Yusra3
VIP Contributor
Scoring cheap plane tickets takes a mix of strategy and know-how. With patience and research using the right websites, you can find big savings on airfare if you try these tips:
1. Fly midweek instead of weekends for dramatically lower fares in many markets, often hundreds less for the same routing. Be flexible with your dates.
2. Search on flight aggregation sites like Skyscanner, Google Flights and Kayak which scan airline and online travel agent data to surface cheapest availability across sites.
3. Book early when award seats open up 10-11 months pre-departure, especially for international routes. Fares only go up as seats sell. Last minute buys cost the huge premiums.
4. Consider budget airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, RyanAir or EasyJet as an affordable option to major legacy carriers if you pack light and don’t mind sacrificing baggage and meal perks.
5. Sign up for Dollar Flight Club email alerts on incredible low fares for your home airport or favorite global destinations that represent mistakes or unsold inventory. But you have to act fast!
6. Follow airlines and flight deal pros on twitter and turn on notifications so you never miss out on last minute sales announced in real time vs waiting for email newsletters.
7. Use flight miles from credit card bonuses or points transfers to redeem for free tickets instead of paying cash. Just don’t sacrifice sign-up bonuses only for flights.
8. Split up group travelers into separate reservations. Buying 2 or 4 seats together always raises costs substantially over individual tickets.
9. Consider connecting flights or less convenient airports further away. Saving hundreds makes the extra drive or hassle worthwhile. Nonstop often costs much more.
10. Mix and match one-way tickets on different airlines vs roundtrips when huge variances exists between carriers competing on certain routes or dates.
11. Set price alerts on Google Flights or booking sites and wait for rates to drop during sales cycles, which are often seasonal or timed to major holidays. Patience pays off.
With the right tools, timing and hacking mindset, finding jaw-dropping low fares is an attainable skill. Happy travels for less!
1. Fly midweek instead of weekends for dramatically lower fares in many markets, often hundreds less for the same routing. Be flexible with your dates.
2. Search on flight aggregation sites like Skyscanner, Google Flights and Kayak which scan airline and online travel agent data to surface cheapest availability across sites.
3. Book early when award seats open up 10-11 months pre-departure, especially for international routes. Fares only go up as seats sell. Last minute buys cost the huge premiums.
4. Consider budget airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, RyanAir or EasyJet as an affordable option to major legacy carriers if you pack light and don’t mind sacrificing baggage and meal perks.
5. Sign up for Dollar Flight Club email alerts on incredible low fares for your home airport or favorite global destinations that represent mistakes or unsold inventory. But you have to act fast!
6. Follow airlines and flight deal pros on twitter and turn on notifications so you never miss out on last minute sales announced in real time vs waiting for email newsletters.
7. Use flight miles from credit card bonuses or points transfers to redeem for free tickets instead of paying cash. Just don’t sacrifice sign-up bonuses only for flights.
8. Split up group travelers into separate reservations. Buying 2 or 4 seats together always raises costs substantially over individual tickets.
9. Consider connecting flights or less convenient airports further away. Saving hundreds makes the extra drive or hassle worthwhile. Nonstop often costs much more.
10. Mix and match one-way tickets on different airlines vs roundtrips when huge variances exists between carriers competing on certain routes or dates.
11. Set price alerts on Google Flights or booking sites and wait for rates to drop during sales cycles, which are often seasonal or timed to major holidays. Patience pays off.
With the right tools, timing and hacking mindset, finding jaw-dropping low fares is an attainable skill. Happy travels for less!
