The real advantage here is quick and easy price comparison, on sites like Travelocity and hotels.com. Airliners like JetBlue also have regular daily deal alerts for loyal customers, offering round-trip flights for sometimes as little as $90. So if consumers spend an average $7, 658 a year, they could save 20 percent by using the Internet.

Stephan Savoia/AP/File
In this file photo a Jet Blue jet taxis at Boston's Logan International Airport. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)