TOOLS

Due to the sluggish economy, nabbing that seat on the flight of your dreams is suppose to be cheaper than ever. However it might not be that easy. Struggling airlines are cutting flights and using smaller planes, so that means fewer options. That being said, there are still some great deals to be had... if your bank account affords.



kayak.com
You enter you intenary and this site trolls the net finding you the best prices. You can customize it by price, intinary or even departure/arrivial. You can even us it to find deals on car rentals and hotels.

fly.com
This site operates on the same premise as Kayak. However, where this site excels is that it offers premium economy fares. Premium economy is something that a lot of airlines are now offering. It is more expensive than regular economy but less than regular business class. Perks can include more legroom, wider seats, enhanced food and beverage service. Two of my favorites are on Thai Airlines and Virgin Atlantic.

attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines
Once you arrive at your destination you can save some serious cash by flying regional discount airlines. Tracking those airlines is a snap with attitudetravel.com. Navigation is easy as it's divided up by world region, from there an easy click-through map provides simple trip planning.

www.airlinequality.com
Airline travel certinally isn't as glamorous as it once was. Choosing the airline that best suites your needs is much easier with the help of airlinequality.com. This site not only rates airlines with a star ranking (1-5) but allows people to write personal reviews. There's also a handy seat selection tab to help you choose the best seat the plane. The insider's airport reviews are a welcome touch. These little details may seem silly, but small details like knowing which seat on the plane has an extra few inches of leg room or which airport has a Starbucks can make or break your trip.

www.seatguru.com
Getting the best seat in the house is always important. Seatguru.com is like your personal airplane concierge. Simply scroll down the left tab, select your airline and aircraft type and voila!
An easy to follow chart highlights which seats you want and those you don't!

tripadvisor.com
One of my favorite sites when chosing a hotel is tripadvisor. Not only does it rate the hotels based on readers reviews, but allows you to view real room photos submitted by reviewers. This way you get a real feel of what to expect. If you like what you see, there is a handy booking tool.