Traveling can be a wonderful experience, but finding cheap flights can be a challenge. Airfare can be one of the biggest expenses of any trip, but with a few tips and tricks, you can save money and find great deals on your next flight. In this blog post, we’ll cover some great ways of finding cheap flights and saving money on your next adventure.
Finding Cheap Flights
1. Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates
One of the easiest ways of finding cheap flights is to be flexible with your travel dates. Flying on weekdays, particularly Tuesdays and Wednesdays, is often cheaper than flying on weekends. Avoiding peak tourist season in favor of the low season can save you even more money. Looking for compromise? The shoulder season is the period between the peak and off peak seasons. During this time, prices may be lower than during the peak seasons, but the weather and attractions may still be as enjoyable as during peak times. Think visiting Europe in early September, right after all the kids are back in school.
Also consider festivals, holidays or major events happening in the area. If you’re flying to Gainesville Florida during University of Florida graduation week, prices will be sky high. If you’re flying to Chicago during Lollapalooza, your dreams of finding cheap flights will be similarly crushed. By being flexible with your travel dates and times you have the best chance of finding the best deals!
Finding Cheap Flights
2. Take Red-Eye Flights
Red-eye flights are overnight flights that depart late at night and arrive early in the morning. These flights are generally cheaper because they are less desirable due to the inconvenient timing. Airlines understand that demand for red-eye flights is lower, so they often price these flights at a discount in an effort to fill their seats. They would rather sell the seats at a lower price than leave them empty.
Additionally, red-eye flights may be more popular with business travelers who are looking to save money on hotel costs by arriving early in the morning and starting their day right away. From a practical perspective, red-eye flights are cheaper because they can save the airlines money as well. Airlines use red-eye flights to move their planes and crews to different destinations, which can reduce their operational costs. Scheduling flights during off peak hours such as late at night or very early in the morning, saves on operational costs as well. These savings can contribute to lower expenses for the airlines and better savings for you!
Finding Cheap Flights
3. Use Flight Search Engines
Flight search engines like Google Flights, Skyscanner, Expedia and Kayak have become a popular tool for travelers looking to find the best deals on flights. These platforms allow you to search for flights by date, destination, and other criteria, and compare prices from different airlines simultaneously. Furthermore, many flight search engines allow you to set up price alerts for specific flights or destinations. They can send you price alerts when prices drop or increase, so you can book at the right time. Do note that not all flight search engines have access to the same deals and pricing info. Therefore, when finding cheap flights it’s important to compare prices across multiple sites to ensure that you’re getting the best deal possible!
Finding Cheap Flights
4. Book Early (or last minute)
Booking early is one of the best ways of finding cheap flights. By looking and booking earlier, you also have the advantage of more options to compare. You can also consider buying a refundable ticket very early on and swapping for a cheaper option if prices drop. With companies all now using sophisticated algorithms, there really isn’t a “best time” to buy your ticket, however, by booking early you will give yourself the best chance of finding cheap flights.
Conversely, airlines may also have steep price drops for those looking to book last minute. They do this because, from a business perspective, a cheap ticket is better than no ticket at all. To try and fill flights, airlines may drop prices last minute to entice flexible travelers. Waiting to book last minute is really only a strategy for those with extreme flexibility in their schedule. I would not recommend waiting for a possible last minute price drop for your honeymoon to Hawaii for example. However, for someone such as a remote worker able to leave at a moment’s notice, last minute price drops may be a great way to stretch your budget.
Finding Cheap Flights
5. Fly With Budget Airlines
Flying with budget airlines is a great way of finding cheap flights. Companies such as Frontier and Spirit Airlines in the US and Ryanair and EastJet in Europe are increasingly popular options for travelers looking to stretch their dollars when traveling. Budget airlines are often a great option however make sure you understand what you’re signing up for prior to booking. These airlines often do not have the same standard accommodations as other larger airlines (like TVs at your seats or free inflight meals). Budget airlines also often charge extra for your carryon, seat selection, luggage, and even sometimes a personal item. Overall, for the traveler who packs light and is looking to maximize their budget, budget airlines are a great way of finding cheap flights.
Finding Cheap Flights
6. Use Travel Rewards Programs
Travel credit cards are a great way to stretch your travel dollars and help with finding cheap flights. For more information on the best travel credit card for 2023 read our post HERE. Aside from general travel credit cards, more specific airline credit cards may also be a great way of securing top deals. For example, if you find yourself regularly flying with Delta then using a Delta credit card can provide up to 20% discounts for inflight purchases, complimentary airport lounge access, free checked bags, complimentary upgrades, free guest passes, and other complimentary or discounted deals. Most airlines have similar travel rewards programs which, for the right loyal customer, may be a great method of finding cheap flights.
Finding Cheap Flights
7. Use Incognito Mode
Like much of our society, airlines have fully embraced algorithms and AI as a means of improving productivity and profit. Due to these algorithms, many of us have been in the unpleasant position of seeing flight prices climb the more you check them throughout the day. It’s simply supply and demand. The more interest in a product the higher the price can be for that product, and today’s algorithms can identify that interest and adjust prices instantaneously. This is particularly frustrating when coordinating group travel in which the people who order their tickets first inevitably increase the price for the last few. When finding cheap flights, I have two words of advice. Use incognito mode when researching and book larger group travel together if possible.
Using your web browser’s incognito mode is an easy method of finding cheap flights. Many airline companies, and flight search engines for that matter, use cookies to track your search history and increase prices for flights you have looked for in the past. Using incognito mode or clearing your browser’s cookies helps lessen this problem and is yet another way of finding cheap flights.
Finding Cheap Flights
8. Sign Up for Airline Newsletters
We all know that airline marketing teams are more than willing to have your email. What is less known is that most airlines also have email newsletters that they send to their email lists, sometimes with limited time promotions and deep discounts that can save you big time dollars. Particularly for those inclined to fly with certain airlines, signing up for that airline’s newsletter may be a great method of finding cheap flights. You could consider a more universal flight deals website newsletter such as from Going as well. Do note that you will also likely receive less relevant email as well as your coveted promos and deals. I would consider using a secondary email when subscribing to a newsletter, particularly if you’re planning on taking advantage of more than one.
By using these tips and tricks, you are sure to be well positioned for finding cheap flights for your next trip. For other advice on how to save money stretch your dollars when traveling check out our budget travel page HERE. Happy Adventuring!
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