With airline tickets being the most expensive part of most travel, it is natural that saving on flights is a mission that many travelers would like to complete successfully. Maybe that’s why this is the question I am asked most often: “How can you buy cheap flights?”
First of all, it must be said that there are no miracles. Today, flights are not as affordable as they used to be.
The truth is, with the introduction of exorbitant fuel supplements and the excessive increase in security charges and other penalties, it is becoming increasingly difficult to buy cheap flights. And even low cost cannot escape this widespread price increase.
Fortunately, it is still possible to find good opportunities. The key to finding them is flexibility, persistence and being well informed, as there are promotions that last only a couple of days (or less).
Suppose then that we want to travel to Jakarta for two weeks in the last half of September. How to find the best flights?
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1. Search in a Global Aggregator:
I always start my search for cheap flights on Google Flights or Skyscanner, because they are global aggregators that include different search engines in their results, thereby increasing the possibility of finding good connections and low prices.
They allow you to search for flights to one destination returning from another (open jaw in aviation terminology).
2. Check which Airlines Fly to the Destination:
When you visit Skyscanner, take note of the top airlines flying to your destination. To do this, please note on the right side of the search results, where it says “Top operators on this route”.
Note: If you want to travel to a city with multiple airports, do not choose a specific airport from searches. That is, opt for London (LON) instead of London – Heathrow (LHR).
3. Search for Alternative Flight Dates:
Perhaps the most important requirement for getting cheap flights is to have flexible dates. And not just to avoid busy times like carnival or the holiday season.
It is often that midweek flying is cheaper than on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (besides holidays). And it’s not uncommon for a fare to vary 40% or 50% between two consecutive days, regardless of the day of the week.
4. Visit Airline Websites:
Identifying the preferred airlines and having an idea of the best dates, the next step is to confirm prices directly on the websites of the referred airlines.
More importantly, this is the perfect time to view calendar prices and discover even cheaper flights.
Be sure to search by checking the option that says “flexible dates” or similar to access the pricing calendar.
5. Pay Attention to Airport Call Times and Number of Stopovers:
It should be noted that sometimes the cheapest flights involve many hours of waiting at connecting airports.
6. Study Alternative Routes:
In the case of my route to Jakarta, I then returned to Skyscanner and did flight searches for Jakarta on several dates, with easy access from Los Angeles.
7. Book Flights without Hesitation:
Once you have successfully identified one or several cheap airline tickets, there is no need to hesitate. It is book and buy immediately. Because with the speed at which aviation prices change, tomorrow may be too late.
And how did you manage to get your cheap ticket? Prepare yourself with local currency and for that, you should get the best exchange rate. I hope you can gain benefits from reading this article. Good luck!
