There isn’t any gold rule for everyone to get cheap flight tickets. However, there are some tricks that can be arranged. Everyone search for the perfect price but as with any purchase, you need to shop around to get the best deal it’s the same with flights tickets. You need to be patient, trying different booking sites, altering your dates and waiting until just the right time to purchase.
Let’s find some cheap flight tickets
With a little time and effort, you could save big on your next flight. Here are some things you need to know about booking your trip.
Buy Early
These always depend on your destination but, during peak travel periods making reservations late would definitely increase your travel cost. Airlines tickets typically go up in the last two weeks before flying, so if you’re planning ahead, try to make the booking before this deadline.
In international flights you need to apply the same rule, the best cheap flight tickets are always around 3 months early. On Kayak you would able to see fare predictions for most major cities. Just plug in your itinerary and the site will advise you either to book now or to wait, depending on whether the fare is expected to rise or drop. It also shows a fare history graph, allowing you to see whether your fare is headed in an upward or downward direction.
Be Flexible
If you can be flexible it would be very handy. Let’s see, if you live close to more than one airport, check out the fares from all of its. When I was searching for the best flight to Bangkok I use Momondo, many times it was asked if I was willing to depart from or arrive in more than one city. I also use to shifting the itinerary by a month, a week or a few days to see the best prices. Usually, you’ll find the lowest fares for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Another trick to long-haul flights, for example, can be book layovers. If you’re flying somewhere that involves a transfer, consider that it may be cheaper to book these two sections separately on your own. Booking two one-way tickets instead of one round trip can save you money too. Always remember it’s important to keep an eye on arrival and departure times for these flights to give you enough time to transfer.
Don’t Forget Discount Airlines
Discount Airlines can save you a few bucks on travel but, they’re not always easy to find. Luckily for all of us, they are increasing and you see them frequently on aggregators and booking sites.
In our case, when I was searching for flights to Bangkok I saw this discount airline Eurowings (a subsidiary of Lufthansa), that fly from Cologne (Germany) direct to Asia (Bangkok). In Europe usually, travellers use companies like Easyjet and Ryanair but, there’re so many you can use.
Pay attention that many international discounters fly to and from small hubs. Another downside of discounters is most of them having baggage agreements; normally you have to pay fees for your checked luggage. Expect to pay extra for food and sometimes the water in flight.
Use Your Frequent Flier Miles
Although redeeming miles has gotten more difficult in recent years, you can use your frequent flier miles and not pay for a fare. Some credit cards can help you build up miles more quickly as if you buy trips with them can accumulate miles.
The majority airlines designate a limited number of seats on each flight as eligible for award travel but, be fast on the booking as the seats go quickly. In our case we don’t have a credit card with miles to accumulate but, we subscribe to the ANA Mileage Club. We can redeem in a wide range of benefits, including flight awards.
Error fares
Sometimes airlines make mistakes when posting their fares, leading to seriously discounted flights. Most of the time this can happen because of various reasons like currency conversion mishaps, technical glitches or human error. The error fares can really save lots of money on a ticket.
Firstly, an error fare flight deals are not easy to find but, websites like AirFare Watchdog and Secret Flying can be great resources to help you finding mistake pricing as they conglomerate slashed ticket rates all in one spot. I also follow a page on Facebook call Travel Free, every day has error fares.
Although error fares are great can be risky, because the flight can be cancelled (however if the payment has been already processed you do not have to worry, you will get your money back).
Last Minute Flights
The logic follows that the earlier you book, the cheaper your seat will be, but it is not always so. You could save money on long-haul flights by booking just weeks before you travel, even in peak periods. The cost of flights can raise daily or even hourly in some cases due to passenger demand.
Securing a last-minute bargain is much easier if you are flexible with your departure and return dates, and if you aren’t fussy about which airline you fly with.
So, what’s the secret?
Finding cheap flight tickets always depends on your destination, the time you go and how flexible you can be. Nowadays the internet provides so many advice and tools that can be used to find a cheap flight ticket.
Use all the airfare search engines, still a good way to help you. Sign up for fare alerts, even join airline newsletters but above all, you have to be patient.
These are the tactics and resources we use personally to find cheap flight tickets around the world. If you are willing to put some effort, travel and booking a flight doesn’t have to be expensive, you can arrange good deals.
If you need more information about transportation or more travel resources, click the previous links.
One Response
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