Planning a family holiday on a budget? Before you do, take a look at the below blog post for some helpful hints on how to squeeze every penny.
We can’t always afford holidays, but we certainly need the relaxation. Whether you are trying to fly locally or abroad, there’s a bunch of clever ways you can get the best for your buck while budgeting for travel.
This will keep more money in your pocket to spend while on holiday!
Finding a cheap flight is easier than ever before. You don’t have to be a seasoned traveler, or have an inside track. Just use these tips to determine when flights are the cheapest, so you’ll have more money for food and fun.
Fly Unpopular Days & Times
Avoid crowded airports, and overpriced airfare, by flying at off-peak times. Wednesday and Saturday are usually the slowest days of the week, while early morning, meal times and late night, are the slowest times of the day to fly. Since planes are difficult to fill during these times, you can usually find plenty of cheap seats. The airlines would rather offer them up at a discount than have them go empty, and that’s great news, if you can be flexible with your travel plans.
Watch Social Media For Fare Blasts
Sometimes airlines do fare blasts on Facebook and Twitter when they have a limited number of seats to unload. These tickets often sell out in hours, or sometimes even minutes, but if you’re paying attention, you can grab an unbelievable deal.
Follow all the major airlines in your area and in any area that you plan to visit soon, so you’ll be among the first to know, when they run a flash sale.
Set an Alarm for Tuesday at 3pm
Airlines look to see how many seats they have available at the beginning of the week; then, decide which seats need to be discounted further. As a result, cheaper fares start to appear Monday. But if you want to get the best deal possible, wait until Tuesday at 3 p.m. to book your fare. By then, all the airlines have adjusted their prices to match their competitor’s new prices.
This isn’t the only time you’ll find a good deal on airfare, but from a historical standpoint, it’s the most reliable.
Book Early or Late
Airlines usually offer a small number of discount seats early on. Then, make more available later, when they don’t sell out. This means, there are excellent deals to be had for both early birds and procrastinators.
Farecompare.com recommends shopping for flights as far out as 3 to 3 and a half months before your trip and as close in as three to four weeks. For flights to Europe, this window stretches to 5 to 5 and a half months and as few as 30 days before your trip.
Search Incognito
If an airline knows you’re interested in booking a particular flight, they may show you a slightly higher fare every time you check prices, to make you feel like you need to book right now. Don’t let them fool you with this artificial inflation. Start all of your trip searches in an incognito browser window (i.e. private browser), so they can’t use your search history against you.
Trust the Experts
Price comparison sites, like Kayak and Google Flights do a lot more than compare one airline’s prices to another’s; they also compare current prices to historical data to determine, if you should buy now, wait a bit or consider tweaking your plans by a day or two to save more. You can even set up price alerts, so you receive a notification when prices drop, rather than having to continually check back. Much less stalker-ish and way more effective.
Travel Off-Season
Most tourist destinations have a peak season and an off-peak season. Plan your trip during an off time, and you’ll save on everything from airfare to hotel accommodations. Farecompare.com lists these as some of the cheapest times to fly.
[Tweet “Planning A Vacation? Read This First & Save On Flights”]Buy Direct
While shopping through price comparison sites, like Skyscanner will usually help you track down the cheapest airfare, that isn’t always the case. That’s because some airlines don’t allow their ticket prices to appear on comparison sites, and may even host private sales on their website, that you can only take advantage of, if you go through them. So, before you pull the trigger on any deal, be sure to check the prices on the airline’s website first.
Save Even More: Pair your cheap airfare with one of these free vacation ideas.
Finding a cheap flight is easier than ever before. You don’t have to be a seasoned traveler, or have an inside track. Just use these tips to determine when flights are the cheapest, so you’ll have more money for food and fun.
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Disclaimer: Please be aware that Cigno Loans’ articles do not replace advice from an accountant or financial advisor. All information provided is intended to be used as a guide only, as it does not take into account your personal financial situation or needs. If you require assistance, it is recommended that you consult a licensed financial or tax advisor.