Who doesn't like to travel? Exposure to a new culture, tasting delicious food, fantastic sights, unforgettable adventures, moments of relaxation - this is what we associate vacations and trips with. However, the most common reason most people give it up is lack of money. You have to pay for hotel, food, attractions and, of course, transportation.
The fastest and most cost-effective means of transportation is flying, but ticket prices are very often beyond our financial means. But what if you could always find the best bargains and fly for almost free? In this article, we have prepared for you some tips on how to find cheap air flights.
Have you ever wondered how much do pilots make? You can read about it HERE.
10 tips to find cheap flights
1. Be flexible with your departure dates
It's not possible in every job, but if you have the opportunity, try to match your departure date with your ticket prices, not the other way around. This can make the travel planning process more difficult, but even a delay of a few days can save you a great deal of money. Additionally, try to avoid flying on weekends. This may not always work, but in most cases flights on working days have more favorable prices.
2. Budget does not always mean bad
Don't be afraid of slight inconvenience. Remember that it can save you money, for which you will later be lounging on the beach with a drink in hand or visiting a phenomenal museum. Think about flying on budget airlines, or which of course offer far fewer comforts, but sometimes it's worth the hassle.
Be sure to check carefully what you're offered, though. Watch out for additional fees for checked bags, carry-ons, printing your boarding pass, meals or even beverages. You need to consider which option is more financially viable and think through all the pros and cons. The most popular budget lines in Europe are Wizz Air and Ryanair.
3. Don't insist on a particular destination
Another best way to find cheap flights is being flexible. In addition to adjusting your departure dates for flight prices, it's also a good idea to choose where you'll fly to for the lowest possible price. There are many websites that will give you an efficient way to discern the cost of flying to specific countries. However, you need to be careful and do a deep research, because often cheap air flights can be caused by bad weather conditions on the spot or simply a lack of interesting attractions.
4. Convenience is not everything
Sadly, the cheapest way to fly is to condemn yourself to a bit of inconvenience. Of course, many hours in an uncomfortable seat can be tiring, but another way to find cheap airline tickets is to gently extend your route. Very often connecting flights are much more cost-effective than direct ones.
5. Look for special offers
Another best way to find cheap flights is to sign up for various airlines' newsletters, set up alerts on websites, and try to catch the best bargains. In this way, however, speed and vigilance are very important, as well as the ability to make quick decisions. Maybe a seat on a plane has been released at the last minute, but the departure is the next day? Or a particular flight has a good enough price that you definitely won't be the only person interested? Try to stay up to date and look for the best deals.
If you want to find out why are flights so expensive right now, click HERE.
6. Use flight price search engines
You want to find the cheapest flight? Here is another way to do it. As we mentioned earlier - there are many websites and apps available that collect data on many flights of different airlines in one place. This can greatly simplify your search process, due to the fact that you won't have to browse a dozen different websites.
Keep in mind, however, that not all search engines are the same. On some sites you will find budget flights, on others those of more well-known airlines. Before buying a ticket, you should look at all possible options. Skyscanner and Google Flights are considered the most popular.
7. Try to book in advance
Last minute offers may not always appear, so it is worth buying cheap airline tickets in advance. However, you need to calculate the right date well, because too much advance notice can very often work against you. The best time to book your flight is around 2-3 months before departure. The moment you notice that prices are slowly starting to rise, you should be ready to buy your ticket.
8. Avoid high - season and holidays
As you know, vacations are a time for travel and tours. This is when prices fly up significantly, due to the many people who want to go somewhere interesting. The holiday season, whether it's Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter, is also a bad time to travel. This is the time when people fly to their families to spend this special time with them or even escape the cold of winter to tropical countries. The solution is to fly off-season and cherish cheaper tickets.
9. Think about paying in another currency
This is one of the more complicated methods to find the cheapest flights. When your country's currency is stronger compared to others around the world, try to find airfare in a country where the currency is weaker. However, this requires some knowledge of the subject and careful thought, as it can result in losing money and overpaying.
10. Fly for free with points and miles
When traveling a lot, you should set up accounts on airline websites and apply for travel rewards card. Airline rewards programs are one of the best ways to find cheap flights or even get free ones. Often you can also gain other benefits, such as an upgrade on the plane, refunds for cancellations or nights at various hotels. This is a fantastic deal, as you lose nothing on it, and can gain a great deal.
Read more about making money while traveling HERE.
Traveling wisely can significantly improve your finances after the trip. Of course, you don't have to use all the tips at once, but the more you do, the more you will save. We hope that this article will help you find the cheapest flights so that you can enjoy your vacation and still profit from it.
