Find good and cheap flights
Published
Traveling can be expensive, and especially when traveling to faraway places, flying is often the only way to get there. Unfortunately, we often rule out certain destinations during the initial selection process because we consider them valuable.
However, many different factors influence the price of a plane ticket. Nevertheless, there are often ways to reduce costs, especially for solo travelers.
1. Subscribe to a Flight Alert Service
The great thing about the internet and technology is that there are tools available that allow you to receive real-time information about cheap flights or so-called “error fares.” Sometimes airlines offer a really good deal or accidentally publish fares that are far below the market price. In these cases, it is important to know about these offers quickly before others book them. You can either spend all day browsing the websites of airlines around the world, or simply subscribe to a flight alert service that constantly scans for deals and sends you a notification whenever a new great offer appears. Under the “Flight Deals” section, you can sign up to receive the best deals available on the internet.
2. Book in Advance
Timing is important. As you may know, people on the same flight often pay different prices for their tickets, even when they are traveling in the same class and receiving the same service. Airlines use dynamic pricing methods, and you can often get much better prices when booking in advance, as the cheapest booking classes are usually no longer available as the departure date approaches. Some people may say that last-minute deals are usually the best, but this is purely speculative, and you never know which destinations will actually be available at that point. Every airline has a different pricing structure. However, I recommend booking at least 6 weeks before departure if you want to get a good price.
3. Be Flexible with Your Dates
The price of your flight can depend on the day of the week you want to depart and the length of your stay. Business travelers, who are generally less price-sensitive, often stay at a destination for only a few days. If you can stay longer, your return flight should be at least 6 to 7 days after your outbound flight to get the best price. Many airlines also provide a price matrix showing fares for +/- 3 days around your selected departure date. Therefore, I recommend checking prices for different dates whenever you have the flexibility to do so!
4. Avoid Peak Travel Times
Pay attention to national holidays and school vacations in your country. Prices will normally increase during these periods as demand rises. Imagine entire families planning their vacations according to their children's school schedules. Your destination will most likely also be affected by crowded beaches and a less enjoyable travel experience. You should also consider public holidays and vacation periods in your destination country to avoid the same effect once you arrive.
5. Use Flight Search Engines
One of the best tools for getting an initial overview of expected prices is flight search engines. Many technology companies and start-ups have made it their mission to provide travelers with a fast and detailed service for finding the best prices on a particular route. These search engines scan flight information from most airlines to find the cheapest and fastest flight options. You can usually search for prices for multi-stop flights and different classes such as Economy and Business. However, low-cost carriers are generally not included in these search engines, so you will need to check their websites separately. Some of the most useful flight search engines include Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak. They not only show you the price of each flight but can also direct you to the specific websites where you can purchase the tickets. Finally, you can save a lot of money by using Google Flights to search for nearby airports and checking whether flying to the same destination from another airport that you can easily reach is cheaper.
6. Check Prices on Airline Websites
Do not blindly trust flight search engines. If you find good deals, it is a good idea to select the three best options and check them directly on the airlines' websites. Sometimes the search engine may not display the correct price, or the flight may actually be cheaper on the airline's website than through the search engine. This small extra effort can definitely be worthwhile. In fact, some people have concerns about the reliability of flight search engine results because they sometimes redirect you to websites you may never have heard of before.
7. Collect Miles
Most airlines use frequent flyer programs to attract new customers and strengthen loyalty among existing ones. With miles, you can receive discounts on flights, upgrades to a higher travel class, or other products from companies that partner with the airline. Many people think they will never collect enough miles and therefore do not sign up for these programs.
From my experience, signing up for free can often be surprisingly worthwhile. Many frequent flyer programs also reward customers who purchase products from partner companies, for example at supermarkets or gas stations. This means you can collect bonus miles in your everyday life while simply paying for other things. After some time, these miles can really pay off, as you may gain priority status for check-in, lounge access, priority boarding, or redeem your miles for a free flight to the USA! Some of the most useful frequent flyer programs are those that work across many different airlines, including the Miles & More program, which allows you to earn and redeem miles with airlines across the Star Alliance network.
