When to buy? How can I be sure I'm getting the best deal?

Q. I'm trying to find a good deal from Hartford to Miami in late May/early June. Do rates change daily? Should I search your site everyday? If I book today, how can I be sure that I've gotten the best deal?

A. Airfare is a lot like the stock market. Prices change all the time (up to 3 times a day), depending on whether higher priced seats aren't selling well and need to be reduced or, if demand on a route is high, raise prices. It's anything but predictable. We do recommend checking Airfarewatchdog (and other fare monitoring sites) everyday to keep track of what's being offered. You can also sign up for a City-to-City alert for your preferred route (Hartford - Tampa) and when a great fare becomes available, we'll gladly send an alert your way.

If you're jittery about buying too soon, and find that fares have gone down since your purchase, call your airline. Many will offer to refund the difference, but (watch out!) usually deduct a change fee that may or may not wipe out any money you might have saved.