Buying Airline Tickets on the Cheap – A Few Practical Tips

Think about the last time you packed your suitcase and took a taxi to the airport. Remember how you arrived at the check-in counter, passed through security, stopped for some coffee, a snack, or a quick duty-free shop visit, and then finished all the pre-boarding procedures at the gate, ready to start your journey?

Pretty exciting, huh? What’s even more exciting is if you scored the best flight deal possible and saved tons of money!

We live in a hyperconnected world, where commercial aviation plays a vital role.
This new golden age of air travel is more affordable, accessible, and diverse than ever before, and it has totally changed the market.

So many travel sites are out there, selling the same tickets to the same destinations, using the same planes flown by the same pilots, who work for the same airlines.
Therefore, the online consumer’s goal becomes clear: finding the best available rates for the tickets they want to buy.

Regardless of whether you’re interested in basic-or-premium-economy tickets, or you want to splurge on business-or-first-class seats, nobody wants to pay more for exactly the same product.

However, it can be tough.
After all, people are not born with inherent flight-hacking ninja skills!

Some travel enthusiasts invest weeks, months, or even years to learn every possible method, technique, or strategy to find the cheapest flights to any domestic or international location.

Many frequent leisure and business travelers are constantly looking for help or advice to give them an edge in their quest to save more money on air travel.

After all, who wouldn’t want to obtain some kind of insider information, learn about supposed loopholes in the global booking system, or get some other sneaky trick to help them master the art of finding amazing deals?

Consumers are using the internet to find the best-kept secrets and every bit of intel to help them spend less money on airfare—which usually makes up the largest part of any travel budget.

The less you spend on plane tickets, the more you can invest in a better hotel, finer restaurants, shopping, attractions, and other fun activities that make a trip one to remember.

Unsurprisingly, some of the most popular issues that people try to tackle before they book round-trip, one-way, or multi-destination tickets include:

• What are the cheapest days to fly on?
• How can you find super-cheap, last-minute flights?
• How do “mistake fares” work, and how do you find them?

Whether you want to enjoy a romantic, last-minute weekend getaway, plan a memorable family vacation, reunite with your loved ones overseas, or plan an important upcoming business trip; advanced travel search technology can help you significantly lower your costs.

There is no simple, universal formula or “right” way to find the cheapest flights possible under any circumstances; however, let us share a few practical tips to help you book tickets the lowest price possible:

1. No single online travel agency or flight-booking site can guarantee the best prices 100% of the time. So, if you want to get the lowest fare on your particular trip, you’ll have to do some virtual legwork.
2. Begin your research as soon as you have at least a general idea about your future travel plans. Start monitoring prices as early as a year in advance, keep your finger on the pulse, and keep an eye on big sales or limited-time promotions.
3. Remember, peak travel months will always be the most expensive because that’s when everyone else is flying, as well. Whenever possible, find the cheapest time to travel and use off-season prices to your benefit.
   
   If you still want to or must travel in-season, then don’t wait until the last moment. If you’re flying to a popular destination, then book your tickets as early as possible (at least 4-5 months in advance) to secure cheaper fares.
   
   Flight prices to major tourist hotspots or other places that are in great demand tend to skyrocket the closer you get to your departure date.
4. Use multiple airfare comparison websites. The reason? Not all airlines will necessarily be represented on all platforms, so if you want to be thorough, then don’t put all your eggs in one basket!
5. Here’s a useful rule to keep in mind: The more flexible you can be, the more money you can potentially save.
   
   Being flexible with your travel dates, flight type (e.g., layover vs direct routes), luggage preferences, the airport you use, and other decisions can positively influence your overall cost.
   
   Having an early or late departure, travelling light, and having long airport layovers can also bring you significant savings.
6. Use flight-search websites that let you select a given future month for your destination, then explore when the cheapest days are over that period.
7. If you’re looking for the cheapest fare from Airport A to Airport B and do not care about any other aspect (e.g., departure time, legroom, meals, inflight Wi-Fi, etc.), then always use budget airlines.
   
   The prices of low-cost carriers will always be much cheaper, compared to their full-service legacy competitors.
8. A cheap basic ticket does not necessarily guarantee a good deal. Always make sure that you totally understand the cost of any extras. Additional charges for optional services can quickly eat your slim trip budget.
   
   What might seem like a tremendous bargain at first could end up costing you a whole lot more. Things like checked baggage, seat selection, extra legroom, or the ability to make changes may incur additional fees, which can make the original “deal” far less attractive.
9. Are you looking for dirt-cheap vacation options? Do you want to find real bargains and book right now? Some flight aggregators have an “Anywhere” or “Everywhere” feature, which enables users to search for the cheapest travel destinations on their chosen dates, or a broader time period.
   
   Being flexible, open-minded, and ready to act quickly when a good opportunity arises can help you explore new places and create new experiences all over the world at rock-bottom prices.
10. Many travel sites promise they do not store your previous search history to manipulate airline ticket prices, but why take any chances? A simple trick will prevent them from using this data as part of their marketing strategy.
    
    All you need to do is search for flights using your browser’s private browsing, VPN, or “incognito” mode. This simple strategy will prevent the website from using your search history to artificially increase your price.
11. Ever hear the old saying, “The devil is in the details”? Be sure to always read the fine print.
    The legal text often includes restrictions about checked and carry-on baggage, seating options, ticket change and cancellation rules, refund policies, or other special terms.
12. When booking a ticket online, pay attention to pre-selected items. Some websites use this method to extract a few more dollars from you and push insurance or some other upgrades in the hopes that you will not notice the pre-checked boxes.
    
    Not interested in these extras? Make sure you deselect them before finalizing your transaction.
13. Coupon codes can help you save even more, so be sure to check the travel agency or airline’s homepage, as well as third-party coupon portals for active promo codes.
14. Do you fly frequently? Is there an airline or travel agency that you’re loyal to? Subscribe to their newsletter to get email updates about special discounts, upcoming early-bird sales, and other exclusive offers.
15. Consider using Hopper, a mobile phone app that predicts prices and helps you book your tickets at the right time to save money.
16. The internet has so many travel booking sites, and each claim to be the best and cheapest. However, on many occasions, you may find the lowest fare if you book direct through the airline company’s official website itself.