1. Search at the Right Time

Try hunting for fares after midnight; that's when many airlines reload their computers with the deeply discounted fares that people reserved but didn't pay for. If you're only seeking last-minute #@*%! fares, look on airline #@*%!s, major booking #@*%!s, and aggregator #@*%!s (search engines that scour on-line suppliers, consolidators, and booking #@*%!s) between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning for tickets for the coming weekend. Such fares usually require that you leave on a Saturday and return on Monday or Tuesday, but some airlines offer Friday departures and Sunday returns.

2. Check a Broad Range of Dates

Travelocity and Orbitz have the most flexible search functions of any of the major booking #@*%!s. Travelocity will allow you to search for the lowest round-trip or one-way domestic or international fare within a range of months, which it shows as green dates on a calendar. Even if you are just using Travelocity's calendar for research, click all the way through an available date; the #@*%! frequently shows dates as available when they're actually sold out. Orbitz will let you search for the lowest price over a weekend you designate; search up to three days before and after your dates; or look for the lowest published fare within a 30-day period. The #@*%! recently extended its flexible search option to include international flights, t