=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2006/05/07/TRGUOIK3UF= 1.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, May 7, 2006 (SF Chronicle) Avoiding sky-high airfares isn't easy Cindy Loose, Washington Post Given the generally high airfares for summer travel, should you wait to buy tickets, gambling in hope of a deal? "You can always hope, but you'd have better odds playing the black and r= ed at Vegas," says Tom Parsons of BestFares.com. Adds analyst Darryl Jenkins: "Fares are high, and they're going to stay high for some time." Record numbers of air travelers are predicted for July, and demand is hi= gh throughout the summer. That, coupled with exorbitant fuel costs, means premium prices at least through Labor Day -- and possibly more price hikes. If you're flexible: -- You might find cheaper fares if you fly on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday. -- There might be a sale here and there, but there's no way to predict where. -- If you just want to go somewhere, you could wait to see what comes along, unless you're traveling over a holiday weekend. In that case, suck up whatever price is out there now. Major airlines' last-minute, Internet-only specials fares are often not available for holiday weekends. -- If you have a particular destination in mind and that place has no competition, check fares at larger destinations within driving distance. For example, fares from Washington, D.C., airports to Fresno start at about $564. To San Jose, about a three-hour drive from Fresno: $228. -- Prices to Europe are high all summer, but you might save a couple of hundred dollars by going after July 18, says Parsons. -- For travel after Labor Day, you might consider waiting to buy, especially to a market served by a discount carrier that has not yet published fall fares. For example, Southwest Airlines is selling tickets only for flights through Sept. 12. No competitor is likely to offer any discounts until it knows it has to. ---------------------------------------= ------------------------------- Copyright 2006 SF Chronicle