On finding cheap flights

I have a few flights to book pretty soon. SDCC needs to be gotten, and I may have another thing in the works. The only reason I haven't bought them yet is because I am being careful. Here's how:

-Tuesday and Wednesday are the cheapest days to buy. That's the day prices go down, it's the day airlines send out their deal emails.

-Tuesday and Thursday are the cheapest days to fly. If you're able to do Thursday through Tuesday, you save yourself money and possibly vacation days.

-Weekends are more expensive for everything. Figures.

-Sign up for the airlines' rewards programs. You accumulate miles and also get emails about deals.

-Use credit cards that will earn you miles. I fly American most, so I got a credit card through them that will allow me to earn more points for what I spend, plus if I spend so much in a certain amount of time I get 50,000 miles free. But for the love of God, pay it off right away.

-Take your time in choosing flights. I'm looking at one way flights, one to LA, one from San Diego. I've been watching the deals I'm sent via email and comparing it to what's showing on Priceline or the airline's websites. Right now a one way flight is about $240. According to the sales, it's consistently more like $167 one way. So I know what airline I want, and since their sales are currently booking through June, I've still got a couple weeks to wait if I want to buy at the best price. Do your research and compare.

-Look into other airports. If you're in a city with multiple airports, compare prices. When we went to New York we found it cheaper to fly into Newark and take the train into NYC. Definitely check into how to get to where you're staying from the airport, though. Some of the area airports can be up to an hour away.

-Not all airlines show up on third party sites. If you're looking through Expedia or Priceline, you won't see airlines like Jet Blue or Southwest, which could save you money. Check the airlines' sites.

-Factor in other costs. Some airlines charge for checked bags, some don't. For instance, if you're finding a flight on United that's $20 cheaper than American but they have a $25 baggage fee, American's the better deal. Also be aware that Spirit does this a lot. Their flights are a good deal cheaper, but they pack on a lot of fees that depending on the circumstances, you might be paying the same that you would on a "more expensive" flight.

Now, back to obsessively searching.