There are a lot of websites online that can help you find cheap flights. Finding a really cheap flight that works for you is often contingent on how early you plan your trip in advance and how long you have to compare and contrast airline rates.

Here is a breakdown of the different types of air fare websites you will find on the internet and can use to find cheap flights.

Traditional airfare booking sites

These are sites like Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia. These websites have search engines that check other websites for ticket prices. They charge a small fee, usually less than $10.00, on top of what you pay for the flight. So, these traditional sites act as an intermediary between you and the airline and process sales for a small fee. This is a good way to compare the costs of flights from different airlines.

Airline websites

It is helpful to check specific airline websites too if you want to avoid the small fees that other sites charge to find you plane tickets. Sometimes you can find a ticket for the same price you found it for on sites Orbitz or Expedia. Some airlines, like Southwest and a few others, do not even offer their tickets for sale on traditional booking sites. To buy a ticket from Southwest, you need to go to the company website and make a purchase there. It is worth looking at these sites to find cheap flights.

Fare Comparison websites

These websites (the most popular one is Kayak.com), also known as "aggregator" sites, are useful because they compile the airfares of many different airlines and do not charge any fees. These sites make money from advertisements on their sites, not from sales fees or charges. This kind of site is typically the best place to find cheap flights, simply because you avoid any extra sales charges, they are free to use, and you can compare the prices of many airlines at the same time.

You never know exactly where you can find the cheapest flight that works for you. It is best to check as many of these sites as possible and compare your results to find the best fares available.