Finding cheap flights is not as hard as it seems. It just requires a bit of patience and some effort on your part. You have to know what you are looking for, be familiar with the airline industry, and search online for the best deals.
Here are some tips that help me find cheap flight tickets:
I always check Google Flights first before any other websites because I trust their prices. There is no harm in checking though so if you want to try elsewhere go ahead, but don’t forget to compare both sites’ prices too!
First off, make sure you set up an account (if it’s free) with Google Flights. Then whenever you want to see how much it costs for different dates fill in your preferences under the “Explore” tab.
Sometimes you’ll get lucky and see that one of your dates is actually $100 cheaper than all the others! Make sure to check back periodically to compare prices because sometimes they change. If you want to be more specific set up an alert where Google will email you if the price drops below a certain amount so every time it changes you know immediately.
If for some reason Google Flight’s prices aren’t working or making sense for you then definitely look at other websites. I like Cheapoair because they show what times are good deals, which days are cheapest, etc., but make sure to always double-check with Google Flights too!
I also recommend Kayak, Momondo, Vayama, and Kiwi. These sites are helpful, but I usually check them out last because they tend to be more expensive.
It’s important to know the airline industry well if you want to find cheap flight tickets. Airlines do all sorts of fun stuff like running sales (American, Delta), charging premium prices on Mondays and Fridays (United) or making it cheaper for people flying out of smaller airports (Southwest).
If you want to save money on your future flights check with your local airlines’ websites every once in a while. Staying up-to-date on their policies is always good since they change without warning!
I don’t recommend booking through an airline directly unless it’s for a fabulous promotion they are having. Otherwise, they just take a commission from the ticket price and you’re not saving as much. If you have to book through them then go ahead but if you can help it just use Expedia or Orbitz.
Booking flights last minute is usually risky because airlines charge a lot more for those tickets, but sometimes it’s worth it. Be sure you know how much the normal costs are for your trip before going this route because if it’s too expensive don’t do it!
Google Flights will show what dates the prices drastically change so I usually check those first to see if any of those times work for me. Usually booking 3 weeks in advance is pretty safe from crazy pricing changes, but be aware that there are last-minute sales only a few times a year so if you have the flexibility to wait it out you might get lucky.
The best time for last-minute flights is usually a holiday weekend or spring break/winter break for school kids so watch out for those dates! If there’s not much of a price difference then I don’t recommend going this route though because the risk is too big.
If you’re okay with spending more money then definitely book last minute. I’ve gotten lucky and caught flights for about $150 when they were originally $500, but that’s extremely rare! Don’t count on it happening though because the only time these deals come around is during crazy sales.
I saved my biggest tip for last! Be flexible with your dates if you want to find cheap flight tickets; sometimes flying out Wednesday instead of Monday can save hundreds of dollars (especially for international flights).
It’s hard to find cheap flights sometimes, but as long as you’re patient and prepared with knowledge about airline industry policies then hopefully your wallet will be happy too! Good luck!
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