Nabbing that Affordable Fare

Think Europe this winter.

Europe is the part of the world that has seen the greatest dip in fares of late, says Harrell. The cheapest cities in which to connect are typically London and Dublin. If you fly into Dublin on Aer Lingus and then take Ryanair to your final destination, points out Seaney, "you can save yourself anywhere from $200 to $500." Dead set on business class? Some airlines sell highly discounted 40- or 50-day advance-purchase business-class fares. Seaney, for example, took advantage of a premium-class sale on Thanksgiving-week flights from Continental's three U.S. hubs to London. For only $1,567 per person, he's flying his family in BusinessFirst from Houston to London. This winter there will most likely be business-class fares to Paris for as low as $1,500 and to London for $2,000, says Brancatelli, who tracks the most noteworthy business-class deals weekly in JoeSentMe.com's "This Week's Best Travel Steals & Deals" section.