Finding a cheap flight is something that everyone wants to do. No matter if you’re a frequent flier or someone that rarely flies the cost of air travel isn’t cheap. You not only have the prices of tickets rising but also more fees being added daily that make flying out of reach for many. There are various ways to save money and knowing these tips can help you save big and find a cheap flight to just about any city in the world. This is our guide on how to get cheap flights.
Book Early
Booking early is the easiest way to save some money on your flight. Those who book at least 20 days in advance can see discounts of 10% or more depending on the airline. You can use websites like Airfarewatchdog.com to see data on the best time to book your flight is as well as get alerts on when flights to your destination are the cheapest. So to get a good deal you simply need to book ahead of time if at all possible.
Be Flexible With Dates
If you can be flexible with the dates you fly then there’s money to be saved. Booking a flight on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday will usually get you lower rates. Such is the same for booking flights that depart late at night, known as the red eye. Depending on your destination you can save varying amounts by booking during off times.
Book As A Package
If you’re going to be needing a hotel room along with your flight then think about booking as a package. Instead of booking your airline ticket and hotel separately you should combine the two for a discount. Many of the top online travel booking websites give discounts of up to 30% when you book the two together. Like anything else you need to shop around to find who will give you the best discount for booking together to see if it’s worth it.
Use Comparison Engines
Using a comparison engine to find the cheapest flight is not only a great way to save money but also a great way to save a lot of time. Instead of getting a headache looking through hundred of flights and flight combinations on a travel website just simply type in your departing city and destination to have these brands do the work for you. Places like HipMunk, Kayak, and even Google will quickly compare flights to get you the cheapest rate available. These sites also have other features that come in handy such as searching by airline, flight duration, number of stops, and more. Hipmunk also has an “agony” feature which is supposed to show how much of a pain a certain flight is based as various factors.
Coupons and Promo Codes
Once you’ve done all of your comparing then the last step before checking out is to grab a coupon or promo code. Depending on which airline or travel site you book with you can find deals at varying degrees. Most of the codes we receive and list on our website are to get a certain dollar or percent amount off when you combine a flight with hotel as previously mentioned. We of course have a large travel coupons section which lists the most popular coupons as well as specific coupon codes and deals for the major travel companies.
Join Mailing Lists
If you know you’re going to be flying or you’re a frequent flyer then signing up for email lists is a must. Joining the email list of major travel websites like Expedia and Travelocity along with the your favorite airlines will usually get you deals not found anywhere else. They usually send out deals on their flights and many times send out exclusive deals that their partners aren’t allowed to post. So take the couple seconds it takes to sign up for these lists to save some money. If the lists get too much you can always filter them into a select folder within your email.
Use Credit Card Rewards and Discounts
Many credit cards today offer some type of travel rewards. Each card is slightly different in offering frequent flier miles and rewards but there are also cards that will give you discounts on the flight itself without having to rack up rewards which is great for those who don’t fly often. Credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred currently give you 2 points per dollar spent on travel as well as bonus points for signing up worth around $500 to be used towards a flight when you hit their minimum spend for the first year. There are various other cards available which give you bonus points and cash back when you travel. The only downside to this is that many of the cards that give the best rewards require a very high credit rating plus have an annual fee.
Photo Credit: xlibber (flickr)
