What are the best tips for booking the cheapest flights?
Booking flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays can save you up to 15% compared to booking on weekends, as airlines often release new sales and deals mid-week.
Setting fare alerts on sites like Google Flights and Hopper can notify you of price drops for your desired routes, allowing you to pounce on the best deals.
Clearing your browser cookies or searching in incognito mode can prevent airlines from tracking your search history and raising prices accordingly.
Flying during the shoulder seasons (spring and fall) can be up to 25% cheaper than peak summer and holiday travel periods.
Booking multi-city or open-jaw itineraries can sometimes be more cost-effective than round-trip flights, as airlines may offer discounts for these complex routings.
Hidden city ticketing, where you book a flight with a layover at your desired destination and skip the final leg, can lead to significant savings, though it violates many airline policies.
Utilizing airline miles or credit card rewards can provide substantial discounts, with some cards offering up to 100,000 bonus miles for new signups.
Flying on off-peak days, such as Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, can save you up to 30% compared to flying on popular weekends.
Booking flights in local currencies, rather than your home currency, can sometimes result in lower fares due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access airline websites from different countries can sometimes reveal lower fares, as airlines may offer discounts for specific regions.
Joining airline loyalty programs, even if you don't fly frequently, can unlock exclusive deals and discounts that are not available to the general public.
Capitalizing on airline price matching policies, where they will match a lower fare found on another website, can lead to additional savings.
Booking one-way flights separately rather than round-trip can be more cost-effective, especially when traveling to multiple destinations.
Considering nearby airports, even if they are slightly further away, can sometimes result in significant savings compared to flying directly to your intended destination.
Flexible travel dates, such as being willing to fly a day earlier or later, can unlock lower fares and better availability.
Monitoring airline sales and promotions, which are often announced on social media or airline websites, can help you snag discounted fares before they sell out.
Utilizing airline price prediction tools, such as Hopper's Price Prediction feature, can help you determine the optimal time to book your flights for the best deals.
Booking flights during the off-season or shoulder season can save you up to 50% compared to peak travel periods, depending on your destination.
Combining different airline carriers for your outbound and return flights, known as a "mix and match" strategy, can sometimes result in lower overall costs.
Enrolling in airline loyalty programs and using co-branded credit cards can provide access to additional perks, such as free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounted lounge access.