By Donna Rosato, Money Magazine staff writer
August 30 2006: 5:21 PM EDT

NEW YORK (Money) — Buying an airline ticket has never been a simple task - the rules of the game are always changing. But if you know how the game is played, you’ll have a better chance of saving money.

There’s more at stake for your travel budget these days: So far in 2006, airfares are up more than 10 percent over last year, the biggest jump since 1995 and a return to pre-9/11 fare levels, according to data from the Department of Transportation.

Here are five “secrets” that will clue you in on how to find the best fares.

1. Low cost carriers don’t always have the lowest fares.

Low cost carriers JetBlue, Southwest and AirTran have rapidly expanded the past few years, bringing lower fares to many markets and burnishing their reputations as discount airlines. But low cost airlines don’t always offer the lowest fares. That’s because traditional airlines, which have spent the past few years in bankruptcy court slashing their own expenses, are aggressively matching or undercutting their low-cost rivals.

And though airlines like JetBlue, Southwest and AirTran generally have lower operating costs than traditional airlines, they’re feeling the squeeze of rising fuel prices too. That means you shouldn’t count out traditional airlines when looking for the best deals.

For example, a late August, roundtrip non-stop flight from New York to Orlando was $547 on JetBlue but just $504 on Delta Air Lines. Keep in mind that low-cost carriers have more consistent pricing, cap their highest fares, don’t have as many restrictions and typically offer a larger number of seats available at lower prices than traditional airlines.

So, it may be worth paying a bit more to fly them, especially if you’re flying somewhere at the last minute or may have to change your itinerary.

2. You may pay more in taxes and fees than you do for your airfare.

Fees and taxes have always been part of the equation for air travel. But in the last few years, airline and government-imposed charges have escalated, especially on overseas trips.

Fuel surcharges and government-imposed security fees in particular have made airline travel more costly and sometimes add up to more than the cost of your base ticket price.

For example, this summer, Virgin Atlantic Airways was offering $198 roundtrip flights from the U.S. to London but that didn’t include $210 in additional taxes and fees.

Make sure you’re comparing apples and oranges when you’re buying an airline ticket by factoring in all charges, not just the base ticket price.

Many airlines don’t show the extra fees until you’re ready to book, though third-party ticketing sites like Orbitz and Sidestep do.

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