If you were planning to book a flight, now may not be the best time if you hope to get a good deal. The price of fuel has forced airlines to make some difficult yet cost-saving decisions. Major airlines have grounded older, less fuel-efficient planes, cut hundreds of thousands of flights, raised baggage fees, and increased ticket prices. Most carriers are no longer offering the appealing last-minute deals to less traveled destinations that bargain hunters search for. If a route doesn’t perform, it’s cut. 

If travel is a choice and not a requirement of your job, use strategy when booking your next flight. Timing your purchase can save you money, but even when fuel prices are high, you can get a better deal on a flight when you book early and are flexible in departure date and airport. If you know when you’d like to travel and you have a destination, set up a flight alert and book your ticket when fares drop. 

While it’s a myth that airlines use surveillance to increase prices when someone looks at the same flight more than once, you should book the moment you see a flight that seems reasonably priced. Airlines do use algorithms to increase fares for lights that are in demand. They also use third parties to track consumers’ location, behavior, browsing habits, and spending habits. To protect consumers from unfair tactics, the Federal Trade Commission conducted a study into surveillance pricing and found that personal information is being used to tailor pricing to individuals.

While the FTC continues to investigate the matter, use strategy when booking travel. Don’t give algorithms a chance to increase a fare. If you search for a flight using your smartphone and Safari one day, use a different device and browser when searching the next day. And be quick in your decision making because with less flights there is less availability. If you wait too long you may not be able to travel at all.