This is especially the case when flying to Brazil. The journey distance, a highly restricted number of flights and a large domestic market all help to push up the airfare price during a Brazil vacation.

But fear not, because there are a few options that will help you find the best prices.

Colorful street scene in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

If traveling from the United States, aim to depart from Miami for the cheapest fares. Begin by searching the most popular US low cost carriers: Frontier (www.frontierairlines.com), JetBlue (www.jetblue.com), and Spirit (www.spiritair.com).

But before you book, also take a look at the main Brazilian carriers: Varig (http://www.varig.com.br), Tam (http://www.tam.com.br), and Gol (www.voegol.com). Finally, compare the fares with some of Brazil’s cheaper alternatives such as Web Jet (www.webjet.com.br).

If traveling from the UK and Europe, check out the comparison site www.cheapflights.co.uk, but also consider going direct to some of Europe’s cheaper airlines, for instance Thomson (www.thomsonfly.com), or TAP (www.tap.pt). You may also be lucky with any of the bigger carriers such as KLM (www.klm.com), Iberia (www.iberia.com), or Air France (www.airfrance.com).

Finally, always remember the standard advice for getting hold of those best value flights:

Keep away from the holiday seasons, especially school breaks, when prices will always be much higher than usual.

Book as far ahead as possible before all the popular flights start to fill up and the prices rise.

Aim for flexibility and search for flights outside of the peak times, earlier in the morning, later at night and away from the weekends.

Shop around but don’t rely on comparison sites alone. The airline’s own websites often have the best deals and special offers are rarely mentioned on comparison sites.

Happy hunting and Buen Viaje!