5 Tips to Ensure You Book the Cheapest Flights

Jetting off on vacation is one of the most exciting things we look forward to in life. It’s also one of the most costly.

It can often be a battle against luck when it comes to booking flights. There are so many things to factor in when it comes to calculating the price, whether it be school holidays or significant events taking place.

Prices can fluctuate drastically, so how do you get the best deal? We take a look at the simple steps you can take to make sure you get the best deal when booking flights.

Book Early

Perhaps the simplest option is book early. The further in advance you can book your flights, the more likely you are to get a good deal.

That’s because as more seats become booked up, the higher the demand will be for those booking them. It’s usually best to book flights around three to four months early.

Use Your Air Miles

The likelihood is you’ll be buying your flights via credit card, so why not make the most of your spending elsewhere and collect air miles.

There are dozens of cards that will not only help you buy flights with your air miles, but also receive travel rewards when spending away from home.

The best cards to travel abroad with will do both, and you can pick up some terrific deals with them.

Set Price Alerts

The cost of flights can fluctuate hugely, especially if airlines begin offering sales. Setting price alerts will help you keep track of how much your flights are currently costing, with the likes of Google Flights sending you alerts if the cost increases or decreases.

It’s certainly a good idea if you’re not quite ready to book flights, although it can also be a gamble waiting for flights to decrease.

Be Flexible With Your Timing

Certain times of the year are of course going to be more expensive than others. School holidays always drive prices up, particularly in the summer. The same applies to major events such as sporting tournaments, music festivals and marathons. Essentially, any event where an influx of people is expected into a city.

Being flexible will allow you to avoid said events and allow yourself to book a quieter flight for a lower price.

Be Flexible With Your Airport

Flying from different airports, and indeed to different airports could work out much cheaper. For example, flying to Paris Beauvais instead of Charles De Gaulle could save money, while your departure location can also often be changed to save money.

Some budget airlines prefer to fly out of certain airports, which can often be worth commuting over to save.

The same applies to connections. In many cases, it may be cheaper to connect rather than take a direct flight. Being flexible gives you that opportunity to get the best possible deal, even if it does take a little longer.

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This story was brought to you in partnership with Money Under 30.