9 Tips to Use for Shopping for the Cheapest Flights

 

Cheap flights to anywhere in the world are out there, you just need to know where to find them!  If you have been struggling as you try to find cheap flights for your next vacation, then you will want to read this before you continue pulling your hair out. 

 

Here are 9 tips to use for shopping for the cheapest flights:

 

1.  Flexibility is Key

 

While you may prefer to travel during the summer months, you may find that certain destinations are cheaper to get to the rest of the year.  You may also find that moving your travel dates back or ahead a day or two can allow you to save hundreds of dollars for your flight alone.  Most people love traveling on Saturdays or Sundays, so those days always have higher ticket prices.  A weekday is always going to get you cheaper rates.  I also recommend that you consider flying out early in the morning or later at night, as those flights are usually the cheapest since no one normally wants them. 

 

2.  Take Advantage of All the Budget Carriers

 

There are so many budget carriers out there nowadays and many of them take the same routes as all the other airlines.  That means that you can arrive at your destination for a fraction of the cost of those more expensive airlines.  You may not have all the bells and whistles when you fly with the budget carriers, but you will still get to where you need to be.  The only thing that you need to be cautious about is all the extra fees that are tacked onto those low airfares.  Sometimes, those fees can make your flight more expensive than it needs to be. 

 

3.  Utilize Multiple Search Engines

 

There are so many flight search engines available right now, so do not limit yourself to only one as you are searching for cheap fares.  You may need to bounce in between a few of them, and even check out actual airline websites before you find the deal that you are looking for. 

 

4.  Fly Multiple Airlines

 

You may find that you can score a great deal on one airline going from where you live to where your layover is, but then the second leg of your trip is super expensive.  However, if you do a little research, you may find that you can purchase a ticket for that second leg for a lot less on a different airline.  The downside with this is that you will most likely need to grab your bag at baggage claim and then check it back in for your next flight.  That takes time that you may or may not have during your layover. 

 

5.  Use Your Points or Miles

 

You may not have enough points for a free flight, but you may have enough to receive a certain amount of money off your flight.  This option can take a regularly expensive ticket down to a reasonable amount that you are willing to spend. 

 

6.  Look for Special Deals

 

Airlines are always running special deals for flights, especially at the last minute.  This is a great way to find cheap flights if you are able to hop on the plane within a couple of days.  It can be difficult to find these unless you take the time to sign up for alerts.  A couple favorites include Airfarewatchdog, Scott’s Cheap Flights, and Secret Flying. 

 

7.  Always Search as a Solo Traveler

 

When you search for airline tickets, they are always going to show the highest priced tickets for your group.  That price will then be given for each person in your party.  You can avoid this by searching for a single traveler and then adding people in the checkout or simply selecting seats where you can all sit together after the purchase has been made. 

 

8.  Book a Little Early

 

Airlines love it when people are raring to go on vacation and book their flights four months in advance, because while there may be a slight deal out there, it isn’t always the best.  I recommend booking your flight six to eight weeks prior to your departure for the best price. 

 

9.  Learn How to Spot Pricing Errors

 

As you continue your searches for the cheapest airfare, you will get to know the rock bottom prices.  That will allow you to spot pricing errors when you stumble upon them.  Make sure that you grab them as soon as you see them, because you never know when the airline will be alerted to their mistakes! 

 

Sometimes, all it takes is a little patience and a little research to get cheap flights to all those destinations that you want to visit.  You may find that you wanted to go to one place this year, but since you can find extraordinarily cheap tickets to somewhere else, you may change your mind as to where you want to go.  This is okay, because eventually, you will find yourself visiting every destination on your list for a lot less!