That means browsing -- not just the big three, but also the slew of relatively new travel search engines, such as Kayak, Mobissimo and FareChaser, as well as the increasingly popular sites that combine travel planning with community, such as TripAdvisor and newbie TripConnect. You may not be able to actually book flights directly from these sites, but you'll get great feedback on how to best plan your trip and find the best air deals.
Using One Way Flights
Southwest and Jetblue list separate prices for each leg of the flight. If you find that one of the legs of the flight is way is cheaper than the other, check the more expensive route via Orbitz and Travelocity as a one way fare. This way you can book two separate flights using two separate sites and get the best deal on each one way flight.
If you do book this way, make sure that each search was run within the last 10-15 minutes and book them close to the same time. You don’t want to take the chance that one reservation expires before you get a chance to book them both.
Multiple Cities
If you need to book a flight to multiple cities, there are several strategies you can take. Most booking engines allow you to search flights using a “multi-city” or “3-way” option. You should try this first to get a baseline of prices.
It’s also a good idea to break up the flight and run searches for one-way flights for each leg. Jetblue and Southwest treat all their flights as one-ways (even if you’re booking round trip), so they often have good prices for one-way tickets. Orbitz also tends to return cheap one-way flights.
Travel Tips
If you book a round trip ticket with an airline and do not make your first flight, you need to notify them if you intend to use the second half of the flight. Otherwise, they will cancel your entire ticket.
Keep in mind airport parking fees and tolls, which can really add up over a number of days. Use satellite parking when available - it tends to be cheaper. When deciding between airports, keep in mind the cost of gas - and or public transportation / taxi fares.
Some airlines will allow you to change your flight for around $50-100 to a different day if they have availability. So if you want to stay an extra day in New York City, it might only cost you $50 to extend your trip. Call the airline and talk to a customer service rep – they can often be rather accommodating.
If you fly often, sign up for frequent flyer miles with each airline. Even if you book through a booking engine (like Orbitz), you can still apply miles to that particular airline's frequent flyer account. You might also want to look into getting a cradit card (like the Delta Skymiles American Express card) that earn points when you shop - many have double points for things you buy everyday. Those points tend to add up after a while and can be used to get free flights.
Get The Best Hotel Deals
Travelocity Good Buy Hotels - Low Rates GUARANTEED 
Depending on how you find it, the rate for a single hotel room can vary wildly. Your job, as a savvy traveler, is to find the best room at the cheapest price. If you go into this process blind, then you are almost always going to pay more. Here, we're going to give you suggestions on how you can use the awesome, unharnessed power of the Internet—and also your own charm, persuasion, and moxie—to find the room of and for your dreams.
1. Buy online.
Purchase tickets on the airline's Web site. Many airlines will slash as much as 10 percent off ticket prices to customers who purchase them online.
2. Avoid the middleman.
Comparison shop online to find the best fare, and then visit the airline's Web site directly. You'll save the booking fee charged by the online agency.
3. Bend a little.
Be flexible when planning your trip. Folks with flexible travel dates and destinations tend to scoop up the best bargains. They're willing to fly any carrier at any time from any airport in their area.
4. Skip the big lines.
Fly on smaller airlines. It often means lower fares -- and you're not compromising on safety or comfort.
5. Sale not always best.
The sale price on an airline ticket is not always the lowest price available. You may be able to find a lower price on a nonsale ticket from another airline. Be sure to check.
6. Get a second opinion.
To get the best deal possible, check prices on flights from two or more airports in your area. The savings may surprise you and be well worth the little extra driving time.
7. Fees can be taxing.
Whatever ticket price you're quoted, make sure it includes taxes and fees. They can bump up a ticket price by $100 or more. Some ads for low fares don't include taxes and fees. Make sure you're not comparing apples to oranges.
8. Invite price alerts.
Keep track of last-minute sales by signing up for e-mail alerts from airlines with major hubs in your area.
9. Difference a day makes.
Cut airfare costs by traveling on off-peak days such as Saturday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
10. Wake-up call.
Traveling at off-hours may save you money. The less-filled 6 a.m. flight can be a bargain.
11. Shop early.
Buy your tickets in advance.
12. Members only.
Join the frequent-flier program of each airline that you fly to earn free tickets.
13. Rewarding experience.
Use an airline-reward credit card to make monthly purchases and pay that balance off every month. You'll accrue air miles faster. Cash them in for ticket upgrades and free travel.