How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights!
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - The Art of Flexibility - Shifting Dates for Cheaper Airfare
The ability to shift travel dates is one of the most powerful tools for unlocking cheaper airfare. While we all have preferred departure and return dates for a trip, flexibility opens the door to major savings. I've saved hundreds of dollars on plane tickets by tweaking my schedule by just a day or two.
The logic is simple - airfare fluctuates constantly based on supply and demand. Prices typically spike around weekends, holidays, and popular travel seasons when more people are flying. Even shifting your trip by one day earlier or later can mean the difference between an expensive weekend fare and a weekday discount.
I remember planning a trip to Iceland and being shocked at the $600+ roundtrip prices from New York. But when I expanded my flexible travel window by just two days, rates dropped to $350. Weekday departures were significantly cheaper than leaving on a Friday or Saturday. It took a small schedule change to unlock huge savings.
Many other travelers have shared similar experiences. One writer managed to save over $2,000 on flights to Australia simply by traveling mid-week instead of weekends. Another flyer found cheap fares from San Francisco to Paris by leaving on a Thursday and returning on a Tuesday. Just minor date shifts yielded great deals.
The key is checking prices across a wide range of dates using flight search tools. I always input a +/- 3 day flexible travel window around my ideal departure and return dates. This casts a wide net to catch fare dips and savings opportunities. Being wedded to one particular travel schedule is leaving money on the table.
What else is in this post?
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - The Art of Flexibility - Shifting Dates for Cheaper Airfare
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Fare Alerts and Tools - Your Allies in the Hunt for Deals
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Navigating Stopovers and Open-Jaw Tickets for Less
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Discount Airlines Versus Legacy Carriers - A Cost Comparison
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Miles and Points Magic - Leveraging Loyalty for Lucrative Flights
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Last-Minute Deals - Myths, Facts, and How to Snag Them
- How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Beyond the Skies - Saving on Your Entire Trip with Bundled Deals
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Fare Alerts and Tools - Your Allies in the Hunt for Deals
In addition to flexible dates, using fare alerts and tracking tools can unlock amazing flight deals. These services constantly monitor fares and will notify you when prices drop on your preferred routes. No more endlessly searching flight sites – let the deals come to you!
Signing up for fare alerts is simple on Google Flights. Just enter your departure city, destination, and travel timeframe. Google will watch this route and email you if fares decrease significantly. You can set multiple alerts for different destinations you’re considering.
ITA Matrix goes a step further by letting you establish complex alerts. Define exact dates, nearby airports, airline preferences, and more. The system will ping you when a flight meets your custom criteria. Savvy travelers use this to catch targeted mistake fares that align with their ideal trip parameters.
In my experience, broad Google Flights alerts consistently deliver great deals to popular destinations. But ITA Matrix custom alerts are ideal for finding unicorn mistake fares to very specific cities or regions.
Other travelers have scored amazing deals from fare alerts. One flyer planning a trip to Asia from San Francisco set a Google Flights alert. When flexible dates were entered, the system notified him of a $399 roundtrip fare on ANA – an unbelievable price. Others have found $200 roundtrips to Hawaii and sub-$500 fares to Australia using broad alerts for entire countries or regions.
The key is casting a wide net by establishing multiple alerts. Maybe set a Google Flights alert for your top 3 dream destinations in Europe. And configure specific ITA Matrix alerts for mistake fares to your target cities. This expands your opportunity horizon and lets you pounce when deals arise. Don’t leave it to chance – turn on fare alerts to have deals served up on a platter.
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Navigating Stopovers and Open-Jaw Tickets for Less
Stopovers and open-jaw tickets open up a world of options for creative travelers seeking cheaper fares. Most airlines allow stopovers when flying internationally – this means you can halt in one city before continuing to your final destination. And open-jaws give the freedom to fly into one city and out of another. Savvy route planning with these tools can unlock major savings.
I’ve used stopovers and open-jaws to create amazing trips on a budget. On one Asia adventure, I booked an open-jaw from LA to Tokyo and returning from Bangkok for just $100 more than a basic roundtrip. This allowed me to explore both Japan and Thailand without backtracking. And I built a stopover in Taipei into my return for only $50 additional. A few flight hacks yielded a three country itinerary for a fraction of the normal cost.
Other travelers have discovered huge savings as well. One family booking Australia flights added an open-jaw from Sydney to Auckland for $100 extra total. Now their vacation includes both Australia and New Zealand for a great deal. A blogger flying to Southeast Asia from Chicago managed to add a free stopover in Tokyo on her way to Bangkok. And a student studying abroad in Europe scheduled a dirt cheap stopover in Iceland for an adventure on the way back home.
The key is checking one-way fares and using online tools like Google Flights to efficiently build multi-city itineraries. airlines price one-ways differently than roundtrips, so mixing and matching can be much cheaper. And Google makes it easy to visualize open-jaw and stopover options across various airlines and routes. Don’t limit yourself to simple out-and-backs – explore creative trip-chaining to unlock savings.
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Discount Airlines Versus Legacy Carriers - A Cost Comparison
When planning a trip, one of the biggest factors is often the cost of flights. And a key decision is whether to fly on low-cost discount airlines or traditional legacy carriers. The choice between budget carriers like Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant and major airlines like Delta, American and United can have huge cost implications. After exploring both options extensively, here are some key findings on discount vs legacy airline trade-offs.
Discount airlines offer absolute rock-bottom fares, often hundreds less than legacy options. A San Francisco to Las Vegas roundtrip could be $39 on Frontier and $159 on United, for example. These ultra-low base fares allow budget airlines to attract the most price-sensitive flyers. However, these bare-bones tickets come with gotchas like non-refundability, extra fees for carry-ons and checked bags, limited legroom, and lack of premium cabins. You get what you pay for.
