Frugal Flying: 10 ways to save money on flights

Air travel is a popular mode of transportation for both personal and business trips because it allows passengers to get to their destinations quickly and efficiently. However, despite the benefits of air transit, it still comes with a considerable financial cost. 

Don’t worry though, because these 10 tips will help you save money when you book your next flight!

1. Book your flight in advance

Booking your flight 1-3 months in advance will allow you to get better ticket prices. Why? Because the cost of seats starts to become more expensive the closer the date of purchase is to your departure. Additionally, finding good deals during peak seasons is significantly harder.

2. Explore your options

Websites such as Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondoor can help you compare the prices of airline seats. More often than not, these third-party websites will allow you to find cheaper and better deals. 

3. Fly with budget airlines

If you’re traveling on a tight budget, consider a budget airline since these companies offer cheaper fares. However, please take note that some of these airlines usually forego food, refreshment, Wi-Fi, and other amenities to eliminate costs.  

4. Be mindful of hidden fees

Before you pay for your ticket, check the price breakdown. Because in some cases, airlines offering cheap tickets might charge you for hidden items such as food, drinks, seat choice, checked luggage, and even carry-on bags, leading to a more expensive bill.  

5. Use Incognito Mode

Use this private browsing feature when searching the web for ticket prices since most websites use cookies to record user information.

Data gathered from cookies allow airlines to adjust pricing whenever a certain route becomes popular, making flights more expensive. 

6. Avoid traveling on weekends

According to the Google Flight team, “flights that depart on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday are12% cheaper than weekend departures." 

7. Book a non-refundable ticket

If you’re already sure about your destination and departure time. It’s better to book non-refundable tickets because these are cheaper than refundable ones.

8. Be Notified: Watch out for deals and sales and set a price alert!

Jumping on fare deals will significantly lessen your flying cost. Additionally, set price alerts to receive notifications when the price changes if you're interested in finding the best deal for a specific destination. Most travel sites allow you to set up alerts that will notify you when flight prices change. On Google Flights, toggle Track Prices for any route or flight you're interested in booking.

9. Use a different currency when paying for your tickets 

In some cases, flights are cheaper when bought with your destination’s local currency.

10. Join airline loyalty programs

If you are a frequent traveler who prefers to fly with a specific airline, then you should consider joining an airline loyalty program. Some airlines offer points and rewards that can be used to avail of discounts. In some cases, you can use your points to fly for free!

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Keep these tips in mind the next time you book your flight. The money you can save from your airfare can go towards other travel-related expenses such as food, hotel accommodations, souvenirs, and other worthwhile activities.