If you've learned the rules of how to find cheap flights, it's now time to make a game plan. Travelhammer has put together three sample plans for you to choose from:

Game Plan A: For the general traveler looking for those elusive cheap airline tickets.

Game Plan B: For the flexible traveler looking to save money even if it means added risk and restrictions, or for the traveler making a last minute booking.

Game Plan C: For the traveler making complex travel plans involving multi-city stops and/or multi-country international vacations.

GAME PLAN A

For the general traveler looking for that elusive discount airfare

If all of the following points apply to your air travel situation, then Game Plan A is for you.

• You want cheap airline tickets, but you don't want the heavy restrictions you find on tickets purchased through discount or auction Web sites.
• You want to be able to earn frequent-flyer points.
• You want to know the airline, flight time, and number of stops and/or connections before purchasing your ticket.
• You want to be able to change the departure date on your ticket. Many low-priced, restricted tickets, if they allow a change at all, will allow you make a change for a fee plus any difference in ticket price. Also, many restricted tickets that go unused may possibly be allowed as credit for tickets purchased on the same airline at a later time. Always read the fine print before purchasing any ticket to verify since rules and allowances vary between airlines.

Travelhammer's Suggestions

• See if there are any money-saving alternate airports near your U.S. arrival or departure point. By doing some extra driving, you may be able to save quite a bit of money.
• Check for Kayak.com, and record prices, connections, and travel times.
• Do the same with at least two other standard booking sites.
  • Expedia.com
  • Orbitz
  • Travelocity
  • For international consolidator fares, check EconomyTravel.com

  Be sure and compare apples to apples by comparing the same departure dates and times.

• Carefully weigh the ticket restrictions, the airline, flight times, number of connections, and food/movie service offerings before making your final decision.
• If everything looks good and you have read everything carefully, go ahead and book your trip!
• If you feel the fares are still too steep, review Game Plan B below.

GAME PLAN B

For the flexible traveler looking to save money even if it means added risk and restrictions, or for the traveler making a last minute booking

Note that all tickets mentioned in this Game Plan are non-changeable, non-transferable, and non-refundable. (Yes, the airlines really mean it!)

If all of the following points apply to your air travel situation, then Game Plan B is for you.

• You are willing to accept risk in order to save a significant amount of money on your airline ticket.
• You need to book a last minute flight, but don't want to pay a small fortune for your ticket.
  and/or
  You know your plans are pretty well set in stone and won't change. You are willing to risk losing all the money you paid for your ticket if your travel plans change.
• You are willing to spend extra time traveling in order to save money.
• You don't mind not earning frequent flyer miles.
• You don't mind not knowing your actual airline, flight, or seat assignment until after you book your ticket.

Travelhammer's Suggestions

• Check airfares on Expedia.com , Travelocity , and Orbitz, and record the prices and flight times. The tickets here have fewer restrictions that the tickets you will find in the steps listed below. In addition, you will know your airline and flight information up front, so if the prices are similar, we suggest you stick to these fares.
• Check ticket prices on Hotwire.com. Record the prices shown.
• Check Priceline.com, which works a bit differently than Hotwire because you can bid on the price you're willing to pay. Now that you're armed with all the pricing information you need, you can make an intelligent bid. Note that all bids are binding.

GAME PLAN C

For the traveler making complex travel plans involving multi-city stops and/or multi-country international vacations

While Web sites usually offer low air fares, this is not always the case when you have complex travel plans. If you do, this may be the time to consult a human travel agent.