8 Brilliant Flight Booking Hacks for the Travel Connoisseur
Every destination has a season and people tend to flock to the same holiday spots every time they plan a vacation. We’re all aware that traveling during the season time makes for more expensive flights and higher rates on accommodation and restaurants too. While booking well in advance will always help you to optimise your trip as per your budget, here are a few other tips and tricks that will help you get the best deals possible:
- Don’t Hesitate about Booking yourself on a Budget Airline
When travelling, most of us want to minimise our risks and stick with airlines that we’ve heard of. However, with new upcoming budget airlines entering the market ever so often, you’re very likely to get yourself a great deal on budget airlines as they offer incredibly competitive prices for the same facilities. Budget airlines often have offers and promotions which you can track on their social media platforms.
- Change your Currency and Location
Location also plays a role on ticket prices and apparently you can bag a cheaper flight by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide your actual location. And if you’re feeling particularly keen on getting a great deal, try switching your currency and check the fares. Often when flights are sold using a different currency, the exchange rate may enable a better deal.
- Book Yourself a Multicity Flight
Multi destination flights are a great way to explore more for less. And, they make sure that you’ll actually enjoy the moment rather than stressing about constantly having to book flights to each new location on your itinerary.
If you have time on your hands, flights with stopovers are often cheaper and also allow you to explore a new place. Sometimes you’ll find that you can also get a great deal by booking a flight to a different destination than yours with a stopover at your required destination. And then you also have the freedom to decide if you wish to travel onward or just head back.
- Lookout for the Best Dates to Fly
Flexibility is key while trying to find cheap flights and luckily this option is not as complicated as it sounds. With the availability of a ‘search by month’ tool on certain websites you can look at the rates for a particular route over the span of a month. This way you can plan your holiday based on the best economical flights availability.
- Use Available Tools
Besides the ‘browse by month’ tool, certain websites also offer a price alert tool. If you’re in the ideation phase of your planning then you can set up price alerts on certain routes and track the changes. This will give you a good idea of the variation in prices and in case the airfare volatility is high, this tool enables you to get the best deal on your route.
- Consider Early Morning or Late-Night Flights
Sometimes the minor discomfort of staying up all night is worth the hefty sum of money you can save. When looking for flights, make sure to check the late night or early morning schedule as most people prefer not to take these. As a result, there is a significant price difference which may be well worth it.
- Consult with a Travel Agent
Trusted travel agents always offer sound advice with respect to flights. With the experience that have, they’ll be able to tell you about the best times to travel, when to book and they also help you figure out local transport and where to stay. A small commission goes a long way when it comes to travel.
- Review Flights using Different Flight Search Engines
Remember that when you search for any particular airline route, the top result is not necessarily the best result. Look through the different options using various flight search engines and perhaps even compare with google flights. There will certainly be a reasonable difference in airfare for the same routes and, you can book one that is most suited to you.
Some also believe that searching for flights in incognito or private browsing mode is a good option. However, it’s not guaranteed this will work. The other common misconception about booking on weekdays or certain days of the week won’t necessarily hold strong either. As variations in fares are dependent on demand, your best bet is to book well in advance or sometimes even last minute!
Besides the above-mentioned hacks, a frequent flier membership is another way to get good deals and upgrades. As there are now plenty of airlines that have collaborations with banks; you can now get yourself a specific card that helps you collect miles when you shop, stay at a hotel or even eat out at particular restaurants. Check up on loyalty programmes and sign up for one that suits you best and just sit back and enjoy the rest.
