It would appear the main reaction (so far) has been “Grin and Bare It” — according to Continental Airlines we are still buying airline tickets in record numbers at what can only be described as record prices. Continental passengers paid 11.6% more in the last three months of 2007 than the same time period in 2006 with “record revenue”…

As airlines finish up reporting their 4th quarter results it looks like air travel passenger demand is still very strong, even in light of looming economic issues and record fuel prices.

Continental, who is a bit of a maverick in the select group of 6 legacy airlines, actually increased capacity by almost 5 percent in 2007 (while the others reduced).

What does this mean for you?

• Premium airline ticket prices in 2008 especially on popular travel dates and times within those days
• Deals more difficult to find unless you are flexible

What can you do to “beat” the trend in 2008?

• Start shopping earlier - not necessarily booking but shopping - to give you more time to make a better decision
• If you see a good deal, don’t dawdle, it’s not likely to be there long because everyone will know about it when they sign up for our free airfare email alerts.
• Above all be flexible, travel somewhere different (don’t follow the crowd), leave on a more inconvenient day (the cheapest are Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday) for both air and hotel

Educate yourself about airlines and their habits (they know everything about yours) — quit hunting and pecking for a deal and shop smarter — use a combination of technology and education to buck the trend and you’ll make better buying decisions every time.