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Most people think booking cheap flights nowadays is nearly impossible. Airline rates can double in price within an hour or get cut in half within 5 hours. In fact, airlines purposely change their prices throughout the day to stay competitive and fill empty seats. The whole thing is kind of like a science, and I’d like to think I’ve mastered it.
As a frequent flyer and a person that consistently compares airline rates almost daily. I’ve found some budget-friendly hacks and money-saving travel tips to help people like you find some seriously cheap flights.
Here are a few budget friendly travel tips to booking cheap flights:
Now the key to booking cheap flights is to always search flights in a private browsing or incognito mode. Airlines pay big bucks to follow your search patterns and up their prices to scare you into booking as soon as possible. Opening an incognito browser can help avoid unnecessary fees and increases in prices.
The world wide web is a pretty creepy place. It can literally track everything you do, click, and search when your online, including that flight across the pond you’ve been searching all week. Consistently clearing your browser history and cookies can help avoid price changes on flights
Your best bet is to clear your browser history and cookies while using a browser in incognito mode when booking cheap flights
Now we’ve all heard it before and I’ll say it again, planning ahead and being patient is key to finding ridiculously cheap flights. Now I’m not saying you won’t be able to find last minute discounts, but you’ll have more options to choose from when planning ahead.
U.S. tickets: Shop between 3 months to 30 days before your departure.
International tickets: Shop between 6 months and 47 days before your departure.
Some key tips for planning ahead:
The best time to book a flight from the U.S. is on Tuesdays around 2pm central time. Many airlines release their weekly airfare sales on Tuesday mornings and by the afternoon competing airlines will match these sale prices. This will give you multiple good deals to choose from, so be patient with your flight search!!
This does not mean the only day to shop is Tuesday. I’ve found some crazy cheap deals on other days of the week, so be open minded when you’re on the hunt!
There have been studies done that show the BEST days to fly out are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. This is due to most business flights being on Fridays, Sundays, or Mondays.
Another key is to fly when most people don’t want to. This includes overnight flights, flights at dawn, and flights around meal times.
Google flights is my go to search engine when looking for flights because its super user friendly and compares prices from multiple websites. Be sure to utilize the calendar, map, and graph features to compare prices.
It doesn’t always show the best prices, but it does a great job at comparing different prices from different websites. It also has the ability to search multi-city tickets that’ll help you see more cities for the best possible price!
Skyscanner is great for finding cheap destinations. You have the ability to search cheap price options instead of destinations, so if you’re open to spontaneity use Skyscanner!
Some other flight search engines:
Even though using a third-party search engine is convenient when comparing prices, they don’t always show the cheapest price options. Your best option when booking cheap flights is to search the airline’s website for different flight options after you’ve compared prices on a third-party website.
I’m not kidding, this is probably your best option if you’re really trying to see the world. Having a multiple day layover in a big city will give you the option to explore another city or country at no extra cost. Yeah, you heard me. NO COST.
So if you have the option to flexible traveling, look for long layovers because they’re usually your cheapest option and allow you to visit multiple destinations in one trip.
Booking cheap flights is best If you’re open to spontaneity. Look for flights based on cheap prices instead of destinations. Being flexible will lead you to places you never imagined while giving you the best bang for your buck.
Even though travel insurance is usually offered when purchasing flight tickets, it’s usually not your best price. It’s best to shop around for travel insurance and compare prices. Now it’s not necessary to have travel insurance, but when going on a long trip to another country, its better safe than sorry.
I use World Nomads for my travel insurance and found that they give the best benefits at a great cost.
Some airlines have seat selection already added into their prices, but for the most part seat selection is usually an extra fee.
If you have the option, skip out on choosing seats to save a few extra bucks.
If you’re a frequent traveler, then investing in a travel credit card is a must! A travel credit card is great because you receive travel rewards and points on your everyday purchases. Use it enough and you can earn yourself a free flight.
There are many benefits of having a travel credit card including special discounts throughout your travels. Talk to your bank and research which travel credit card is best for you.
Being a part of a frequent flyer program is great for getting free flights and scoring awesome upgrades.
Even if you don’t fly frequently, I still recommend signing up for the rewards program so you can take advantage of special email offers!
If you’re a student (or under 26), there are many discounts you can apply to your flight savings. There’s a bunch of discounts out there for students and several travel agencies like STA travel to help you find them.
Airlines will often show the highest prices to people purchasing airfare in groups. To avoid this, search tickets as if you’re flying solo. This will help avoid unnecessary skyrocketed fees.
So there you have it, that’s my inside scoop on booking cheap flights. Best of luck and safe travels!
Check out some of my favorite tools and companies I actually use when I travel.
Need a Bank Account for Life Abroad? Wise is the best option for travelers, study abroad students and expats. I use it as my everyday checking account since it lets me hold and spend in multiple currencies without getting hit with a bad exchange rate every time I cross a border.
Want to Travel for Free & Skip the Foreign Transaction Fees? I put my spending on my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and let the points cover flights and hotels I'd otherwise be paying for out of pocket. I've been able to use the points I earn on this card to pay for flights, hotels and meals all around the world!
Please Don't Forget Travel Insurance! Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. I never go on a trip without it. My two favorites are:
Need a Flight? I personally love using Google Flights to track prices and compare dates before I commit, the flexible date view alone has saved me a lot of money. Skyscanner is another great search engine to find cheap flights because it searches sites and airlines around the globe, so you know no cheap deal is being left on the table.
Getting Around Southeast Asia? Book your buses, trains, and ferries with 12Go Asia. One search shows you every route and price, so you're not digging through ten different local booking sites.
Need a Place to Stay? Book your hotel with Expedia, where I start looking, especially when I want to bundle flights and stays together. Hotels.com is my backup when I want to compare prices or I'm chasing their rewards program for a free night.
On a Tighter Budget? Hostelworld is where I go for hostels. It has the largest inventory out there, and you can search for dorm beds or private rooms depending on what you're after!
Want a Free Way to Travel? Try TrustedHousesitters! You look after someone's home and pets while they're away, and in exchange you get free accommodation (minus the subscription fee). It's a great option if you're traveling long term and want to cut costs. I personally use this as a host and a sitter, and it's truly great!
Need Inspiration or Just Want to See What's Out There? Go Guides is a solid resource for destination guides, must-see landmarks, local markets, best beaches, and things to do, browsable by place or by theme. It's a good stop whether you already know where you're headed or you're still looking for your next destination.
Check out my full packing gear guide for everything I bring on international trips, or browse my favorite travel finds on Amazon for quick links to it all.
Check out my full resource page for every company I use when I travel. I list them all in one place so you can go from planning to booked without digging through old blog posts!
Hey there, I'm Angelique!
I'm a Filipina-American, Chicago native living abroad and running my online design agency from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Over a decade of traveling in, and yes, I still pinch myself. With family split between the US, UK, and SE Asia, travel has always been part of my story. This blog is where I share the honest side of living and traveling abroad, the places I explore, my best study abroad tips from personal experience, and the little hacks that make this life actually work. Glad you're here, friend!
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