Planning a trip? 10 ways to save.(MONEY)

THESE DAYS, airlines, hotel chains, and other travel businesses are struggling to attract customers, so opportunities to travel cheaply abound for those who know how to search for deals. Here are our best tips:

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1 Tweak your itinerary and save. The slightest alterations to your vacation plans can yield big savings, so it pays to price a variety of flights. Departing very early or very late in the day can mean a much lower airfare, as can flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Sundays are the costliest for domestic flights; Saturdays for international travel. Using a nearby or suburban airport can also save you a lot. Being flexible applies to hotels as well, particularly at those that host business travelers during the week.

2 Check airlines' own Web sites. Start your airfare shopping with a travel search engine such as Kayak or at a large travel-agency site such as Expedia, Orbitz, or Travelocity. But always check the carriers' own sites as well, because they often offer fares found only there. In fact, some tickets for low-fare airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue are not available at the major travel sites. Buying directly from the airline also eliminates the transaction fees charged by third-party sites, which can range from $5 to $12.

3 Fly early to arrive on time. Flights between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. are by far the most likely to arrive on time. The most punctual domestic airlines in recent months have been Hawaiian and Southwest; the least punctual, American and United. If arriving on time is critical, fly nonstop and consider less-crowded airports. For more details on the carriers, check out the Department of Transportation's monthly Air Travel Consumer Report, at airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/reports/index.htm.

4 Don't overpack. With so many airlines now charging $15 and up for checked bags, it's more important than ever to pack only what you'll really need. Maybe you'll be able to get by with just a carry-on. Because rules change, check the "For Travelers" section of the Transportation Security Administration's Web site, at www.tsa.gov/travelers/index.shtm.

5 Negotiate with hotels. Average room rates have been falling in vacation spots such as Orlando, Fla., and the Caribbean. Bad news for hoteliers can be good news for you, so skip Web sites and toll-free lines and contact the property ...