Originally Posted by moondog

Queries like yours are probably the most common of all in this forum. I'm assuming that you've taken upon yourself to do a bit of research by now and -- therefore-- are already abreast of these key points, but I will state them anyway since I'm in a good mood this evening:

-for the most part, air fares don't spike until the 2 day mark, if at all
-for this reason, it makes sense to wait until your schedule is set (but, if you know what you want to do 7 days out, then there's little harm in booking; fares might drop, but probably not by much)
-always book one-way trips; in addition to schedule flexibility, doing this makes changes much easier... and doesn't cost a fen more
-I usually end up booking with ctrip itself because doing so is really convenient and I like the fact that I can put the onus on them when things go awry (this doesn't always help much, but is a big step above the travel agent in the Lido who can't do squat during her limited business hours, let alone at 8p in Xi'an when CA is telling me that I need to "be patient for a few days")
-that having been said, if there happens to be a physical travel agent nearby (even at a 5-star hotel), I have no qualms about using them; 9 times out of 10, prices are the same regardless of booking channel (a minor amount of research constitutes proper due diligence); what's more, if you head to the airport with a ticket, you'll probably be okay