1. Book your trip in advance AND use the same airline round trip - When meeting these requirements, savings can be anywhere from 10% to 60%. Even if you need to make changes after your ticket is issued, the fees incurred are still lower than the unrestrictive fare would have been. If you can’t meet advance purchase requirements, at least fly both directions on the same airline to help control your cost.

2. Ask your agent about air ticket consolidators – Ticket consolidators or brokers, as they’re sometimes called, have bulk ticketing arrangements with major airlines in many international and domestic markets. Restrictions apply, but the savings can be substantial.

3. Book hotels through your travel agent - Your agent has access to negotiated, corporate, and consortium rates. This can mean big savings for you and your travelers.

4. Book a package – If you’re staying at least two nights at your destination, we can often book a “vacation package” at a significantly lower rate than the published tariff. You will have a rental car and/or hotel included in your package and you don’t need to stay over a Saturday night to take advantage of these programs.

5. Fill the tank before returning your rental car – Most car rental companies charge to refill the gas tank at prices of 50% higher per gallon than the local pumps.

6. Accept non-refundable fares – Even if you need to change your reservation and incur fees for doing so, it’s still usually less expensive than paying a full, non-restrictive fare.

7. Compose your e-mails before plugging into your hotel’s dataline – The charges for local calls and “800” calls are often subject to surcharges. Compose first, dial-up, and then send.

8. Utilize frequent flyer mileage – Want to travel first or business class? Utilize your mileage to upgrade, instead of paying full first or business class airfares. Consider offering financial incentives to your travelers for doing so.

9. “Split ticket” when traveling internationally – Depending on the current exchange rate, issuing your return ticket in the local currency can often save money. Ask your agent, when in doubt.

10. Ten or more passengers to a common destination? – Zone fares may be the answer. Many people have the misconception that 10 or more passengers need to travel on the same flight to be eligible for group discounts. Not true. You can save up to 75% without a Saturday night stay, even when your travelers are coming from multiple departure points to the same destination. Ask your agent for details.