Travel

How to Book the Cheapest Flights to Your Dream Destination!

Finding Bargain Flights on the Internet

Traveling on a budget can be stressful, but it still is worth it. Travel is a growing industry and in 2019 2.3 Billion person-trips were recorded for domestic trips in America.

Frequently the airfare for a trip is what breaks the bank though. Therefore most of us have probably googled how to find the cheapest flights in the past.

Cheap Airfare Myths

Many articles cite multiple traps to avoid when looking for budget-friendly transportation. These tips have proven themselves to be untrue, yet keep showing up in many articles about flying for on a budget.

Here Are Some Aspects That Won’t Help You Find a Better Deal on a Plane Ticket

Going incognito on your browser
Clearing your browser history lets you find cheaper flights
Buying tickets only on Tuesdays
Booking flights at a certain time of day
Basing decisions solely on predictions
Smaller airports are more expensive
Booking through the airline’s website is always cheaper

You don’t have to go incognito to find a cheaper deal – this myth is based on the idea that the websites and airlines access your cookies to find out where you want to go and then raise prices – that is not true.

The same applies to clearing your history. Neither impacts your search results.

No, tickets are not cheaper on Tuesdays, but that would make life just so much easier now, would it not?

This myth goes back to when deals came out on Monday nights. The logic was that by Tuesday all competitors would’ve brought out their own deals.

Furthermore, the time of day you book your flight doesn’t impact the results.

While the prediction of airfares has become a whole industry and subject of study, even when algorithms are scientifically-backed, they’re only about 70% accurate, partly due to the limited availability of data. While predictions should not be ignored, you shouldn’t base your decisions to go ahead and buy a well priced ticked when you stumble across it.

Nope, smaller airports aren’t necessarily more expensive. Neither does it always make sense to go through the airline’s website. We will get to that later.

How is the Price for a Plane Ticket Determined?

Many factors play into the price displayed on the monitor when looking for a ticket that doesn’t break the bank. Airlines take many different aspects into consideration, such as

Season
major events
holidays
expected weather conditions
price for fuel
competitive offers
demand and seat supply
duration of stay

So your chances of finding cheap airfare depend on a variety of aspects.

Ultimately how much you end up paying for your flight will depend on your motivation!

If you are interested in finding the best deals for your air travel, here are so helpful tips you can use, to find flights that won’t break the bank.

How to go about finding a cost-efficient flight on the internet

In the last decades, many websites popped up, that promised to find you the best deals on your airfares. While there isn’t one in particular to recommend, many have useful tools to make travel more affordable that you should certainly make use of.

Be aware that there are different models of booking travel on the internet.

Be Flexible on Your Dates and Destinations

On many occasions a day can make all the difference. Being flexible can save you lots of money.

Talking about your destination: Showing a little flexibility here can also help. Search sites let you enter multiple destinations and often, smaller airports in the area offer better deals.

Make Use of Budget Airlines for Cheaper Airfare

If you are not interested in especially luxurious air travel, try to find low-cost or budget airlines that are servicing the desired route. Also be aware, that frequently codesharing is used.

A budget-friendly airline therefore might get you a seat on the nicer airline’s plane.

Be Aware of Special Offers and Error Fares

Look for specials. Period. Many Airlines offer special fares throughout the year. If you are flexible these are very affordable options especially for destinations that are further away.

Another alternative is to join a club like Scott’s Cheap Flights or Jack’s Flight Club. These provide their members with error fares and great deals through regular e-mails or apps and usually offer free memberships if you just want to check it out.

Find Websites That Compare Airfare for the Most Affordable Alternative

There are many different websites out there that promote their ability to find the best deal for your flight. Not all of them are recommendable, but there are some at the top of the group that stand out for various reasons.

Momondo is famous for finding the cheapest flight for you 95%. They search the web for the best airfare but doesn’t provide you with the actual booking. They are just referring you to whoever offers the best deal.

Google Flights lets you look for multiple destinations and offers the search for flexible dates. We have already talked about how important both aspects are. On the downside, it doesn’t provide you with all possible airlines. It furthermore predicts how prices may change.

These two are just examples. There are many more sites out there, that offer the same services as these two.

Ultimately, since these sites only help you find the most affordable flights.

A lot of the time they will just send you to the airline’s website – sometimes you end up at other bookings sites though. Always pay attention to whom you are buying your ticket from.

Make Use of Bonus Programs

Make sure you sign up for a bonus program. Even if you are using different airlines for your trips, oftentimes they are connected in mile sharing programs. Even if you might not be able to collect enough miles for a free flight, these programs often have other perks.

Keep in mind though, that it’s better to just buy the cheapest flight, even if you joined a program if you do not travel all that frequently. This comes down to how often you are looking for affordable flights, your destinations, and the frequency of your travels.

Be Aware of Currencies to Get the Most Budget-Friendly Airfares

You can try finding a cheaper flight by making use of exchange rates and the airline you are using.

Especially for budget airlines the deals often get even better, if you decide to pay them in their domestic currency – even if you pay a fee for charging a foreign currency to your credit card.

Pay Attention to Timing

Book a flight at the right point in time. Do not wait right until you want to depart, even though you might be able to find a good last-minute deal if your heart isn’t set on a destination.

Don’t fly when everyone is going. Be aware of holidays and seasonal travel
Try to go against the flow if you are looking to find the best deals on air travel
Don’t have your heart set on a specific date – flexible dates can shave off a lot from the ticket price
Don’t book too far in advance, but don’t wait until the last minute either
Want to go to a concert? Airlines know. Fly in sooner or a little further away and opt for other forms of transportation
Pro-Tip: Fly in the middle of the week. Most people tend to take off Monday-Friday, wanting to arrive either the weekend before or leave on Monday.

A 2012 study said that booking 6 weeks in advance was the right timeframe. This information is outdated by now. Currently, for flights in the U.S., the best deals can be found between 4 months and 3 weeks before a flight.

Enjoy Your Trip with Extra Cash Because You Scored a Cheap Flight

Many of these tips and tricks go hand in hand. Ultimately it is important to be aware of how likely one is to fall into traps set by the airlines. Pay attention to details, many sites do not include baggage fees. If something feels off, listen to your gut.

Make sure you look at all alternatives available. This is not just dates and destinations, but also routes and even flight search providers. Make sure the site you end up using to book your flight is trustworthy and enjoy your trip!