Television personality and AZfoothills.com columnist Nadine Toren is scouring the area, finding savvy Valley features, bringing readers “on the scene.” Every day she’ll introduce you to celebrities, athletes, and give you an inside look into local events and hot spots. She'll touch on topical issues, and keep AZ fans posted on all the big talkers around town.

Fly away for the holidays, but before you book, beware.  Here are handy travel tips that could save you more money for the mall.

Join the mile-high club for the holidays.  Yep, if you want to flee AZ for T-Day or Christmas, you’ll want to consider some savvy flight tips.  We can all agree airfare is definitely a Grinch-like buzz-kill, but there are ways you can cut the cost of skipping town.

The first is one I’ve never heard of until recently: Kayak.com.  This helpful website scans hundreds of online travel hubs, giving you the chance to compare prices in an organized manner.  Yes, the website automatically opens a bunch of windows, and even though that can be kinda a pain, it’s actually quite beneficial. 

Next, according to travel experts, you’ll want to scour airline sites.  That’s because flights booked through the actual airline is often $10-$20 cheaper than booking through other travel websites.  (The reason: other sites charge booking fees.)

You’ll also want to learn to love discount airlines.  This means flying the friendly skies on Southwest or JetBlue.  Note: check their individual websites…they don’t always pop up in travel search results.

And here’s one for any getaway-gal…consider an alternate airport.  Major cities often offer an array of hubs; for example, New York has LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark.  Flying to and from certain airports might cut your air-flight cost, but you’ll also have to consider transportation after you land.

Next, play hooky (or cash in those vacay days!).  Airfare is often cheaper on Tuesday or Wednesday…Thursday and Saturday can also be less expensive.  Obviously the priciest days tend to be Monday and Friday.

And keep those blinders on—don’t let sales fool you.  Do your due diligence when booking holiday flights…compare, compare, compare before submitting your AmEx.  (And read the fine print—baggage charges add up!)

Now that we’re clear into November, you’ll really want to get booking.  That’s because the earlier you purchase tix, the cheaper your flight will be.  Airlines often increase fares closer to the desired date, so plan on booking at least 3 weeks out.

While I have yet to try this, I have heard great stuff about this tactic: bid.  Yep, you can always opt for Priceline.com to see if you can get a great fare. 

And if you’re like me, you know it’s going to be a good day when you wake up to a voucher in your e-mail inbox.  A big travel tip is to sign up for frequent flyer miles—it’s free to join!  Once you acquire enough points, you score a free upgrade or flight…trust me, it’s well worth it!

Next, subscribe to helpful websites like AirfareWatchdog.com and TravelZoo.com—both provide you with the latest sales.  Twitter is another tool to score exclusive deals. 

Finally, if you really want to get ahead of the game, package it.  Quite often booking a flight, hotel, and car together equals a budget-friendly bundle deal. 

Moral of the story—you can always staycation in the Valley!  But if you really want to escape the desert, book now…Christmas is around the corner.

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