When it comes to booking a holiday, its finding a cheap flight that first comes to mind. However, even making a great booking, doesn’t leave out the fear that those hidden costs might push you well over your budget.There are a few factors which determine the price of your ticket.
These being: departure day; booking in advance; airport destination; and duration of visit
If you are looking for a flight on the internet then it is best to search for flights by going incognito. There are plenty of comparison websites. These include: Netflights, Expedia, Booking.com, Kayak, Google Flights, Priceline, Southwest, Agoda, Skyscanner and many more.
A relatively new comparison website to join the many others is WayAway. It’s different in that it offers you cashback and not points if you travel with any airline. It also helps you find a hotel and car rental.
Useful tip on comparison sites
If you search for a flight to Spain, for example, by going incognito it stops travel companies from using your cookies to manipulate what you see and their prices. You can go incognito by going on your keyboard and pressing Ctrl + Shift + n. There are lots of comparison websites, so the cheap deals are out there.
Find out which is best day to fly, don’t assume anything
Don’t always believe that the best day to fly out is a Tuesday. Best days can often change. The best way is to use a website like Skyscanner where you can monitor flights over a longer period and then determine yourself when is the best day to fly.
Once you have done your research, close your internet down, and then go back in incognito and find the best day for your return flight. By looking at a possible month rather than a day, you will be able to see which days are cheaper than others.
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Non-stop is more expensive than doing stop overs
If you are doing a non-stop flight, that will be more expensive than one where you land at one airport and then have to kill a couple of hours for your connecting flight to your final destination.
Travel experts have found that you can save yourself up to five per cent on your flight for a long flight where you have to stop and connect with another flight. For two layovers you could save up to seven per cent. You can also economize by switching planes to get to your final destination by travelling on two airlines, when making your layover.
Airlines give you points which translate into free flights
You might stick with one airliner if you are a frequent holidaymaker. British Airways give Avios points every time you fly. These you can accumulate quite quickly and it could mean a free flight next time.
100000 Avios points allows you to travel to almost anywhere in Europe in Business Class and practically everywhere else in Economy or Premium Economy. An Avios point is worth between 1p to 2.8p, so with 100,000 Avios points in the bag, you can on average save up to £2,800 depending on the class flown.
Check out what each airline offers you. Many American airlines offer you reward programs for flying with them. They include: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan; Delta SkyMiles; United MileagePlus; Southwest Rapid Rewards; JetBlue, Free Spirit; and TrueBlue.
Hand luggage or sharing your luggage works when saving money
Look out for luggage fees. Some flights might be very cheap, but when you arrive at the airport with your two suitcases, you might find that once you have paid for them, the price of your ticket has mushroomed. So, make a point of travelling light, if you can. I usually try and keep it to hand luggage. Small and light comes cheaper than big and heavy. Each airline has its own prices, so look out for those.
Hand luggage is much cheaper than overweight suitcases
Your best when travelling with hand luggage. Hand luggage can range from 15lbs to 50lbs. If you go over that limit, some airlines in the USA may charge you up to 100 dollars per case. If you are travelling with someone who doesn’t take much luggage, it might be worth your while sharing your luggage to avoid any extra costs.
Sometimes when travelling you can choose your seat at no extra cost, but on other occasions for an extra fee you can get the seat that you really want. If you go in a large group you may find your seat price is a lot cheaper. There is an app called Seatfrog, which allows you to upgrade your seat last minute.
Bring your own goodies if it is a long-haul flight
Eating food and drinks on board is another way of saving money on your flight. Each airline is different – one may offer you a light snack – another may give you nothing. If you want to eat because it’s a long flight, buying your meal online can save you a few pennies or dollars. Each ticket has terms and conditions, so it’s worth having a look at them.
Bringing your own food and snacks can be economical. If you have kids with you – then buying lots of snacks is a no brainer.
You can always take a bottle of water with you, but do it after you have passed through security, otherwise you may have to get rid of it. It has to fit the 3.4oz test to get past security.
Work out the cheapest method to pay for your ticket – debit or credit?
Remember when buying your ticket to check which is the best payment method for you. Each method may have a charge, so find the lowest one. It could be a credit or debit card, PayPal or bank transfer.
Travel insurance is crucial when travelling, as any accident abroad may costs you thousands of pounds or dollars if you end up in hospital. Do your own research, the one I go with is pretty good in my estimation.
Don’t take any chances when flying, anything can happen on holiday
Anything can happen from your flight being cancelled which has a knock on effect on your travel plans and stay at hotel, to having a ski accident, catching Covid to losing your luggage. Always it’s better to be safe than sorry.
To round everything off, go through the list I have provided in this article. Even if you just take into consideration just a few of these ideas, you will save yourself some money.
And that money could help you fund your next holiday.
