Top 9 Tips For Booking Cheap Flights

With the holidays right around the corner, many of you will be traveling to spend time with friends and family.  Below are 9 tips for booking cheap flights.  Don’t stop saving with just the flight.  Book transportation to and from the airport with Apollo’s Chariots and save time and money.  Car service to the airport is more economical than driving yourself with the cost of tolls, fuel, and parking; based on a week long stay.  Time is saved by eliminating the long walks to and from the parking garages since you are picked up and dropped off right at the terminal.

1. Check Airline Fares Early and Often

On average, the flight price fluctuates $236 between the best and worst day to purchase your flight.  The price of airline tickets change constantly, sometimes multiple times a week.  Start checking fares as soon as you know you’ll be flying and check at least once a week to get a sense of what’s a good deal.  Once you find a good price, be ready to purchase, cause that price may not be around for long.

2. Buy at the Right Time

Buying at the right time could be the best tip for saving money on airline flights.  Based on a study for domestic flights, the optimum time to purchase a flight is 49 days before your travel.  This number varies quite a bit depending on where and when you’re flying.  Don’t book too late (with 14 days) or too early (more than 5 months in advance) to avoid paying a bigger premium for your flight.

3. Some Days are Cheaper than Others

The day you travel can make a big difference in the price you pay.  Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest, with Fridays and Sundays being the most expensive.  On average, the difference between a Tuesday flight and a Sunday flight is $58 for a round trip.

4. Holiday and Seasonal Travel

The most important factor that influences the price of a flight is how full the flight is.  Spring break, Thanksgiving, and Christmas will be more expensive than travel during normal time.  If you must travel during these times, book early since the discount seats will sell out quickly.

5. Mix and Match Different Airlines

Combine 2 one-way fares on different airlines to form round trip travel.  This comes in handy when different airlines offer a better itinerary and flight based on your travel needs.

6. Sign up for Airfare Alerts

Keep an eye on airline trends by signing up for airfare alerts.  This will notify you quickly when sales start that have a limited number of seats.  Reacting quickly on a sale can save you lots of money.

7. Extra Bag Fees

If you’ve traveled recently, you know that most airlines charge for checked bags.  Some are even charging for carry-on bags.  Be sure to factor this cost into your purchasing decision.  With some airlines, you can pay for your bags ahead of time through the airline’s website.  Take advantage of this because you may be charged a higher premium fee for bags purchased at the airport.

8. Check Nearby Airports

If there is more than one airport near the cities you are flying in and out of, be sure to check them.  The more flight options you have, the better.  Many airline websites offer this feature for their airline searches.

9. Break up Large Group Flight Purchases

One would assume that the more people that fly, the better the rate should be.  This is rarely the case.  Airlines typically limit the number of seats they have for each price tier.  Airline search engines will find the price tier that can accommodate your entire group, so you could be missing out on a number of cheaper flights.  The way around this is to break up your large group into smaller groups to be sure to capitalize on the lower price tiers.