Save Big on Summer Travel

Try these 10 smart strategies for a less costly summer vacation.

Lift Off From a Smaller Airport

You can reap significant savings if you’re willing to put up with a bit of inconvenience. Often you can snag a better deal on airline tickets if you bypass the majors and fly out of a regional airport instead. For example, at press time, Real Simple found that it was $50 cheaper to fly to New York City from the Akron-Canton Airport than from the Cleveland hub. Use the search feature on the easy-to-navigate Kayak.com to compare airfares near you. But bear in mind: Given the high—and rising—prices at the pump, the cost of driving to a more remote airport could wipe out some of your savings. Go to FuelCostCalculator.com, run by AAA, to estimate your outlay on gasoline.