When you are budgeting your travel, the maximum expense can be attributed to flight tickets. If you need to buy more than one flight ticket, then it is anyone’s guess how grossly expensive it can be. Families have been known to cancel trips because of the pricey flight tickets.
But don’t do that to yourself and your family. Take that much needed vacation. Just remember to use the following tips to find cheap flights for your destination.
Switch your browser to incognito mode
Each website these days uses something called cookies that is designed to remember your browser history. As a result, companies are able to send you personalized ads. However, it is also the reason why your flights are showing expensive. So the more you search for flights, the more these airlines will bump up the prices because they know you are planning to book one soon. Did you know that the first price you saw was the lowest for your flight ticket? Checking everyday will not bring that price back. However, when you browse in a private session, you may be able to trick the system as the websites will not be able to track your cookies or previous search history.
Shop around for prices
Check flight aggregators and compare flight prices before booking. Some of the portals are really helpful in finding the cheapest flights available. Google flights, for instance, will scour the listings directly from the airline website and third-party sites and list the lowest price. You can then follow the link to book the flights. Some websites even let you compare prices so that you can find the basest option.
Keep your travel dates open
You can try various combinations of dates to see when the cheap flights are available. When your dates are flexible, you can easily choose days like Wednesday instead of Fridays that will come out to be cheaper. Most websites will give you the option to check flexible date calendar to find the most inexpensive combination of travel dates. Third party sites are usually more helpful in providing you with flexible date pricing.
Use your reward points or miles
If you are a frequent flyer, then you have probably accumulated tons of miles by using your credit card for booking. You can use your accumulated reward points at the airline website and choose to pay with your reward points. Make sure that you have compared the actual cash value of your ticket to ensure you are getting a good deal!
You can also transfer your unused reward points to pay for flights in full or partially. Redeem your points toward hefty discounts on your flight purchases!
Use a budget airline
We all want to fly in class but not everyone can afford the luxury of expensive carriers. So if you are really pressed for budget, then consider flying budget airlines. There are many low cost carriers that offer throw-away prices to customers who are travelling with fewer luggage bags. There are many airlines that fly within Europe and U.S. at unbelievably low prices but only allow one cabin hand baggage.
Look for flight coupons
You can also check out coupon websites that offer discount coupons that are applicable on certain carriers. For instance, Volaris Coupons will allow you to get a discount on Volaris airlines, a budget airline in Mexico City. Similarly, you can check for other airlines too. Flight coupons are easily available these days on partner websites. So don’t forget to check out this option when booking a flight.
Book a package
Spare yourself the hassle of booking anything yourself. Just find a package that includes airline tickets and save yourself some serious cash. The trip organizers will take everything off your hands and plan an enjoyable trip for you. No need to worry about expensive flights or delayed check-ins at hotel. All your travel woes will be managed by your tour operator. You can also find flight + hotel package that are even more cheaper and gives you certain amount of flexibility too.
Book a “hidden city” fare
As we all know that connecting flights are way cheaper than direct flights, some people exercise this option of booking a fare with a connecting flight to your destination and then hop off at the airport rather than going to the final destination. While this option is legal, it is not appreciated by the airlines! Therefore, avoid checking in any luggage and do not link your ticket to the loyalty rewards number.
These are some ingenious ways to save tons of money on your upcoming travel. Make sure book your tickets well in advance to avoid paying the expensive dynamic price that most airlines charge for last minute bookings.
