MADISON, Wis. -- United, American and Delta airlines are just three of the carries announcing ticket-price increases in recent weeks.

Officials said that higher surcharges are being levied to help cover the cost of fuel, which is ranging about $100 on each ticket.

Some passengers at the Dane County Regional Airport said that they consider everything from lengthy layovers to the earliest flight available when trying to get the best deal for their dollars.

Dr. Moses Altsech, an Edgewood College associate professor of marketing, said that flexibility is the biggest key to saving money on air travel and encourages consumers to shop around, especially with online sites.

WISC-TV compared three of the older, most-used Web sites and searched for a round-trip ticket from Madison to New York from June 12 to June 16, 2008. WISC-TV included a Saturday stay to get the lowest price.

Buying on Expedia.com would cost $382, including more than $46 in fees and with a one-stop, 6 a.m. departure from Madison. Travelocity.com offered the same option. The lowest price came through Orbitz at $381 -- just $1 less with the same features. Any non-stops for this trip would cost $500 or more.

Dane County Regional Airport spokeswoman Sharyn Wisniewski said that fliers shouldn't expect it to get any better as consultants are predicting a 20 percent cutback in flights nationwide by fall.

Wisniewski also said that a new feature on the airport's Web site is a cost calculator.

"It compares leaving Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, and also factors in driving distance, costs, time and parking fees," said Wisniewski.

She said the calculator is another option to use when trying to get the best deal.

For More Info:

For last-minute deals, visit travelzoo.com
For timing of ticket purchase, visit farecast.com
For best airline seats, visit seatguru.com
For travel reviews, tripadvisor.com
For a travel encyclopedia, visit johnnyjet.com
For travel gadgets, visit magellans.com