Have you always been hoping to save money on your flights?
No matter where you’re going, or whether it’s for leisure or business, spending more than necessary isn’t something you’d want.
But is it possible to save money if you fly or book on specific days? What can you do to avoid overspending on your next trip?
Plan in Advance (But Not Too Much)
You might not realize it but there is a balanced window of time between booking your flight early and booking closer to your date of departure.
The window for domestic flight deals is often between 3 months and 30 days before your departure date. Plan if you’re getting long-haul tickets and purchase them between 5 ½ months and 6 weeks before your trip.
However, keep in mind that tickets for flights that fall on public holidays such as New Year and Christmas as well as during school breaks tend to have a higher demand with equally higher price tags. You might be able to save a bit more if you book as early as you can.
Check for Hidden Charges
While it’s great to be wise about choosing the specific day to take your flight or buy your ticket to save some cash, you shouldn’t forget about the hidden charges that might end up making these savings useless.
Do you have to pay for your checked baggage? Is the ride to the airport from your current location long and expensive? Make sure you factor in all these charges so you can enjoy more savings on your flights.
Be Flexible
Prices of plane tickets may differ depending on the airline company, the airport where you will land or fly from, and your departure and return date. If you’re not that picky about the airline or date, you can choose from flights with the lowest prices.
Although it’s not the most ideal more often than not, red-eye and connecting flights are also cheaper options. Many airlines allow you to view a calendar complete with flight times and prices for easier comparison.
Go Incognito for the Ultimate Stealth Mode
While there is no way to tell if someone is tracking your online activities, you can bet on your dollar that airline websites do. If you repeatedly search for a particular location or route, airlines will increase the prices of flights according to your browser cookies.
The purpose of this tactic is to urge you to book a flight as soon as possible. However, it might just end up as an annoyance.
By going into private or incognito mode, your cookies will reset whenever you search for something. The reset will then prevent increases in flight prices since the website won’t be able to track your cookies.
Travel Light (Even If It Seems Hard)
Let’s face it: some people seem to have this tendency to overpack. Of course, it’s perfectly understandable and fine to want to feel ready and have 20 shirts packed for just a 3-day trip.
However, checking bigger bags may end up costing you a fortune. Granted, some airlines may let you check-in a maximum of two bags for free but others may charge for every bag you check in.
You can save yourself from these hefty fees if you only carry one suitcase with you, provided that it can fit all of your essentials. If ever you need to check in some extra luggage, try comparing the check-in costs of different airlines to find the cheapest one.
Booking your flights may seem intimidating with all the costs involved. But as long as you follow the tips above, you can be well on your way to saving more money in the long run.