Everybody wants to know how to get cheap airline tickets. However, not many people know exactly how to get these cheap airfares.
The purpose of this quick article is to explain to you some of the very basic tricks on how to get cheap airline tickets. Some of them you may already know and some of them, you may not. Whatever the case may be, this article is a definite starting point on your path to discover the many secrets on how to get cheap flights.
Basic Tips
One of the most basic how to get cheap airline tickets tricks is to make sure you book your flights in advance. This may sound simple, but you’d be surprised how many people wait until the last minute.
Process
One of the easiest ways to find cheap fares is to follow this process;
- Use an airfare aggregator site to search for your flight (e.g. Kayak, Skyscanner,
Expedia etc) - DO NOT book your flight through these providers, they are not the cheapest.
- Take note of which airlines seem to be the cheapest on the route you want.
- Go to the actual airline website and book the ticket there.
Logic: It never amazes me how many people think that the fares at flight search sites are better deals. I mean, think about it, how could they possibly be cheaper? These sites have to take a cut (usually somewhere around 6%). Even if they DO get the flights cheaper (how would that happen?), You’re always going to save more money cutting out the middle-
Myths
Last Minute Flights
The whole thing about last second flights being cheaper is purely a myth. The cheapest deals are always going to be if you book well in advance. Most airlines release their flight schedules as early as six months to a year ahead of time.
Another common misconception on how to get cheap airline tickets, is that standby flights offer better deals. This is simply not true. Standby flights are unreliable and the price you pay, if you are lucky enough to get one, will never be a good as if you had bought your airline tickets ahead of time.
More Tips
Sign Up For Alerts
Here are two more ways to get cheap airline tickets. Firstly, make sure you sign up to the airlines mailing lists. This can be simply done by visiting the airlines website and there will usually be something on the home page. They’ll just ask for your email address and name. Most airlines have these nowadays and they will send you weekly flight deals straight to your inbox. In fact, most airlines now have Facebook and twitter accounts which you can also follow to get the most up to date information regarding super cheap flight specials and discounts. These sites can also be a great source of information to chat with other like minded people about different ways on how to get cheap airline tickets.
One of the most overlooked techniques on how to get cheap airline tickets is to ask whether or not you are actually entitled to a discount. A lot of people don’t realise this, but there are many instances in which you can get an instant discount on your airfare because of your own particular circumstances. For example, military discounts are readily available if you are a current serving member of the armed forces. If you’re traveling to a funeral you can also get bereavement flights for a substantial discount. Students and children are also entitled to cheaper flights. If you want to know how to get cheap airline tickets, the information is out there. You just have to what to ask and what to do.