It will take time, effort and even sometimes a little bit of luck but there are very cheap deals out there. You just need to know where to look and be open minded in your destination and a couple of other factors. Please read on for tips on booking cheap flights.
Back in 2009 I flew to Madrid from the UK for £8.00 with Ryanair, this unfortunately is not the case anymore. There are still cheap deals out there but there are a few things that you need to consider when researching and booking your flights.
Be Flexible:
- Booking any flight the key to finding the best price is being flexible and open-minded on the dates your travelling and the destination you are flying to.
- When choosing your destination I find that if you have it set in your mind where you want to go you have no choice but to pay the fare regardless of the cost and that can take up a large chunk of your budget.
- Check budget airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, or KLM for any sales and also comparison websites like SkyScanner or STA Travel. I look to see what destinations are the cheapest and then from there research and see if it appeals to me. I have flown to Poland for £24 return and £19 return to Barcelona. Google Flights has a feature that allows you to type in an airport and it allows you to see what routes are the cheapest.
- Two single flights with different airlines, sometimes a can be cheaper than a return flight with one airline.
- I understand that some people will only be able to fly on specific dates but if you can be flexible you can make savings.
- Flying midweek compared to weekends can offer an instant saving with it not being peak travel time. Stay away from public holidays because the fares are always a lot more expensive and when schools out during the summer months. Be flexible in flying early morning or later in the night, as well as being cheaper it allows you to have more time at your destination.
Airport Selection:
- When I first flew to Barcelona I came in and out of Girona airport but when I travelled there for the third time I noticed on Ryanair it has a second airport, I found out that this was actually cheaper to fly to. Now when I look to book flights I will check to see if the city has more than one airport, it may take a little longer to travel from once you land but with the savings it can offer you will find it to be worth it.
- In the UK we have companies such as MegaBus that offer cheap travel all over the country including airports. This allows me to look at departing from and landing into a different airport
Take a Different Route:
- A number of years ago this was only common with longer haul flights but now even European travel you can pick up connecting flights and save some money.
- STA Travel and SkyScanner along with all the main flight comparison websites will bring up flights where you will pick up one or maybe two connecting flights to reach your destination. This can sometimes be a lot more cost effective than flying direct especially when you are taking long haul fights.
- On one trip between London and Asia I saved over £500 when going via Dubai with Emirates Airlines and haven’t looked back since.
- This method of booking flights does take a lot longer as you need to check different websites, compare the price with the direct price and see what works out cheaper. If you are willing to put the effort in you will get some super savings that increase your budget for when you arrive.
Some More Tips:
- STA Travel offer discount air fares for both student and under 26 which is worth checking out.
- Sign up to mailing lists and latest offers as you can get a great deal without even looking.