Are you planning to take a vacation in the next few months? Summertime, starting June 15, is the high season for airline tickets. You may be worried that you won’t be able to afford a trip this year but fortunately some airlines are offering great deals. Here are five tips for where to look for big savings on your ticket:

1. Choose the route that offers the best deals.

Some very popular routes offer competitive pricing year round. While the prices do go up slightly during the summer, you can still find great deals if you book in advance. Four routes that can provide the best value are:

Newark to Fort Myers (from $229), Dallas to Denver (from $120), New York to Ft. Lauderdale (from $150), and an extremely popular Los Angeles to Las Vegas route from $80.

2. Distance makes a big difference, so look locally

Flights that are 90 minutes or less are much cheaper than longer, cross-country trips. Pull out your old atlas and take a look and what destinations nearby look good to you. Because these cities will be pretty close to your home base, you can also save on expenses by buying a 1-way ticket there and taking either a bus or train back.

Some of the recent deals include:

LA to Oakland (from $90), New York to Chicago (from $115), and Boston to Newark (from $115).

3. The right day of the week makes all the difference

Rates for airlines tickets shoot up over the weekend. Holidays also tend to be expensive times to fly. However, it may be possible to get very cheap rates if you fly on the holiday itself and not one or two days beforehand.

Some recent weekend rates for popular routes include:

Minneapolis to Los Angeles from $260 (compared with $227 on the 4^th of July day). Chicago to Las Vegas from $330 (compared to just $127 if you fly on a Tuesday).

4. Use the right search engine

Online travel agencies like Orbitz and Kayak check the prices for dozens of airlines and offer customers a reward point system. If you have any flexibility in your dates or location, these sites have settings that let you expand your search by plus or minus three days or to nearby airports.

Some cheap flights in July include:

Minneapolis to Chicago (from $80) , Dallas to San Francisco (from $155), New York to Albuquerque (from $240), and Boston to Fort Myers (from $242).

5. Fly and drive to maximize the savings

Do you want to visit a summer vacation hotspot like Colorado? You don’t have to stick to the big international airport in Denver. Many nearby towns have smaller airports that offer great deals if you use them instead. There, you can rent a car to drive to your final destination.

Here is an inexpensive route from Colorado to South Dakota:

Denver to Rapid City directly: $500. Denver to Chadron, Nebraska (100 miles from Rapid City): just $97.

Estero Island Welcomes Travelers to Tropical Paradise

The summer season is almost here, and now is the perfect time to plan your next big vacation. If you’re in the mood for breathtaking ocean views, white sand beaches, and five-star service, you’ll love Florida’s Gulf Coast. The Wyndham Garden Fort Myers Beach Hotel is a beautiful resort located on Estero Island, just a short distance away from the travel hub of Fort Meyers.

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