You’ve been saving for months for the perfect vacation for you and your family. In such a hectic world, time away to relax and unwind is worth its weight in gold.
But when you’re ready to book flights, airfare prices can be a huge shock. Travel in 2024 can be expensive, especially for families or groups.
However, there are a lot of tricks you can use to find better deals when you fly. Read on to learn the best hacks for how to save money on flights.
Before you know it, you’ll be jetting off to start your big adventure!
How to Save Money on Flights? Be Flexible
One of the best ways to find cheap flights is to be flexible. Unfortunately, airlines use surge pricing, which means as demand goes up, so do prices.
The most expensive days to fly are Fridays and Sundays, which make sense as many travelers go away for a weekend. Holidays and school vacation times also tend to be high. If you can fly midweek, you can often find better deals.
Although being flexible with travel dates can be tricky with families, it can be worth it or the savings.
Also, try to avoid traveling during the high season. For example, if you’re planning a week at the beach, maybe travel in the shoulder seasons of late May or early September— you’ll still have great weather, but both flights and hotels are likely to be cheaper.
Shop During the Week
Not only is it cheaper to fly during the week, but the best flight deals can often be found during the week as well.
Airlines tend to release sales early in the week, so put a note in your diary to hop online around Tuesday or Wednesday to see what you can find. Airlines that fly the same routes often compete with each other, so if you see a good deal on one airline, you may find it on another as well.
Don’t neglect the budget airlines either! Although they may not offer perks such as in-flight meals or backseat entertainment units, they can be substantially cheaper than the other carriers.
Plus, for a short flight, it’s easy to entertain yourself or buy snacks before boarding.
Check the Calendar
Almost all airline websites or flight search engines have a drop-down calendar, which will show you the cheapest flight each day for the next month. If you’re wondering how to find the cheapest flights, no matter what, this is often the best way.
Using the calendar function to visualize all the flight prices at once is much faster than doing individual searches by date.
Savvy shoppers will know there’s a lot of great travel deals out there, once you know how to find them!
Set Up Flight Alerts
Airlines prices fluctuate over time, sometimes even daily. If you’re patient and are booking well in advance, set up a flight alert to be notified of the best deals.
Most websites offer a free service where you can enter your preferred travel dates and arrival and departure airports, along with your email. You’ll then be told when flights for those days drop lower in cost.
It’s an easy way to find good deals without having to manually check each day.
Use Frequent Flyer Points
If you travel regularly, try to go with the same airline, so you can build up frequent flyer points. Offer, look for a credit card with a good rewards program— you could be earning points from all of the purchases you’re already making, such as groceries and gas!
Points can go a long way to reduce the cost of your flight or can be used to upgrade to business class.
Book a Flight With Layovers
If you want to get there cheaply, but not in a huge rush, booking a flight with a layover can be a good cost-saving measure.
Direct flights are the quickest, so they are always going to be at a premium. But if you’re willing to do a stopover, or even book onto a red-eye (overnight) flight, you could be saving money.
Airline websites will usually show the direct flights first, but if you keep scrolling down, you may find cheaper flights with a connection in another city.
Pack Light
Unfortunately, most airlines are now charging for bag fees. If you’re able to travel with carry-on only luggage, you can avoid paying extra money for luggage.
Stock up on the essentials from Amazon before you go, and remember that you can always shop when you arrive at your destination for bulkier items like shampoo, snacks, or toiletries.
Because carry on space can get full quickly, try to board the plane as soon as you can, making it easier for you to find overhead bin space. Luckily, families are usually invited to board before others, so take advantage of this if you’re flying with kids.
Use an Alternate Airport
When searching for flights to a specific city, you might automatically search for flights to that city’s largest airport. But, many large cities have several airports, and if you’re flexible, you can get there for cheaper.
For example, if you’re going to Washington DC, you might search for flights to Reagan, which is DC’s closest airport. However, two other airports also serve the area— Dulles and BWI.
Search all the airports near your destination to find the best deals.
All major airports will have public transport links into the city, so even if you’re not renting a car, you can still get around easily.
Find Your Perfect Flights Today
Travel is so exciting, and it’s something we often budget and save for over months. Now that you know how to save money on flights, you can stretch your vacation budget further, leaving extra money for fun things like theme parks, restaurants, and attractions.
Contact us for money-saving tips, tricks, and advice. We look forward to helping you make the most of your next vacation!
