In a highly competitive travel industry that is plagued with rising operating expenses and thinning profit margins, it’s no surprise that finding a good deal is harder than ever. Some senior citizens are discovering that many airlines and car rental companies have eliminated senior fares altogether in an effort to cut costs. That said, there are still some travel bargains available to savvy seniors; here are some ideas for trimming your travel budget:

1 When making reservation or checking into your hotel room always ask your travel agent, reservation clerk or the customer service representative if there are any available senior citizen discounts. While they are declining in availability, there are still some unadvertised senior citizen discounts available for the asking.

2 Travel to popular destinations in the off-season. While this tactic may not allow you to be in Rio de Janeiro to partake in the Carnival festivities, and you may miss the migration of the Blue Whales up in the Gulf of Alaska, the upside of traveling in the off-season is handsome savings on transportation and lodging costs and a choice in available hotel rooms. Plus you’ll avoid the large crowds and long lines at attractions.

3 Limit your plane flights to Monday through Thursdays. Flying Friday through Sunday is more expensive and usually more crowded, but if you must leave or arrive on a weekend. Sunday will offer you some savings over Friday or Saturday flights.

4 Additionally, you’ll further trim your flight expenses if you add a Saturday evening stay to your travel plans.

5 Book your travel in well advance so you can pick your seats and avoid the crush of last-minute travelers who’ll pay extra for the privilege of accepting whatever empty seats are on the same flight.

6 Watch for last minute fare specials as they are advertised online or in the travel section of the Sunday newspaper. Oftentimes travel liquidators will buy up and re-sell empty plane seats, tour passes and cruise cabins for deep discounts if you are interested in seeing that particular destination and/or available to make the trip in the very near future. So you may not have ever dreamed of seeing Boise, Iowa; but for the price of a $60 round trip flight and a cheap hotel room why not book that last cheap minute trip with a friend and make a weekend adventure of it?

7 Enlist the help of the Internet in researching your next trip. While travel booking engines like Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, allow you to choose and reserve your flight, hotel and rental car; other sites such as Smarter Travel will check the websites of other travel booking engines so that you can compare all advertised airfares based off of your chosen travel dates and destination.

8 Sign up for free hotel, airline and car rental loyalty programs with various companies such as Hyatt, Continental Airlines, and Hertz Car Rental. Search your favorite airlines or hotel’s website to see if they offer a loyalty program as well. Membership can offer many unadvertised perks such as complimentary upgrade to your room, a nicer rental car or a discount on your flight, all for being a member. (HINT: If you’re a frequent traveler you can easily organize all of your assorted loyalty membership cards by stacking them in a deck and punching a hole through the top corner with a hole puncher and then threading them onto a key chain loop. The entire stack can then be easily thrown into your purse, luggage or briefcase and taken on all your travels.)

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