Looking for a way to save money when jetting off on holiday? Without further ado, here are 5 top tips for finding bargain flights from where to look to what to watch out for.
- When to Fly
It might surprise some to know, but the day that you choose to fly can dramatically affect the price you pay for your flights.
For example, fly on a Saturday and you could potentially pay up to hundreds of pounds more than if you flew three days earlier or later. This is because Saturday is one of the most popular days to fly. Hence, the constant demand for seats on flights taking off on Saturdays means airlines can charge more for them than on less popularly chosen days of the week and still ensure they are filled.
For many people, most obviously those working a standard Monday to Friday work week, Saturday is the only viable day on which they can fly as their holiday time away from work is likely to mean that flying midweek would dramatically cut short their holiday; they will, after all, need to be back at home again in time for Monday and in order to get back to work. This does mean though that those who can be more flexible stand to save a considerable amount by simply being more flexible as to when they fly.
- The High Street vs. Online
Whether you can afford to be flexible as to when you book flights and fly or not, one tip that can save everyone (in most instances) a sizable amount of money as well as time and effort is to book online rather than heading to your high street travel agent.
Online flight providers such as Globehunters are able to offer unbeatable prices on flights (just take a look at these offers on cheap flights to Orlando as an example) regardless of when you choose to book or fly over the deals offered on the high street. This is true not least because flight providers and online travel agency websites are not liable to pay many of the costs incurred by high street travel agencies – which include council tax, premises rents and leases and utility bills.
Further, because shopping online for flights can be done without even getting dressed, never mind jumping in the car or travelling into town, you stand to save a lot of stress, time and effort as well as money.
- Keep an Eye Out for Error Flights
Error flights to those unfamiliar with this term can sound slightly daunting. After all, none of us want to associate the word ‘error’ with the concept of flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet. Those who are familiar with the term ‘error flight’ will know though that this is definitely a term to watch out for when booking to fly, especially internationally.
An error flight, quite simply, describes a flight which has been incorrectly listed by an airline as costing less than it should be. Hence, those who discover these errors whilst searching for flights online stand to bag themselves a real bargain.
That said, few people have the time or inclination to trawl through a myriad of online flight providers in search of these illusive deals. Fortunately, and realising this, many companies now regularly post lists of flights currently marked up at erroneous prices. Hence, whilst searching the net for cheap flights, it is worth stopping by and even book marking sites such as Fly4Free website.
- Check What is Included in Your Flight Costs
When buying flights far too few of us pause to ask ourselves or better yet actually check out what exactly it is we are buying. But we should because included in the price of many flights advertised both online and by high street travel agents is a myriad of extras that we do not require or even want which – from in-flight meals to excess baggage fees that you needn’t pay for if you do not require them.
Hence, and as reiterated via the Lonely Planet guide: Buyer beware: the hidden costs of budget air travel: always ensure you read the small print, always ask an estate agent exactly what the cost of your flight(s) include and ensure you always carefully check the ‘tickable boxes’ when buying online to make sure you are not inadvertently paying for extras that your neither want nor need.
- Opt for a Package Deal
Last but not, this is a tip aimed at all those who are looking to plan their 2017 annual or summer family holiday.
Whilst the temptation can be to purchase flights, accommodation and just about everything else you will require in order to have a fantastic vacation separately, this is not always the cheapest option – and it is rarely the most time effective. In fact, going DIY about how you travel is often only more cost effective when you are embarking on a backpacking adventure or travelling for short periods or time (for example, for work purposes).