Traveling and booking flight tickets come with the ultimate task of searching for affordable flight tickets and offers. While to some it may not be much of a big deal, to many getting a percentage of discounts has a huge impact on their travel and budget plans. The hunt for cheap flights and discounts is a part of the flight ticket booking procedure. And sometimes flight tickets can be a complete rip off; airlines charge extra for certain seats (aisle and window seats in particular), in-flight meals cost double the actual MRP and if your baggage and carry-on luggage is above the allotted weight limit, they charge you for that too. So when you take all these external factors into consideration, you need that extra saved money that comes from booking flight tickets at a discounted rate. Discounts and offers are hence of huge importance in the flight ticket booking process.
And you might be wondering if there are ways you can save up on money on your flight tickets, well there are. In fact these ways are unconventional and may not fall into the quintessential system of getting tickets at a cheap rate, but the outcome is always positive and these tips always work.
Money Saving Tips for Air Ticket Booking
These points will help you beat the system and avail the best deals and prices on your flight tickets so take your time and go through each tip thoroughly.
Try to Book your Tickets Early
Last minute bookings will rip you off your money as the tickets are at its highest. Therefore if you are planning to travel; be it for business or for pleasure, make sure to book your tickets at least a month prior to your date of travel. This will allow you to avail your tickets at a much cheaper rate. You can always compare these two factors before booking and you will see a drastic difference in the rates.
Avoid the Weekends
You may not have known this but weekends are when the aviation sector is at its busiest, which means the airlines hike up their prices and you will not be able to enjoy many offers and discounts. If you are traveling for leisure, avoid the weekends and try to book your tickets in the middle of the week like Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday these are the dates when the traffic isn’t much and it is when ticket prices drop therefore allowing you to save up on some money which can be used for other purposes instead of booking tickets.
Compare Fares with Different Flight Booking Portals
There are many traveling portal sites and these portals offer different fare prices and offers. You may have one specific flight booking portal that you rely on all the time, but just because you have been using it every time you travel does not mean that the prices will always be favorable. This is the reason why you need to alternate your choices. The least used site like travolook may sometimes give you the best air fare offer as compared to your preferred portal.
Try to Avoid In-flight Amenities
In-flight meals and entertainment facilities cost a lot of money. Meals are sold at a much higher rate than their actual MRP and entertainment facilities are not always free and you need to pay in order to use it. So instead, try to carry magazines, tablets or maybe just play the already available offline games you have installed in your phone.
Do not Over Pack
Only pack the things that are essential to avoid unnecessary fees. When you pack over the weight limit, the airline charges you extra fees. And these fees will depend on how much extra weight the baggage has crossed. If you feel like it is not necessary to over pack your luggage with clothes or other equipment, trust your instinct and ditch those unnecessary items.
Try to Opt for Economy Class
It is a very obvious statement but economy class seats are preferably cheaper than business and first class. If it isn’t necessary, then avoid the other two classes and settle for economy instead. You may not get the same exact treatment as the people in the business and first class seats but you do get certain amenities which you can enjoy while being in an economy seat.
Use Airline Apps or Travel Apps
Many airlines and travel portals have their own apps. And sometimes using these apps instead of using their website will give you more offers and fares at discounted prices. And also, by installing and using such apps you will be notified about discounts, offers and cashback deals.
Book Connecting Flights on your Own
If you have to book a connecting flight, it will be in your best interest to book it on your own. That way you can compare fares of different airlines. You don’t always have to use the same airline for your connecting flight. Sometimes using the same airline for connecting flights costs more so by using and choosing a different airline will give you a cheaper rate.
Browse in Incognito Window
When you visit a site it uses cookies to keep a record of your searches. And if you use the same flight booking site to buy your tickets every time you travel, it will present you tickets at a much higher rate. By using incognito cookies don’t get saved and the website will not be able to track you as a frequent visitor hence allowing you to save up more.
These are some of the pointers you could use on your next flight or for your next flight ticket booking procedure. It may sound like a lot to handle to some but rest assured because it will help you save up a lot. If you do not want to try every single tip, start off with a tip or two and see if it provides cheaper rates and decide for yourself if you want to continue practicing it.