How to Book Cheap Flights

There are so many amazing destinations around the world that are worth visiting. The snow-capped mountains of East Africa and the vast deserts of Australia are just a few of the places that are screaming for you to come and explore. But like other people, one of the major things that might be holding you back from packing your bags and booking a plane ticket is money. No matter if you’re planning on backpacking in hostels or sunbathing poolside at a boutique villa, these money-saving tricks will help you book the cheapest flights to anywhere you choose.

Go Incognito
We’re not asking you to wear a disguise on the plane – in fact, that might get you in some unnecessary trouble so definitely don’t do that. Instead, go incognito on your web browser. Have you ever searched for a flight ticket online and gone back a few days later for the exact flight to cost more? That’s actually an industry trick where they use the data from the cookies on your browser. Repeatedly searching for a particular route lets them know that the flight is something you need, so they increase the prices and try to scare you into booking your tickets quickly. By searching for flights using your browser’s incognito mode, you can prevent that from happening and get plane tickets for cheaper.

Timing is Everything
Timing plays a big role in the price of your plane ticket. There are two parts to it though: when you search for and book your ticket and when you book your ticket for.

The first aspect is based on several online studies that state that booking your tickets at least six weeks before your date of travel can reduce your total cost by up to 10% when compared to booking the same flight at the last minute.

The second part is based on the fact that the airline industry has what they call ‘peak travel days’ which is our everyday version of morning rush hour. More people prefer flying in the day time and on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays – so obviously, airlines charge more for flights that take off within that slot of time. You can easily compare prices since many airlines now include a ‘flexible dates’ option so you can see the price difference while booking.

Find Another Airport
It may seem ridiculous to book a flight to another airport when there’s one right next to your final destination, but hear us out. If you’re not short on time and you’re in it for the adventure, then you might want to consider booking your flight to another smaller airport nearby and then either using public transportation or renting a car and driving the rest of the way. You may save hundreds of dollars when all is said and done and you’ll get a chance to immerse yourself in the surroundings instead of being stuck on a plane.

Go Anywhere
If you just want to travel somewhere – anywhere – just so that you can visit a new land and experience a new culture, you could save a bit of money by picking a destination based on price. Tons of online platforms that will send you alerts when prices have dropped to certain places. Keep your eyes peeled for a good one so that you can make the best of all the airline deals being offered.

Join a Loyalty Program
Every major airline has a loyalty program, and if you’re a frequent flyer, you can save a lot of money by signing up. Most of the programs are free to join and allow you to accumulate points with every purchase. This might not seem significant the first few times, but after a while, those points add up and you can use them toward payment for your ticket, to book hotel rooms, rental cars, or for upgrades to first-class or additional baggage allowance.