10 Ways to Save Money on Flight Bookings

How to Save on Flight Tickets: 10 Tips

Planning a trip involves a lot of things like booking hotels, tours, buying travel health insurance, and more. But flights are undoubtedly the most expensive part of international trips. However, booking flights doesn't have to break the bank. You just need to know where to look and when to book. With airfares constantly fluctuating and hidden charges creeping in, travellers often end up spending more than necessary. Whether you're planning a vacation or a work trip, these expert-backed tips will help you fly smarter, not costlier. Below are some tips on how to get cheap flights after a little searching and comparing:

1. Use Incognito Mode or Clear your Cookies

Have you noticed flight prices increasing after you searched for them more than once? This is because of cookies! When you search for a specific flight online, your browser stores your cookies and track your activities. It means your search engine has all the details like the flight route, the number of passengers, and even your journey dates.

This data is shared by the airline and travel booking websites, which will hike the price for your flight tickets, seeing the demand. But you can avoid such a situation by using any of the following methods:

• Use an incognito browser when searching for flights. It will block those websites from saving your cookies and browsing data.
• Try different browsers or devices to compare cheap flight tickets
• Clear your browser cache and cookies in between searches.

This way, your last searches are not tracked, and you won't see hiked fares. You can now easily find flight options that saves money.

2. Be Flexible in Your Travel Dates

Many of you may assume that flight tickets are affordable during the off-season, but that is not all! Planning a trip involves a lot of thinking and time. We suggest you be flexible with your dates.

Avoid travelling during festivals like Holi, Diwali or Christmas, as the flight fares will be slightly higher than on usual days. Many people consider this the perfect time to travel abroad, and the demand is very high. You can pick an off-season weekend or plan your trips around long weekends in a year.

Similarly, try to book tickets midweek as the ticket fares are comparatively lower than at the weekends. You can opt for the calendar view booking system on any flight booking app or website and see the entire list for up to a few months. This is perfect if you're wondering how to save money on international flights.

3. Compare Fares in Different Currencies

If you have a good VPN, try checking your airline tickets from the country you are planning to travel to. Sometimes, the ticket may be cheaper when booking from an international version of airline’s website. This also works if you're booking from countries with a currency weaker than Indian. You can do this the next time you want to find cheap flights:

• Change your browsing location using a VPN
• Check the regional version of the airline (.uk or .ae instead of .in)
• Use a currency converter to check if there is any difference

While this does not always work, it can help you save a few thousand rupees that can be used in other places. You can also use them to invest in a travel insurance plan. It will offer financial protection against any unforeseen situation like medical emergencies, loss of baggage, flight delay, etc., during your trip.

4. Use Social Media Deals for Booking Flights

It is possible to avail of amazing discounts on flight bookings using social media. Follow the social media pages of your favourite airlines. They usually announce flash sales, promotional deals, coupon codes, or last-minute ticket sales at unbelievable prices.

Also, you can check your debit card/credit card, shopping applications and UPI payment applications for any offers or coupon codes. Hence, keep an eye out for any offers running on social media.

5. Use Airline Loyalty Programs & Credit Card Offers

If you are a frequent traveller on a particular flight, you can reap the benefits of air miles as a loyal customer. In fact, this is considered the best way to save on flights, as most people have credit cards and loyalty benefits from their bank or airline.

The name of a frequent traveller on a particular flight is listed on the loyalty list and can help you gain extra mile points while travelling in India or abroad.

There are plenty of discounts and benefits available for loyal customers who travel frequently:

• Welcome bonus miles/points
• Cashback points on travel spends (hotels, flights, etc.)
• Free lounge access at airports
• Personal accident coverage
• Coverage for flight cancellations, wallet loss, etc., depending on the loyalty program

You can also buy a credit card that offers cashback on air miles. If possible, use credit cards to pay for your flight tickets as they often offer plenty of discounts or cashback that you can use to your benefit. If you have a credit card with travel insurance, it will provide you with considerable protection, hence saving you some money on travel insurance as well!

6. Search Flight Ticket Fare for a Single Person

Whether you are travelling with your family or a group of friends, do not make the mistake of searching for multiple tickets on a flight search engine. Instead, search for a fare for a single person. This is because airlines eagerly wait to sell the tickets at the highest price possible, and when they find multiple tickets together, they quote their highest price.

If you're a student, you can opt for student discounts offered by several airlines. You can easily save on flight tickets using these discounts, provided you can provide a valid ID proving that you're a student.

You May Like to Read: Here are 12 Money Saving Tips for students for Their Travel Plans

7. Avoid Direct Flights

While travelling abroad, look for connecting flights instead of direct flights. Booking a connecting flight guarantees you a lower price and is very convenient for your long-distance travel schedule. Sometimes, you also get lower flight tickets when you pick alternative routes. Therefore, decide the flight type according to where you are travelling to and book connecting flights instead of direct ones.

8. Compare Air Tickets in Different Search Engines

Gone are the days when agents used to send travel itineraries and book tickets for you. Now, in a few clicks, you can plan an entire vacation sitting on the couch at your home. Using a single-flight search engine does not guarantee you the lowest flight price.

Also, always check prices for one-way tickets first instead of round-trip tickets. It will show you the cheapest airfare for the flight, and you can pick the least expensive one.

You can also go for budget airlines. Budget airlines offer significantly discounted air tickets compared to premium airlines. These economical airlines are perfect options for those who have tight budgets. You may have restricted luggage capacity or some other shortcomings, but it will fit your budget.

We strongly suggest you try different flight search engines instead of just relying on one. Do not forget to open the browser in incognito mode before searching on ticket booking websites. Here, you can search, compare and choose the right flight within your budget.

9. Try Hidden-City Tracking

Hidden-city ticketing or skiplagging is a recent trend where fliers book a flight with layovers at their actual destinations. The traveller basically skips the last leg of the trip. This is usually cheaper and saves time for many travellers as they get to reach their destination sooner and at a lesser cost.

However, this travel strategy comes with some risks, and you must keep a few things in mind:

• Check for airline penalties as a few may cancel your return ticket, ban you from flying or confiscate your frequent flyer miles.
• Though rare, airline reroutes are common, and you may end up in a different layover spot, which can ruin all your plans (and cost you extra money)
• Your baggage may be sent to another country, so you must avoid carrying a check-in luggage. This can be very limiting for a few people who need to pack a lot for a trip.

This method can save you considerable money if you don't need to face these risks. Make sure to check your airline's rules, as some may impose penalties on people who skip the final destination.

10. Use Data-backed Booking Windows

Last-minute deals are great but unreliable. Often, we think that booking at the last moment is going to be cheaper, but it can backfire, especially if you're on a budget. As per various surveys, you should book international flight tickets at least 2-6 months in advance. Similarly, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are considered cheapest for airfares, while early morning and midweek departures are usually cheaper.

Most airlines display their offer price as a baseline price, and this cost keeps increasing day by day. Therefore, it is always the right option to book your flights as soon as you decide on your destination. Along with this, buy overseas travel health insurance to stay protected against any unforeseen financial loss in case of medical or travel-related adversities.

Summing It Up

Flight tickets are a major expense of a trip, and these how to find cheap flights tips can save a lot of money. But before you book your flight tickets with a budget airline, look into their safety record, maintenance issues, the frequency of on-time flights, and customer reviews & ratings. Moreover, plan your trip carefully and cover it under a travel health insurance policy to secure yourself against any medical emergencies faced during the trip.