Have you ever wondered how some people get flight tickets at a cheaper rate than usual? Also tired of trying different ways to reduce flight costs but not getting any good results?
You see, flight ticket fare is one of the most significant expenses while budgeting for a tour. But it need not be that expensive. You can fly cheaper instead of spending thousands of money on flight tickets. Consider trying our best 20 tips to get cheap flight tickets without compromising your other requirements.
Here are 20 Tips to Get Cheap Flight Tickets
1. Be flexible with dates
Flexibility with travel dates is a great way to reduce flight costs. If you’re flexible with time, instead of searching for one particular date, track the flight tickets for the entire month using different websites. To find the most cost-effective offer, simply check the one-way fare without specifying your departure point. This will allow you to view bookings for the entire month, providing a comprehensive overview of monthly flight prices and available dates.
If you’re searching for tickets on Google Flights, use it in grid mode to check the flight tickets for the entire month. Use the any-day filter option and push the notification option. Google will notify you via email when the cheapest price for this route is available. There is also a price graph option of price fluctuation on different dates or months.
2. Avoid peak travel seasons
Because of less demand in the off-peak season, flight ticket and accommodation costs are reduced. Think about visiting popular destinations during their shoulder seasons instead of peak seasons for better deals.
3. Use VPNs
While searching for flight tickets online, always use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to get cheaper flight options. VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and AtlasVPN can help you change your location, allowing you to get more affordable flight deals that might not be available in your region.
See also- How to use a VPN for cheaper flights
4. Clear cookies and browser history
Cookies store all related information based on your recent searches and history. Websites operated by travel-based companies or airlines later use this data to show you higher ticket prices. So, make sure to clear your browser history and cookies to see cheap flight rates.
5. Debunk some myths
There are several tips floating over internet that nowadays don’t even work. Some people believe that switching to the incognito mode helps to get cheaper flight tickets which is really not the case. The reason is airlines don’t look at the demand of individual users. Their algorithm looks at the overall demand for any flight.
Another myth here is related to midnight booking. Some people think that booking flight tickets at midnight, will cost them less than the usual. But it doesn’t work like that. Their dynamic pricing algorithm, which is basically the demand of overall flight tickets works 24×7.
6. Use price comparison websites
There are tons of flight booking websites on the internet. Some of them are Skyscanner, Google Flights, Kiwi,or Kayak. Instead of checking flight tickets on one platform, search all websites and compare the prices across different airlines and booking sites. This is one of the best techniques one can follow to find flight tickets at a cheaper rate.
7. Sign up for price alerts
Airlines and booking website companies share flight ticket prices with people signed up to their websites. You can sign up through your email to stay informed about price drops and special offers. If you stay connected with them like this, you will be notified as soon as discounted fares become available.
8. Look forward to beneficial deals
Sometimes, airline companies offer beneficial deals like discounts, coupon codes, or other promotional offers. These offers are generally provided during special occasions or off-peak seasons. So, check out their websites on a regular basis, especially around your travel time, to access these discounted fare offers.
9. Use credit card rewards
Paying with a credit card comes with great benefits when you make big purchases. It works as a protection for bigger expenses. While traveling in foreign countries, using a credit card is more beneficial for getting better exchange rates and smartfares on flight tickets. Also, certain perks include cashback on purchasing, air miles cashback, etc.
So consider using credit cards for better savings, which may be lacking on other cards like debit cards.
See also- 5 Ways to Use Credit Card Rewards to Buy Airline Tickets
10. Follow airlines on social media
Follow airlines and ticket booking websites on social media platforms like Facebook, X, and Instagram to stay updated. These companies share their offers on these platforms to update their followers. So, watch these platforms to stay alert when they share special offers.
11. Try hidden city fares
Okay, now this one can be a risky option to spend less money on flight tickets. It means when you are flying to your exact destination, instead of booking a flight to that specific location, you book a different location, making the destination the layover destination. You can take advantage of a layover of the planned destination to leave the airport.
To make it easy for you, suppose you want to fly from Los Angeles to Chicago. But a direct flight from Los Angeles to Chicago is quite expensive. So, you book from Los Angeles to, say, Minneapolis with a layover option in Chicago to exit the airport from the layover. This way, you can save a lot of money on a flight ticket.
However, as this is quite a risky option that comes with potential risks, airlines often discourage passengers from booking hidden city tickets. So, travelers should make their decision wisely.
12. Book flights priorly
This is a basic one, yet people often forget this trick. Booking flights beforehand instead of at the last moment is a great way to get cheap flight tickets. You might consider booking flights even one year before the actual travel date, especially if you’re traveling to a special occasion like Disney Tomorrowland or the FIFA World Cup.
Some people think that flight costs will be reduced at the last moment, which may not always be accurate. So, it’s not wise to take the risk and try to book the flight beforehand. If you are flexible with time, which is the best way to book cheaper flight tickets, check for the flight search engines of different platforms to know the cheaper flight rates.
See also- Best Transport Apps for Travelers
13. Travel light (don’t overpack yourself)
Traveling light means taking fewer things with less baggage with you. Take only the necessary items and accessories with you. Avoid taking lots of baggage as it seeks extra fees. Try to travel with only a carry-on or a single bag to avoid checked baggage fees. Besides, it will also help you to have a more comfortable and hassle-free journey.
