticket." Lots of restrictions applied for this. Please contact your travel agency or call directly to the reservation desks of the airline company you want to use.
• So...no last minute special ticket...but you still want to go a certain place...? I have no money. What can I do?
  

  Well....? Who said that you MUST take the US major airline companies? There always are regional airline companies which do not require any advance purchase like Air South, Eastwind Airways, Tower Air, and etc...Please check the list of regional airline companies and see more precise informations about those companies.

(7) For international...click here.

(6) So...nothing is left huh? Actually not! Now, no special discounts from airlines companies, no last minute super fare, all the seats are sold out, but I still want to go to see my girlfriend/boyfriend who is thousands of miles away from here...what can I do?

There still are several ways...(^ ^)

• Take the train! It is slow to go with the train, but the fares are same all the time.
• Take the bus! Now Greyhound Bus offers $89 to anywhere you want to go...3-day advance purchase are required but...not bad at all.
• Finally....drive yourself...because I can't find anything better for you.