No matter how many budget travel tips or tricks we use, traveling can get expensive. And it's frequently the flight's fault.
In the past year, the AP reported that the average cost of a domestic U.S. flight was $328.
When we consider the additional costs such as taxes and baggage fees, that number, of course, rises.
As for the total cost of an international one? Oh my! Cheap flights have become a completely foreign concept.
So, when I heard the New York Times say, "it was fly.com that found the best bargain," I was intrigued.
Upon first glance, the site didn't stand out from other discounted flight search engines.
I reconfirmed the age-old adage that first impressions are not everything upon further investigation.
The layout on fly.com is as simple as the process. Type in the city you are traveling from; a list will automate with the airports in the metropolitan area, and choose one.
Then, type in the city you are traveling to, and repeat the same specifying routine. Simple yet ridiculously satisfying.
Large international airports are available for departure and arrival alongside local ones, and there is even the option to search both by checking the "include nearby airports" option.
Afterward, determine the dates, number of travelers and decide whether or not you'd prefer a nonstop flight.
Your cheap flights, allocated from the hundreds of travel sites, are served within a couple of minutes.
The cheap flights are listed in price order by pounds in the British version.
There's also an American and a German version ready for use, in addition to ten different currencies to accommodate a global bank account.
But that's only the beginning. You can designate a desired flight time, airline carrier, cabin types, airports, price, trip duration, and even layover duration from your list.
Yes, all of it, because I suppose one never really knows how particular of a mood one will be in when planning their next trips.
The details are conveniently located on the left sidebar with sliders for accurate guesstimation.
Not to mention that a table of pricing (by stops and airlines), a distinction by class, and a calendar with daily fares is available at the screen's top center by tabs.
Once you've made up your mind (and don't worry, you have time to step away, the site will display your findings in the recent search list when you return), book your flight.
However, in the words of the site itself, please note that "we are not a booking engine. We help you decide which flights are right for you and show you where to book. When you find the right flight, simply click on the "book now" link to be taken directly to the supplier's website."
Fly.com is the property of Travelzoo, so it's no surprise that they seem to have figured out how to satisfy even the pickiest of poor travelers looking to find cheap flights.
As the site describes, Travelzoo has been "publishing the best travel deals for millions of subscribers for over ten years."
And at this rate, they will probably continue to do so for many years to come.
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This story is brought to you in partnership with Fly.com.
