We dive into the 20 Tips & Tricks for How to Get Cheap Airline Tickets 2024.
For most people, airfare is the most expensive item of their trip. While prices for transatlantic flights have gone down in recent years, they still eat a huge chunk of your travel budget.
So, if you are on a budget, finding cheap airline tickets can be what makes or breaks your journey. Interestingly, airlines put up thousands of deals every day.
These range from special promotions to mistakenly published airfares to slashing prices to compete with other airlines. What this means is that there are cheap flights out there that you can take advantage of.
Today, we will discuss several tips and tricks to help you master the art of finding cheap airline tickets. These tried and tested hacks will likely save you a lot of money on air travel.
So let’s find out more about these tips and tricks.
Tips and Tricks for How to Get Cheap Airline Tickets
1. Ignore the Myths
The first thing you should keep in mind when looking for cheap airline tickets is that there is no secret ninja trick or magic bullet to do so.
Unfortunately, there are several myths online about how to get cheap flights. Chances are that you have encountered some of them while searching for your flight deals.
The truth is that they are all lies and will likely lead you astray. Sadly, some websites hire reports to churn out common and outdated myths, including the following:
- You can’t predict airline prices
- It is not always cheaper to buy your airline tickets on a Tuesday
- There is no exact date or time to book your flights
- No evidence searching incognito will result in cheaper air tickets
2. Be Inflexible with your Travel Dates
Flight ticket prices vary depending on the day of the week, seasons of the year, and special holidays such as New Year’s Eve, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.
August is usually a busy month for travelers around Europe since this is the time that everyone wants to relocate to somewhere warm or travel when kids are out of school.
In other words, if you are planning to fly when everyone is flying, then you will likely pay more.
So, a better option is for you should travel more off-season and be flexible with your travel dates. Sticking with rigid plans means that you will be less likely to get a deal.
3. Be Flexible with Your Destinations
If you can’t be flexible with the time or season to fly, then you should at least be flexible with your travel destination.
Sure, it will help if you are flexible with both, but if you want to cut down on travel costs, be flexible with at least one of them.
Luckily, flight search engines have simplified how you search the entire world to find cheap airline tickets. You don’t have to search manually, day by day, or city by city.
Websites like Google Flights and Skyscanner offer convenient tools to help you see all the flights from your airport to the world.
This way, you can compare several destinations without having to brainstorm on possible options. So, you may find other interesting destinations that you may have not thought about.
4. Search Flights on New Incognito Mode
Another proven way to find cheap airline tickets is to search for flights in new incognito mode.
The reason is that searching your flights with your credentials will lead to prices skyrocketing.
So, when you rely on incognito mode, your previous history won’t be stored.
5. Track Airlines on Social Media Platforms
Some airlines usually post their deals on social media.
So, following them on these social media platforms will allow you to get insights about several promotional deals that airlines offer at the last minute.
6. Utilize Flight Search Engines
This trick is effective but also time-consuming.
So, if you have the patience to go through different search engines to compare airline prices, you might get fair flight tickets.
7. Keep An Eye on Flyer Programs
In addition to the above, you should also sign up for frequent flyer programs.
To activate this, you choose specific airlines, points, and travel packages from your account.
8. Look Forward to Beneficial Deals
Before you start looking for specific flights, consider subscribing to travel newsletters or mailers.
These subscriptions will help you get exciting offers and discounts on time because most of them are available for a limited period.
9. Try Hidden City Fares
If you don’t mind risking to get cheap airline tickets, then you can try hidden city fares.
You can only take advantage of this option when there is a layover at your favorite destination.
10. Take Advantage of Student Discounts
If you are a student and under 26 years old, you qualify for student discounts.
Some airlines offer up to 20% discount for airfares. The good thing is that most student discounts transfer over to airline partners.
11. Don’t Always Fly Direct
Sometimes, you can get cheap airline tickets by being flexible with your route.
For instance, it can be cheaper to London, then find a cheaper budget airline to connect you to Amsterdam than flying directly to Amsterdam.
12. Book Your Flights Early
Airline prices usually rise as you get close to the departure date.
So, don’t wait until the last second to book your ticket. But this doesn’t mean that you book way early.
The best time is about 2 – 3 months before your planned departure.
13. Fly Budget Carriers
Unlike in the past, where you had to stick to traditional expensive airlines, these days you can fly anywhere in the world on a budget carrier.
Budget airlines mainly operate regionally, so you can take advantage of their offers if you are willing to trade off the comfort.
14. Set Fare Alert Notifications
Make sure to set airfare notifications as you browse through various airline pages.
With these alerts, you can monitor cool offers before being availed by third parties.
15. Search Flights in Distinct Currencies
If you are looking for cheap airline tickets for exquisite vacations, consider flying to your destination with a weaker currency.
For instance, there was a time when the US dollar was stronger than the New Zealand currency.
During that time, a flight from Australia to NYC was around $1,000.
But a further search on the New Zealand version of the airline shows that the ticket would cost $600.
16. Enjoy Flight Rewards
Another option to get cheap airline tickets is to sign up for surprising travel rewards. This trick is best for avid travel enthusiasts.
The good thing about it is that you can avail generous welcome discounts, astounding upgrades, and additional credits on various transportation amenities.
Additionally, you can get a generous miles-a-year offer without spending a penny on airfares.
17. Opt for Local Airlines
Some browsers omit local airlines, especially for less popular destinations.
So, if you have plans to visit such destinations, consider searching for local airlines. After that, try checking for available discounts offered by these airlines.
18. Choose Alternative Methods
Another top trick for securing cheap airline tickets is to be flexible especially when it comes to route selection.
What this means is that you have to create several options through which you can find alternate airports instead of relying on domestic flights, which can be costly.
19. Click on Refundable Flight Tickets
Refundable flight tickets are considered more secure than non-refundable air tickets.
So, if you are going to choose non-refundable, you should plan.
20. Try to Get Connecting Flights
To close our list of the best tips and tricks on how to get cheap airline tickets, consider connecting flights.
However, if you have a cheap international flight ticket, then connecting flights might not be the best option for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Unfortunately, that is not always the case, even if you are buying from a budget airline. In fact, some travel companies offer cheaper prices than what airlines give to individual customers.
This is possible because travel companies can buy bulk air tickets and sell them cheaply to customers.
Yes, some days are cheaper than others. Research shows that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are cheaper to fly.
Besides the day of the week, some flight times are cheaper. For instance, early morning flights are always cheaper.
As mentioned earlier, booking air tickets on some days is cheaper than others.
Generally, it is cheaper to buy your flight ticket on Sunday than on other days of the week, especially Friday. Likewise, mid-week is also cheaper.
Final Words
There you have it. The above 20 tricks will guarantee you cheap airline tickets whenever you want to have an exciting and cost-effective vacation.
By following these tips and tricks, you will save quite a lot without wasting your time.
As you may have found out, finding cheap airline tickets is all about being flexible and creative in your search. Yes, it may take some effort, but you will eventually find the best deal.
Also Read:
