Truly workable tricks that nobody is going tell you, even your friendly travel agent! Not even GOOGLE! Cheapest Airfare tricks that you won’t find anywhere else online or offline!
Smart travelers have already saved a lot of money, the same can be done by you.
Yes, It is possible to travel the world having little money.
This ultimate cheapest airfare finding cheat-sheet is being curated with the help of the most experienced and knowledgeable travel bloggers of the world! So here we go…
#Tip01 The Internet Trick
Travel companies extensively use cookies and drop it to your browser to track your behavior and for what you are specifically interested in.
So the simple trick is to either clear your cache or enable private browsing/incognito mode.
You can also use VPN or Virtual Private Network as it makes it appear as if you are browsing from another country like Canada, USA, or somewhere else.
Though this is something debatable, it never hurts to exhaust all your options when trying to get the best deal on a flight, hotels, and more.
Check carefully as different web browsers and different computers may yield very different results.
Though this trick might not always work, sometimes it does. Trying is non-technical and relatively simple and could shave a few rupees off your final ticket price.
#Tip02 Watch Out For ‘Mistake Fares’
What are error fares?
Extremely low fares o flight tickets that are mostly the result of errors that airlines fail to detect promptly.
And to your delight, such errors happen quite often and that you can also take advantage of them!
Subscribe to websites that regularly post-error fares and crazy flight deals for any given period.
Portals airfarewatchdog, SecretFlying, scottscheapflights, holidaypirates are worth a try.
Tip#03 World’s Best Airfare Search Engine
ITA Matrix by Google gives you more options to search for lower fares than any other site.
The ITA uses airline’s metadata to find the cheapest flights, but it also intelligently finds specific options that aren’t as easy to discover on other search engines.
It powers both Google Flights as well as KAYAK and this tool is the secret of every other travel agent to find the best possible fares for their clients.
If you want a super customizable search, ITA Matrix is for you.
But yes, one needs to be a little techie to properly utilize this wonderful tool.
But the downside of using ITA Matrix is that no booking is allowed on this platform.
#Tip04 Use Meta Search Engines To Find A Flight
There are plenty of travel websites you can try searching your airfares, but the best way out is using meta-search engines (a site that searches multiple sites) that are useful for finding the cheapest flights like Google Flights, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor flights, and Jetradar.
You will get a lot of options plus a cheaper way out.
You can mix and match the cheapest flight times for your outward and inward flights. As long as you have some flexibility, you can often save some money.
#Tip05 Use Alternative Airports
Just because you might live relatively close to one airport doesn’t mean it’ll be the cheapest to use it.
Just know that it most of the times it’s great to check fares from a variety of nearby airports to save at least 10-20% money on your next flight.
Yes, what you have to do is to travel to a nearby city and then hop on a plane from there.
You’d be surprised by the price difference in flights, fewer crowds/lines, and less stress!
Take enough time to explore all your options before committing to buying airline tickets.
When you are considering using an alternative airport, make sure you research if you can get to the airport easily enough as well. If the airport is too far away then you will also need to consider the time VS cost benefits so to avail the maximum benefits.
#Tip06 Hidden City Tactic (Involves Risk!)
Hidden-city flights refer to those itineraries with multiple legs in-between where the traveler exits before the final destination, as per Skiplagged (the best way to search for such flight routings).
For example, if you want to go to Mumbai from New Delhi would book a flight that is ticketed for New Delhi -> Mumbai -> Bangaluru and end your travel once you arrive in Mumbai and skip the leg to Bangaluru.
Though it may save you a lot of money, it’s a controversial practice and involves some risks as airlines may penalize the flier.
You must know how to do it perfectly.
Remember, this only works on one-way flights and you shouldn’t be checking any bags.
#Tip07 Travel Rewards Credit Cards
Learn about the art of using miles and points to redeem free flights, hotels, and more.
You don’t need to do much research. All you need is a good and reputable travel reward credit card that is right for you.
These cards typically allow you to earn points or miles for every single rupee you are charged on travel, or in some cases, everyday expenses.
Over time they add up and can get you discounted flights, hotels, seat upgrades, online shopping, and more!
#Tip08 Book Extra Long Layovers On Flights
We always tend to reach our destinations as quickly as possible and look for flights with the least number of stops. But to your delight, it can be a lot of fun to explore a new city on the way to your final destination without paying anything in extra!
Nowadays many airlines are offering free tours and even hotels, making it even better offer. Airlines that offer this are:- Qatar Airways, TAP Portugal, Iceland Air.
Some airlines even offers free hotels if the layover is the resultant of their schedule. It’s offered by airlines such as Turkish, Royal Jordanian, China Southern, and more are on its way.
More airlines are coming up like this too.
But it can be a pain to find the stopovers. Fortunately, there’s an all-in-one tool that helps you in finding stopovers and is called Airwander.
Just simply enter your origin-destination cities, and the total number of days you are wishing as stopover. Airwander will come up with a list of destinations you can stop in, along with a comparison of how much more or less you are actually saving with respect to booking a regular connected flight.
#Tip09 How To Find The Best Time To Book?
There is an unlimited number of booking websites like Expedia, booking.com, and more. But how do you know you’re getting the best deal?
Hopper app is a bit different because it offers predictions to help you find the best time to book. Available for both iPhone and Android, Hopper allows users to pick a departure and arrival airport along with dates and lets you know when the best time to buy is based on market trends — claiming 95% accuracy, up to 1 year in advance.
The app lets you set up notifications, so when the perfect time to buy comes up it lets you know.
