One of the largest vacation expenses is your flight cost, so it makes sense that you want to save on your tickets any way that you can. While the internet will tell you that there are many ways to find a cheaper airline ticket, there are really only a few tried and true ways to save a buck.
Searching for and finding a flight that has a reasonable price can be time-consuming, but it doesn’t have to be if you know how to look for the best deals. There are always airline promotions that can save you some money, but it will be up to you to do the rest of the work to get the best price.
Whether you prefer to fly a trusted carrier like JetBlue or are planning an international trip, you can find the best rates by following a few travel rules. Let’s take a closer look at how you can get the cheapest flights.
Flexible Time and Date
Airline ticket prices are largely dependent on the time of year, seasonality, the holidays, and the day of the week that you book your flight. European travel is popular in the summer months, and most people want to travel somewhere warm in the winter. This makes those times likely for you to find more expensive flight rates. If you want to get the best rates, you need to be flexible with your times and dates of travel. Try to avoid the times when most people are traveling. The best time to fly is in the off-season. Instead of enjoying Europe during the high-tourist summer season, check out Paris in the spring or the fall.
Budget Carriers
In the past, the larger international airline carriers were the only option if you wanted to travel overseas. Now, many of the smaller budget airlines have mid to long-distance routes that can save you a bunch of money. You may have to give up a bit of comfort or legroom on a budget airline, but you won’t mind when you see how much you can save on your tickets.
Discounts
Like most large companies, apart from specific promotional deals, they don’t advertise their customers’ discount rates. To take advantage of discounts, it will be up to you to ask at the time of booking. If you are looking for discounts, ask your booking agent about the following:
– Senior discount
– Active military or veteran discount
– Student discount
– Disability discount
Layovers
The most expensive way to travel is to take a direct flight. While it may be faster and more convenient to book a flight that takes you directly to your destination, you will save a bundle on your ticket prices if you are willing to have a layover. Many airlines that don’t offer direct flights will book you with an automatic layover, but that’s not the only way that you can take advantage of the savings. You can choose to book your flight segments separately, choosing a layover city that has the best rates.
Use Your Miles
If you have a rewards credit card that helps you to collect air miles, you are on your way to saving on your next vacation. When booking your flights, change the settings in the payment section over to miles from dollars and find out how many miles you will need for your trip. After a short time of collecting your miles, you may be able to get your flight for free.
One of the most significant barriers to enjoying more vacation time is the cost. If you can save money on your flights by using these tips, you have the chance to explore more of the destinations on your travel bucket list.