14. Be flexible with locations
Being flexible with locations opens doors to accessing cheap flight deals. There are websites like Google Flights and Kayak where you can search for your home location and destined location on a map. The map shows you the whole picture of different locations with airfares. You can compare the prices with location and decide which place would be a good option for you to get cheap airfares.
Besides, you can also try stopover flight option. Suppose you’re willing to travel from London to New Delhi. But it can be more expensive to fly directly to New Delhi. So, if you are flexible with locations, you can choose other unpopular destination like Bhubaneswar airport instead of places like Delhi. It generally costs way cheaper to book. One thing to remember is to consider the expenses for travelling the remaining distance as well as the time it will take. Apart from that, you also get the chance to explore a different location in this way.
15. Book connecting flights
If you don’t have an emergency, try booking connecting flights instead of direct ones. Though it may take longer to reach, you can save more money on flight tickets and enjoy some other perks. It’s a great way to reduce flight fares.
16. Search for flights in other currencies
Airfare is generally lower in countries with weaker currencies than in countries with stronger currencies. For example, suppose you are traveling from New York to Berlin. You are booking a flight in American currency (USD), which is stronger than Canadian currency (CAD). It may cost you more money if your currency is USD rather than CAD while getting exactly the same thing. So try to choose flights in weaker currencies for cheaper flight tickets, and this technique works most of the time.
See also- 10 Cheapest Places for Digital Nomads
17. Be patient
Booking a cheap flight ticket isn’t an easy and fast process. It requires time and effort to research and collect information. Here, rushing often results in buying expensive airfares compared to what you could have purchased if you had given proper time and effort. So, patience and persistence are really important while searching for smartfares.
18. Avoid weekends to book flights
Most people travel on weekends because of their off-time from work. So, the rush stays lower on work days than on weekends. You can book a plane seat on work days like Monday or Tuesday, as the ticket price is generally lower than that of the weekends. These days are usually less popular to travel on. So, if you are not in a rush, try to book flights on work days.
19. Look for bundle deals
If you check for bundle deals, you might end up paying less money for the flight ticket. The simple reason is that travel companies or agencies book tickets on a large scale, so they get huge discounts. In bundle deals, you can get discounts not only on flights but also on accommodation. It is really helpful to reduce costs while budgeting your whole travel.
20. Use alternate methods
Sometimes, trying to book flights at a cheaper rate in a conventional way might not be a good option. You can search for alternative methods to book cheaper flights. One of the alternate methods you can try is the reverse process. Here, first, search for cheap flights, at least for an entire month. Then, pick a destination based on what you’re saying. Lastly, pick up a date according to your convenience.
Remember, this method requires flexibility of destinations and time. So, if you have a strict routine, try to find a different method to access cheaper flight deals.
These were some of the best tips for booking cheaper flights. Now, let’s see where to search for cheap flights.
Where to Find Cheap Flights
There are several platforms, such as airlines and flight booking websites, from which you can search for cheap flight tickets. Besides, there are various travel agencies, such as Booking.com, Expedia, etc., from which you can book flights as part of a tour. They offer services like hotel bookings, car rentals, and much more.
If we’re talking about flight comparison websites, then there are websites like Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kayak, Momondo, and so on. These websites help you search and compare prices according to your preferences, including location, time, and people, as well as set price alerts.
Apart from these, you can also book flights directly from the airline. Airlines like Emirates, American Airlines, British Airways, and Qantas provide online flight booking, as well as hotel reservations, car rentals, and itinerary packages.
You’ve definitely heard of the Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs), especially if you are from Europe. LCCs like Ryanair and EasyJet are really popular in Europe as they provide extremely budget-friendly flight costs (sometimes less than a coffee!) across the continent. Besides, in the United States, there are JetBlue and Southwest Airlines. IndiGo is also doing pretty well in India. They also have hotel booking and car rental options.
You may also like this: 13 Top Rental Sites for Digital Nomads (2024 Update)
So, that’s for today! Let me know your thoughts in the comment section, and share this article with your friends and family. Until then, keep reading, keep nomading!
FAQs
How to find cheap flights?
Best 20 tips to get cheap flight tickets:
1. Be flexible with dates
2. Avoid peak travel seasons
3. Use VPNs
4. Clear cookies and browser history
5. Switch to incognito mode
6. Use price comparison websites
7. Sign up for price alerts
8. Look forward to beneficial deals
9. Use credit card rewards
10. Follow airlines on social media
11. Try hidden city fares
12. Book flights priorly
13. Travel lightly (don’t overpack yourself)
14. Be flexible with locations
15. Book connecting flights
16. Search for flights in other currencies
17. Be patient
18. Avoid weekends to book flights
19. Look for bundle deals
20. Use alternate methods
Where to find cheap flights?
· Price Comparison Websites: Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kayak, Momondo
· Travel Agencies: Booking.com, Expedia, Trip.com
· Direct Airlines: United Arab Emirates, American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas
· Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs): Ryanair, EasyJet, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, IndiGo
Why are flights cheap in Europe?
European airlines are cheaper than American airlines. Europe has been very generous in terms of interconnecting mobility. The European Commission and the transport system are also reasons behind Europe’s low-cost carriers.
Share this article: