Whether vacationing in Mexico or trekking through Thailand, the biggest expenditure on any trip tends to be the same- flight tickets.
By decreasing your flight ticket cost, you can have a substantial impact on your budget, allowing you to use that money towards enjoying your trip, rather than just getting there.
Always cost-compare
Always utilize cost comparison sites for the best ticket deals.
Kayak.com and Skyscanner.com are two of the best, as they search through thousands of carriers around the world, including national airlines and some low cost carriers. As a bonus, neither of these two sites charge fees.
Check out local low cost carriers
Some airlines do not list on Kayak.com and Skyscanner.com, because they are too small and too local. If you are traveling domestically within a country, researching the local carriers and going directly to their website can yield super cheap flights that you wouldn’t otherwise find on a cost-comparison site.
Be mindful of the day you buy
On the weekends, especially Saturdays, flight costs tend to shoot upwards. More people are searching for and buying flights on their days off, and airlines take advantage of it.
For the cheapest flight, Mondays and Tuesdays tend to be the best day to buy, but it is recommendable to check out flights daily over the course of the week.
Buy ahead
International flights should be booked between 150 and 230 days ahead of time. Flights in advance of this tend to be a bit more expensive.
Waiting to the last minute is almost certain way to increase your cost, sometimes up to double.
Refresh your browser
Most airlines and cost-comparison sites use cookies when determining the quote. Basically, this means the site can “sense” when you are interested in a flight, and the price may raise because of this.
To avoid this, you have several options. You can do all of your flight searches from a “private” browser window that does not store cookies. Or, you can erase your search history and cookies before, during, and after price searching. Always delete your history before booking a flight.
Trim your baggage
Always check with your carrier to determine your baggage allowance. Staying within the allowance allows you to avoid baggage fees.
Low cost carriers especially have strict guidelines for carry-on baggage, and most do not give a free checked bag allowance. Traveling carry-on only, if possible, will save the sometimes steep baggage fee.
Can you be flexible with your travel dates? If so, even more tips below.
Avoid peak season
Peak season flights can be significantly more expensive than low season. Traveling around a major national holiday can even double your flight price.
Avoid the busy season and holidays, and travel during low or off season if possible.
Don’t travel on weekends
For international flights, leaving on a Thursday and coming back on a Monday can reduce your costs by more than 20%. Traveling on Fridays and Sundays tend to be the most expensive.
Groupon and LivingSocial
Check these sites regularly when in the beginning stages of planning your vacation. Every now and then, an amazing hotel and flight combo deal will pop up. This is especially applicable if your destination is the US, Mediterranean, Mexico, or Central America.