The Instagram reels of travel influencers do not need to leave you green with envy. By being flexible with your travel plans and savvier with your travel booking, you can clock up air miles at a fraction of the cost you would expect to pay for a far-flung getaway.
This article will give you the best chance at making your travel plans affordable, covering the five best tips on how to find cheap flights and make the most out of your holidays - without breaking the bank.
Don’t just rely on a quick Google search of cheap flights USA or cheap flights Europe to bring the best budget results. Use tricks of the trade recommended by industry experts to find cheap international flights and cheap domestic flights.
Furthermore, there are a lot of affordable travel myths out there that you will want to avoid believing before you go on your hunt for cheap flights. The main ones are that there are particular days of the week that you MUST avoid or that using a private VPN will yield the best travel results.
1. Be as Flexible as Possible When Looking for Flights
Flexibility is the number one key to finding cheap flights – especially with the increased airfares due to the rising fuel costs. If you do not need to be at a certain destination on a certain day, refrain from searching for flights on a particular day.
Many flight search engines, such as Skyscanner and Google Flights, allow you to view flight prices for the whole month. This tool will help you to find the cheapest flights to your preferred destination. If you are also flexible on the destination you can save even more money on international and domestic flights. There are always deals for certain destinations, but there is no guarantee that there will be any for your preferred destination.
2. Plan Your Holidays for When it is Cheaper to Travel
Cheap flights pop up all the time. You can't predict the minute or day the cheap price will land, but you can know when to look during the time a good deal is more likely to come up.
While a Christmas getaway or travelling at the height of summer may be appealing to avoid the fear of missing out while everyone else is sharing their holiday snaps, by saving your travel dates for times when everyone else is back at work, you can make the most out of your travel budget.
Wherever you are heading, the cheaper months to find great travel deals are between February to May and September to early December; this is especially the case for international flights. Avoiding peak travel periods will also help you avoid the crowds at airports, which put a dampener on your getaway before you have even left the country!
3. Book Early, But Don’t Plan Too Far Ahead
As a general rule of thumb, the closer the departure date gets, the more the prices will hike. Even though there is a lot of hype around last-minute deals, with some travel operators basing their business models around these flights, those last-minute deals still come at an inflated price. Last-minute tickets are mostly aimed at business travellers, not holidaymakers that want to find the best deals that are out there.
Plane ticket prices are always based on demand; the higher the demand, the higher the price. However, there is a sweet spot that budget travellers can take advantage of when airlines start to lower their airfares based on the demand, which happens around two to three months before the departure date. Or, if the flight is departing during peak season, the best prices are available around five months before the departure date. With domestic flights, start looking at least 1 month before departure.
4. Consider Non-Direct Flights
A direct flight may seem infinitely more convenient, but massive concessions can be made for travellers willing to endure a layover on their journey. The main reason why this flexible approach to travelling can yield savings is that budget airlines operate from certain airports, which may not run from your departing city.
For example, if you are heading to London from Australia, it may be cheaper to travel to Dublin first and then get a connecting budget airline flight, which can cost as little as $30. Travelling this way may add a few hours to your travel time, but it can save you hundreds of dollars. Time equals money, but consider how long you would need to work to make the extra money you would need to pay to fly direct! It is all relative!
Note that you may need to find connecting flights manually by searching for flights from your departure airport to airports close to your destination airport. However, there are websites, that can help you to determine the best way to travel between nearby airports. This method might also help you to see more of the world, as you are not just limited to air travel. You could hop on a coach, train, or even a ferry and take in the local scenery while saving money.
5. Don’t Fall for the Extras and Pack Light
It is in the airlines' best interest to make flyers pay premium charges once they have found the flights they would like to book by upselling. It is the same as when you head to a fast food restaurant, and they ask you if you would like to go large! It isn't for your benefit; it serves their profit margins far better than your wallet.
One of the best ways to save money when booking flights is to double-check the free baggage allowance when booking your tickets and do your best to pack light. If you are booking a longer trip or need to bring a suitcase for other reasons, consider this when booking your flight – don’t just show up at the airport and hope for the best! Paying for additional baggage to be checked at the airport is often a lot more expensive than paying for it when you purchase your ticket – it could cost you hundreds in additional baggage fees.
Other extras that airlines love to tack onto the cost are prices to reserve particular seats, travel insurance and transport to and from the airport. Before you pay for these add-ons on a whim, shop around and see if there are any cheaper deals!
Other Litttle Tips to be aware of to score cheap flights
If you can fly domestically on a Thursday you could save up to 20% when compared to departing on a Sunday. The same goes for international flights too. Other days to fly are Tuesday and Wednesday.
Next, consider the time of departure to save on flights both internationally and domestic. Generally speaking, early morning flights, lunchtime flights or late-night flights are the cheapest. The more expensive flights will leave between 5 pm and 9 pm, because this timeframe means you can sleep on the plane during the night and you probably don't need to take the day off work to travel.
When you see a great fare, grab it fast! Prices can change day by day and even hour by hour and like everything in life, the better the deal, the sooner it’s gone. If you want to save on cheap flights from the get-go, then search and book online at iFly.net.au, where you can save up to 10% on flights worldwide.
