Traveling can be a real rush, but high airline costs can be a deterrent for both novice and seasoned adventurers. That said, flying doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. There are several ways to save on airline tickets without sacrificing on quality of experience. Below, you’ll find four ways to find cheap flights that you might not have thought of before.
- Book Early
One of the easiest ways to save on airfare is to avoid delays in making your reservation. While some cheap flights will come up here and there at the last minute, you’ll have a better chance to save if you book well in advance. This is especially true when it comes to periods of peak travel, like during the holidays. As a rule, domestic flight prices usually increase two weeks or so before they occur, so you’ll want to book sooner than that. And if you’re looking for a cheap international flight, you should purchase your airfare three to six months beforehand. Keeping tabs on those price alerts can also help you decide when to book. - Don’t Be Afraid To Compare
Shopping around is a good thing, particularly when you’re talking airfare. Unless it’s an outrageously good deal on a highly reputable airline, you shouldn’t feel like you have to book the first flight you find. Usually, it will behoove you to compare airlines and flight search engines to find the best possible price. You should also be on the lookout for promotions from the airline companies themselves. If you fail to find anything affordable in this first go-around, there’s nothing wrong with waiting and watching (which is another reason you should aim to book early!). Set up those comparison alerts and keep your eye out for price drops. - Be Flexible
It can be tough to get a good deal if you have to fly on certain days, at certain times, or in and out of certain airports. The more flexible you can be, the more likely it is that you’ll find a cheap flight that works for you. If you live near a couple of different airports, be open to which one you’ll use for your travels. And by switching up your dates and times of travel, you might find that you can save a lot. Often times, you can find lower prices for flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and even Saturdays. Stay away traveling to your destination during its peak season, if at all possible. Going with the flow can be of huge benefit to you when planning a trip. - Go Incognito
Did you know you may actually be influencing increasing flight costs just by searching for them? Flight prices can go up based on browser cookies and repeated searches. Even if you use a reputable flight search engine, you should still use an incognito browser window or shift into private browsing mode if you want to secure a cheap flight. Various browsers will require different steps to do this, but the idea is essentially that the information you search for while incognito won’t be tracked. And if the information can’t be tracked, your activities won’t have any impact on flight prices.
Taking a vacation is supposed to be relaxing, but if you’re paying too much for airfare, you’ll end up being more stressed than necessary. The next time you start planning a getaway, be sure to follow these money-saving tips. That way, you’ll get the trip you deserve without having to pay more for it.
