Consumer Reports: Airline myths that could cost you

From the best time of day to search for a flight to how far in advance you should purchase your ticket, it's not hard to find advice on getting a cheap flight. But some of the advice isn't accurate.

Unfortunately, many so-called tricks to getting cheap airfare are either outdated or flat-out wrong. And Consumer Reports says if you blindly follow them, you could be missing out on better deals.

Consumer Reports identified three common airfare myths. The first is booking on Tuesday's will give you the best airfare.

"This myth started when airlines used to load fares at the beginning of the week. But now airlines are much more sophisticated in the way that they price tickets, changing the price 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - and for consumers that means they can find a deal any day of the week," explained Octavio Blanco of Consumer Reports.

CR said follow airlines' social media accounts and set up alerts that way you'll be notified immediately when sales become available.

The second myth is it's always better to book as far in advance as possible.

"Airlines don't start actively managing inventory until five to three months before departure, so if you buy your ticket too much earlier, you'll probably pay more than what you would if you'd waited to buy in that period," Blanco said.

The final myth is that a round-trip airline ticket is a better deal than two one-way fares.

"Online booking sites have gotten really good at finding travelers money saving one-way flight combinations," Blanco said.

Kayak offers so-called "hacker fares," where a flight search will look for two one-way tickets that collectively make a round-trip flight. You might have to use different airlines for departing and arriving flights, but you also may also get the cheapest possible flight.

CR said also look for air and hotel packages. You can find plenty that include a business class seat and a five-night hotel stay. Just visit your favorite airlines' websites.