Traveling on a budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your destination or experience. One of the most effective ways to keep travel costs low is by booking cheap flights. While flights can sometimes feel like the biggest expense when planning a trip, savvy travelers know how to find the best airline offers that make flying affordable without sacrificing comfort or convenience. In this article, we’ll explore the best airline offers and strategies for budget travelers to find the cheapest flights.
1. Sign Up for Fare Alerts
One of the best ways to score cheap flights is by signing up for fare alerts. Many flight search engines, such as Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak, allow you to set up price alerts for specific routes. These alerts notify you when the price drops, giving you a heads-up when a deal becomes available. Fare alerts can be set for destinations, dates, and airlines, so you’ll never miss out on an opportunity to save.
By receiving notifications directly to your inbox or phone, you can make informed decisions and book your flight at the best possible price.
2. Use Budget Airlines and Low-Cost Carriers
One of the most obvious ways to save on airfare is by flying with budget airlines and low-cost carriers. These airlines typically offer significantly cheaper tickets than their full-service counterparts, often with fewer added frills. While low-cost carriers may charge for extras such as checked luggage, in-flight meals, and seat selection, their base fares can be unbeatable.
Some of the best-known budget airlines around the world include:
- Southwest Airlines (U.S.)
- Ryanair (Europe)
- easyJet (Europe)
- AirAsia (Asia)
- JetBlue (U.S.)
- Spirit Airlines (U.S.)
Many of these airlines offer flash sales or exclusive deals for those who subscribe to their newsletters, so it’s worth signing up to get notifications of limited-time promotions.
3. Book in Advance
Booking your flight well in advance is another surefire way to score cheaper tickets. While last-minute deals can sometimes be found, airlines often offer the best prices several months before your travel date, especially for popular routes or peak seasons. A general rule of thumb is to book domestic flights 3-6 weeks in advance and international flights 2-6 months ahead of time.
If you’re planning to travel during holidays or peak vacation seasons (summer, winter holidays), booking as early as possible can save you a significant amount, as prices tend to rise as the departure date approaches.
4. Consider Flexible Dates and Routes
When booking flights, flexibility is key to finding the cheapest deals. Airfare can fluctuate drastically depending on the day of the week, time of day, and even the season. Here are some tips for using flexibility to your advantage:
- Fly mid-week: Flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are often much cheaper than those on weekends, as business travelers tend to fly on Mondays and Fridays.
- Travel during off-peak seasons: Flying outside peak travel times—such as avoiding school holidays or major events—can help you find cheaper tickets.
- Check alternate airports: If you’re flying to a major city, check nearby airports as well. For instance, flying into Chicago Midway instead of Chicago O’Hare or London Gatwick instead of London Heathrow might yield cheaper options.
Tools like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondo allow you to search for flights with flexible dates or airports, helping you find the most affordable options.
5. Book One-Way Tickets or Multi-City Flights
Instead of booking round-trip tickets, sometimes it’s cheaper to book one-way flights. Low-cost carriers often offer great deals on one-way tickets, and booking two one-way flights with different airlines can be more affordable than a round-trip with one airline. Additionally, some budget airlines have special deals for one-way travel that they don’t offer for round trips.
For those who are looking to visit more than one city, booking multi-city flights or open-jaw tickets can also lead to savings. Multi-city tickets allow you to fly into one city and out of another without the need for separate bookings, which can be cheaper than purchasing individual one-way flights.
6. Take Advantage of Airline Sales
Airlines frequently run sales, offering discounts on flights to popular destinations. These promotions can save travelers hundreds of dollars if they know when and where to look. Some of the best ways to spot airline sales include:
- Sign up for email lists: Many airlines send out emails to their subscribers with exclusive sales and discount codes. By subscribing to the airline’s newsletter, you can be the first to know about flash sales and promotions.
- Follow airlines on social media: Airlines often promote last-minute sales or flash deals on their social media pages. If you follow your preferred airlines on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, you might catch these time-sensitive offers.
- Use deal websites: Websites like The Flight Deal, Secret Flying, and Scott’s Cheap Flights specialize in finding and sharing discounted fares, error fares, and airline promotions. These sites often feature sales that aren’t advertised on the airlines’ websites, giving you access to some of the best deals available.
7. Use Airline Miles or Points
If you’re a frequent traveler or belong to an airline loyalty program, you can use miles or points to reduce the cost of your flights. Most major airlines offer frequent flyer programs that allow you to earn points with each flight, which can then be redeemed for free or discounted tickets. Some airlines even allow you to use points for seat upgrades or add-ons like checked luggage.
- Sign up for credit cards with travel rewards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Platinum, to earn points for everyday spending.
- Take advantage of bonus point offers and partner airline programs, which can allow you to accumulate points faster and redeem them for discounted flights or upgrades.
