The first person to discover the correct answer to the headline above this article will achieve guru status. That's because there's no one way of ever knowing if you've scored the lowest-priced airfare. Which means we all have to do the best we can. Here's how I shop for an airline ticket when saving money is of paramount importance.

1. I check prices and determine which airlines serve my destination by clicking on to expedia.com or some other general travel site, such as Travelocity or Orbitz. But I always keep in mind that not every airline is represented on those sites. The country's largest, low-fare carrier, Southwest, refuses to let any web site post its flights and fares, so you must click on http://www.southwest.com/ to see if the airline might be useful for your trip.

2. After I know which airlines fly where I want to go, I'll often check their web sites to see if there are any special offers. The major airlines own Orbitz, which says it offers any special Internet fares currently offered by those airlines, but I always double-check an airline's site. At the very least, I learn of any bonus-mile opportunities that might require preregistration.

3. Then I check the fares on Site59.com and Hotwire.com. Sometimes they can undercut the airline web sites because they get last-minute, excess inventory at a discount. The important thing to remember about Hotwire is that you will not be told your exact flight time or airline until you commit to buying. However, after you learn what fares are available, you have one hour to make a purchase.

4. During that one-hour window, visit Priceline.com. This, of course, is the granddaddy of bid-your-own price airline tickets. Like Hotwire, Priceline does not tell you the time of your flights or the name of the airline (or even exact routing) until you agree to a purchase. If you can live with that, take the lowest price you've found in your search, cut it by 15 or 20 per cent, and make a bid on Priceline. If you get your fare, you've probably received a bargain-basement fare.

But did you get the absolute lowest fare? Who knows? Fares change by the minute, and maybe a cheaper one will pop up an hour later. Or maybe, as your departure time gets closer, an airline will drop the price of a fare or a deal as a weekend special.

You'll note I've made no mention of travel agents or airline reservation agents. That's not because I don't think they can get you a great fare. The trick is finding the right person. Here are some tips for shopping with an airline or travel agent:

- If it's the cheapest fare you're after, say that up front so they understand your priority.

- Remember to ask a travel agent for quotes from low-fare airlines such as Southwest, AirTran, Spirit, or Sun Country.

- If you're willing to fly into or out of an alternative airport, say so. Ditto if you're willing to fly particularly early in the day. Those 5:25 a.m. flights aren't everyone's favorite, so there may be more cheap seats still available.

- If you find you have an uncooperative airline agent, politely say "good-by" and redial the airline's toll-free number; you'll get another agent who might be willing to work harder for your business.

If this sounds like a lot of effort, it often is. But if you can realize savings of several hundred dollars, it may well be worth it. If you've done your homework and learned what kinds of fares are available for your trip, you're an educated consumer. You'll more easily recognize a deal.

Three tips for last-minute travel:

1. Don't forget to check for an airline's weekend specials-- they're usually posted on airlines' web sites by Wednesday morning. Also, sites like Expedia.com, Lastminute.com, and Site59.com can be useful.

2. For international travel, never pay full fare for a last- minute ticket. Always use a travel consolidator. See my article in the June 2001 newsletter ("All About Airfare & Hotel Consolidators") by clicking on http://www.rudymaxa.com/ and choosing "Articles" from the menu on the left side of the home page.

3. If you must fly domestically at short notice, remember that most airlines have "tour" arms that sell packages. Sometimes there are no advance-purchase requirements. For example, I recently had to go from my hometown of Washington, DC, to Seattle with only a three-day warning. The round-trip airfare on United (which had a nonstop that fit my schedule) was about $1,300 because I wasn't booking 14 or more days ahead. United Vacations, however, came up with a $600 package that included two nights at the airport Holiday Inn.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Airfares are a crap shoot. The goal is to increase your odds for winning.

March 2002