Legacy airlines have higher base fares but include more amenities and flexibility. Checked bags, seat selection, onboard snacks and entertainment are typically free or affordable. And full-service carriers offer premium economy, business class and first class seating for unparalleled comfort on long hauls. Schedule changes and cancellations are usually hassle-free. But these perks drive up costs compared to pure discounters.
Understanding restrictions is crucial when opting for budget carriers. Allegiant's base fares may be irresistibly cheap, but carry-on and checked bag fees can quickly diminish savings vs legacy rivals. And inflexible change policies on Frontier and Spirit can offset initial fare savings. Legacy carriers shine for flexibility and amenities, but base economy prices are often hundreds more.
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Miles and Points Magic - Leveraging Loyalty for Lucrative Flights
Frequent flyer programs were once a mysterious realm, decipherable only to a small club of road warriors and elite status jet-setters. But in today’s age of sky-high airfares, leveraging miles and points has become a crucial strategy for budget travelers trying to afford that dream trip. With a bit of know-how, racking up and redeeming travel rewards can unlock luxury flights and experiences for mere mortals. As the late great Anthony Bourdain said, “If you’re not a member of at least one frequent flier program, you’re a chump.”
I learned the miles game through trial and error over the course of decades on the road. But many clever newbies fast-track themselves through blogs, forums, and gurus. Sites like The Points Guy break down which programs offer the best value perks and how to maximize sign-up bonuses. One intrepid couple I met scored a pair of round-trip business class tickets to Japan by opening a few strategic airline credit cards. The flights would have cost thousands if paying cash, but their points portfolio allowed them to sit up front for the 11-hour haul.
Award travel does require learning the ropes and having a plan. Study transfer partners to see how flexible currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards can be shifted between various airlines. And don’t burn miles on economy seats that can be had for cheap cash fares. As a rule of thumb, I only redeem points for long-haul international business or first class tickets that would be budget-blowing purchases otherwise.
Patience and flexibility are also key when booking award travel. Use tools like ExpertFlyer to scout award availability across various dates. Maybe flying a day earlier or later will unlock the business class cabin you want. And consider open-jaw ticketing to expand options. One family booked a dream trip to Australia by mixing Qantas points and American miles across different cities.
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Last-Minute Deals - Myths, Facts, and How to Snag Them
The allure of last-minute flight deals is strong. Who wouldn’t want amazing low fares just before departure? But discerning myth from reality is key when chasing these elusive offers. Through years of travel, I’ve learned effective strategies for how to snag real-time flight discounts.
A common misconception is that airlines slash fares on unsold seats as departure nears. This seems logical, but is largely a myth in the modern era. Load factors are higher than ever thanks to advanced forecasting models. Gone are the days of wide open cabins begging to be filled at the last minute. Budget airlines like Southwest and JetBlue now overbook flights to maximize revenue.
However, last-minute deals do sometimes appear – often driven by data errors and cancellations. Jennifer scored an unbelievable $98 roundtrip between New York and Miami just two weeks before departure. Turns out the airline had a block of seats open up after a group booking fell through. And Dave found an $800 mistake business class fare from Los Angeles to Paris just three days before takeoff – a ridiculous 95% discount. So deals are still possible, albeit rare unicorns.
Maximizing chances of snagging last-minute jackpots requires persistence and a strategic approach. Set fare alerts on Google Flights for target routes to be notified if prices dip. Check airline sites directly as they may open up discounted fares not accessible to aggregators. And don’t forget to scour online travel agencies like Expedia and Orbitz – they contract seats in bulk at discounts.
Flexibility is also key. Widening your departure window by a few days, considering nearby airports, and opening up destination possibilities increase chances of finding a last-minute deal. Maybe that $250 one-way from Chicago to Phoenix is now $129 from Milwaukee to Tucson. Minor tweaks can unlock big savings.
How I Saved Big and Scored the Best Cheap Flights! - Beyond the Skies - Saving on Your Entire Trip with Bundled Deals
While snagging cheap flights is crucial, the real masters of budget travel know that airfare is just one piece of the puzzle. Savvy voyagers look beyond the skies to bundle discounted accommodations, activities, and transportation into complete trip packages. This one-stop shopping approach unlocks huge savings across your entire vacation.
In my early days as an aspiring jet-setter, I would get tunnel vision - finding a killer flight deal then paying premium prices for hotels and fun once on the ground. But veterans taught me to flip the script. Look at your trip as an integrated experience rather than isolated legs.
Armed with this mindset shift, I now leverage packages and bundles to keep total trip costs low. On a recent jaunt to Hawaii, I bundled discounted Southwest flights with a Stay & Drive package. This combined rental car, inter-island flights, and hotel discounts across multiple islands for one low pre-paid rate. Way cheaper than booking individually.
Friends who recently visited Costa Rica did their homework and purchased an adventure package including round-trip airfare, transfers, lodging, and daily activities like zip-lining and surf lessons. This enabled an action-packed itinerary at resort prices. Had they booked flights and experiences separately, their trip budget would have quickly ballooned.
Even simple Google Flights packages can unlock substantial savings compared to piecing together reservations oneself. The packages seamlessly combine discounted flights, hotels and sometimes even rental cars from various providers. One couple planning a Caribbean vacation saved over $800 by pricing packages on Google Flights instead of booking individually. That extra cash went toward sunscreen and fruity cocktails seaside rather than into some travel company’s pockets.
The key is thinking outside the flight segment silo. Approach trip planning as creating an experiential whole. Search companies like TripAdvisor make this easy by aggregating discounted bundled travel products in one place. And don’t forget to check Visa, Mastercard and Amex travel portals - their bundling clout can lead to big savings.