Be Flexible with Dates & Airports
- Use flexible date search tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to compare prices across a range of days. Flying mid-week is often cheaper than weekends. Also, consider nearby airports, you might be able to get a better deal just by shifting your arrival or departure point.
Set Fare Alerts
- Sign up for price alerts on platforms like Google Flights, Hopper, or Skyscanner. You’ll get notifications when prices drop allowing you to book the deal at that time.
Book at the Right Time
- Booking early can unlock solid discounts, especially for international flights. But if your schedule is flexible, last-minute deals can also be discounted as airlines try to fill empty seats.
Use Incognito Mode
- Search for flights in incognito or private browsing mode. This helps avoid dynamic pricing based on your search history (yes, that’s a thing).
Use Points & Miles
- If you’ve earned credit card rewards or frequent flyer miles, don’t let them sit unused. They can offset a big chunk, or all of your flight costs. I’ll dive deeper into this elsewhere on FarePlay.
Travel Off-Peak
- Just like accommodations, flying during off-peak seasons usually means lower fares and fewer crowds.
Mix & Match Airlines
- While round-trip tickets are often cheaper, sometimes booking two separate one-way flights with different airlines ends up saving more. Don’t be afraid to get creative.
