When you’re planning to travel, the first thing you’ll look for is the airfare. Sometimes, your travel destination depends on the cheapest flight that you can find. Fortunately, a lot of airlines are now offering cheap deals that everyone can easily afford. This also comes with insurance so that you are guaranteed safe.
Competition is on the rise, so there are too many affordable deals that you can find if you only know what to do.
So, here are the 13 ways that will help you see the cheapest airfare that you can find.
1. Don’t Believe the Myths
The first thing you have to learn when finding the most affordable flight online is not to believe the myths. There are a lot of myths going around the internet when you’re trying to find a great deal, and you probably encounter one.
It is not true that airfares are cheapest on Tuesday. It is also not true that using incognito will lead you to find great deals. You also have to keep in mind that there is no exact date or specific time to book your airfare – you can do it anytime. Lastly, airline prices are not predictable – it changes.
Airline prices and sales depend on the season, demand, weather, special events and festivals, time, competitors’ prices, and a lot more. They are now using advanced computer and pricing algorithms to determine their rates. So, check and search for airfare on your own and don’t depend on what others say. However, you have to make your credit cards ready whenever you see a hard-to-resist deal.
2. Be Flexible
When finding a good deal, you have to make sure that you have a flexible travel time and date. Airfare prices depend on the time of the day, day of the week, and event of the year. The most in-demand travel dates are on Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, and the Fourth of July. So, if you are looking for cheaper deals, you should travel on the most unpopular time – opt for the off-season.
It is also cheaper if you fly in the middle of the week compared to weekends, as more people travel on Saturdays or Sundays. Airlines even increase its flight rate on these days. You also have to consider that flights are more affordable after a holiday, in early-morning, or late-night. The airline may be saving on gas on these dates and times, so you have to be flexible.
3. Consider Other Destinations
To get the cheapest deals, you should also consider going to other destinations. Airline search engines will let you find the cheapest airfare around the world. You can do this through Kayak and Google Flights. If you can consider any place to go, like anywhere but home, you can use these tools to find the most affordable airline ticket.
You can always find a good deal, although it may not be the place that you desire. But, if you can consider traveling to other destinations, then you are good to go. So, take advantage of your electricity and start searching.
4. Choose Budget Airlines
Budget airlines are now a thing today so that you can fly around in a budget. There is an array of airlines that offer cheap deals, like Norwegian Airlines, AirAsia, Indian and Middle Eastern airlines, and more. These airlines are your alternative than flying the major and big ones, such as Air France, British Airways, and others that come with a hefty price. Your financial advisor will undoubtedly not advisable to opt for these. Although budget airlines come with fewer perks, what important is you can go to the place that you want to at a price that you can afford.
5. Choose Connecting Flight
Another way that can make you save on flights is by choosing connecting flights than flying direct. You can select flying into a country that has another trip to the place you want to go to.
Budget airlines have these kinds of deals, stopping over to another nation before you go to your travel destination. Although this method means that you’ll spend more time flying, the money that you can save and the loans that you can avoid will surely be worth it. The experience can also add up to your adventure.
6. Search Engines are Different
Finding the cheapest deals mean you have to search multiple websites. There are search engines that don’t display budget airlines because they don’t pay booking commissions, while others are not visible because of its different language. This only means that search engines are different.
So, if you want to leave no stone unturned, you should use every possible search engine that you can to find the most excellent deals to save up on credits. Some of the most favorites search engines that you can try are Momondo, Google Flights, and Skyscanner.
7. Use Your Discount Cards
If you’re a student or younger than 26, you are privileged to avail of some huge discounts. You have 20 to 30 percent off on standard fare. There are travel agencies, like STA or Flight Center, that can help you find a good deal using your discount card. So, you should take advantage of this to save up and avoid maxing out your credit card.
8. Combine Airlines
Considering flying combined airlines can also help you save up on airfare. Mix and matching tickets will allow you to get the best flight possible. Booking the same plane has the same price charges. So, if you combine airlines to find the cheapest ones, you can save a considerable amount of money that you can use to pay your travel insurance. You can do this method by using Kiwi.com, AMEX Travel, and Google Flights.
9. Take Advantage of Your Points and Miles
If you want to travel for free or have free upgrades, or free companion tickets, you should take advantage of your points and miles through the airline rewards programs. Make sure that you sign up for these rewards so that you can earn points and miles that you can later use. You can even earn points on their partner flights, giving you more chances to travel for free or for a lower price.
You can also earn bonuses through credit card sign up bonuses, online shopping, surveys, special offers, and more. Through these things, it is possible to make a million miles a year, which means you can have a dozen of free flights, saving you a lot of money.
10. Sign Up for Mailing lists
You can sign up for airlines and search engines’ mailing lists to be continuously updated with their new deals. This is the best way to find a great deal as they are the ones who will do the work for you. Usually, the special offers only last for 24 hours, so if you’re not on their mailing list and fail to see their special offers, you just missed a possible cheap flight, saving you from having a lot of credits. Their e-mails also often come with bonuses that can give you free tickets.
11. Find Tickets for One Person Only
When you are traveling as a group, you should search for a ticket price for one person only. Often, airlines show the highest ticket price if you are searching for multiple tickets on a single purchase. Seat numbers come at a different rate, so if you choose four seats in one go, it will have the same price, and it will be the highest one. So, buy tickets for a single person and pick your seats to make sure that you are all together when you checkout, avoiding your credit card to be abused.
12. Find Tickets in another Country
If the country you’re in has a stable currency, you can try to find tickets in another nation that has a weaker currency. You can find the same airline, flight, and booking class from a different country, you only have to pay a different currency. You have to use the “no-foreign-transaction card” to avoid paying a surcharge. This tip often works than not, so you should give it a try to save up money for your money loans.
13. Book in Advance
The closer you get to departure, the higher the price of your airfare. So, if you want to save up, you should book in advance. However, you don’t want to make it too early. The best time for you to book a flight is six to eight weeks before your travel time. If you’re traveling on peak season, you should book a trip three months before. This way, you can add up what you save to your travel insurance.
Based on Materials from Nomadic Matt
Photo Sources: Passport Symphony, Freepik, Executive Traveler, Pixabay, The Active Times