Step one of planning: book your flights. It sounds simple, but let’s be real, it’s never that straightforward. There are endless options for flights and prices that change on a daily basis. Over the years I’ve learned how to find the best airfare prices and when to book for the best deal. If you follow my tips, you will learn how to book cheap flights and be at your dream destination in no time – with more money in your pockets to actually enjoy it!
Flexibility
How open minded you are when booking your flights is critical in determining the price you pay for your ticket. Use Google Flights to compare flight prices based on departure airport, destination, and dates. Flying to a destination during its peak season is going to be more expensive than flying on the fringes of peak season or during off season. So if you’re trying to avoid swarming tourists and save big, consider exploring Capri in September rather than July. Want to bypass the lift lines in Vail? There’s still plenty of snow in March or even April. Generally speaking, flying on Fridays and Sundays is more expensive than on other days of the week, as is flying during prime hours (mid-late morning through the afternoon). Be open to flying on different days of the week. If you can’t, consider flying early in the morning, well into the evening, or with a long layover. Lastly, be spontaneous and open to other destinations. Destinations you wouldn’t have initially thought of often have cheap flights attached. It’s a big world with so much to explore!
Timing – When to Book
Typically plan on booking one to three months in advance for domestic flights, or six months out for holiday domestic flights with rigid dates. For international flights aim to book two to seven months in advance. Keep in mind when you fly in a more isolated region, you’ll come across destinations that are only serviced by one or two airlines. For example, Air Tahiti is the only carrier that flies inter-island flights in French Polynesia. In this case, the prices aren’t going to vary as much and you’re better off booking as early as possible. If you find a destination you’re interested in, but are not quite satisfied with the prices use a site like Skyscanner to receive price updates. On the other hand, if you find a fare you like but need a day to think about it before booking, a few airlines – like American Airlines and United Airlines – will allow you put the fare on hold for 24 hours (or longer if you pay a small fee). To put a flight on hold, go through the process of booking up to the payment page, where you will see a ‘hold’ option. I use this feature on American all the time! And remember, when you find a cheap flights, don’t wait – BOOK THEM.
Take Advantage of Sales
Airfare is discounted far more frequently from major cities, like New York, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong, then from your standard international airport. If you live near a major hub (lucky you) flight deals come along far more frequently. However, just because you don’t live in a major city doesn’t mean you have to wait around for a flight deal from your local airport. Get creative! You can book that cheap flight out of NYC and then find another way to get there – book a separate flight, use points or miles, take the train, or even drive. To be notified of sales, sign up for a flight deal alert service. I subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights, a service that sends you email notifications of flight deals. It even allows you to set preferences to specific locations. Sales are usually short lived, so don’t delay.
Multi-City Tickets
Sometimes you will find yourself planning a trip that involves flying to multiple cities. In this case, you will want to purchase a multi-city ticket. A multi-city ticket is essentially the same as a roundtrip ticket, except you can add additional legs (flights) to the journey and fly in and out of different cities. For example, say I fly from NYC to Paris, spending a few days in Paris, and then flying to Budapest before returning to NYC. I would book a multi-city ticket containing three flights (NYC to Paris, Paris to Budapest, Budapest to NYC) all on the same reservation. Do not purchase multiple one-way tickets as it’s almost never cheaper than a multi-city or roundtrip ticket, and it’s more complicated. Another option is to book a multi-city ticket on your primary airline and then book a one-way flight on a budget airline between the two cities. I do this when flying abroad. Also consider driving between cities or taking a train. These are great ways to explore and experience more!
Book Direct
Always book airline tickets on the airline’s official website. Working directly with the airline will generally give you the best price and the most leverage in case of delays or cancellations. Furthermore, you’ll avoid any additional third-party fees for changing flights. If you’re traveling internationally, use the advanced search page on an airline’s official website. Look for an option “Airline” or “Airline Preferences” and select “All Airlines.” This will broaden your search to include flights and prices from partner airlines. Partner airlines codeshare with each other, which means that your chosen airline can sell seats on its partners’ flights. For example, American Airlines is a part of the Oneworld Alliance, which includes British Airways, Iberia, and Qantas, among others. By searching “All Airlines” on American Airline’s website, I can browse a broader selection of flights. This includes those from other airlines in the Oneworld Alliance, all of which can be booked through the American Airlines portal. This method will give you more flight and price options. It is also particularly useful if you are trying to earn miles and status with one airline.
