Five Top Tips For Bagging A Bargain Flight

Are you sick of hearing people bragging on social media about how they’ve just bagged flights for their big summer holiday at crazily discount prices, when you’re still paying full price?

So how do they do it? While there isn’t one golden rule, there are a few things which are worth a try, and we’re going to take a look at five.

Book at the right time

Of course, this is much easier said than done, but one of the best ways to save is to book at the right time.

But what is the right time? In 2010, economist Makoto Watanabe calculated that the optimum time to book was eight weeks in advance.

However, earlier this year, Skyscanner presented their own research where they found the optimum time to be anywhere between four and 21 weeks before departure.

So while this suggests that there isn’t one set rule, in general, it’s best to book as early as possible, as you’ll have the widest choice of seats possible.

As for your departure date, some good times to avoid are school holidays and bank holidays, and remember that midweek flights will be cheaper than weekend ones.

Don’t automatically ignore travel agents

While many people believe travel agents to be obsolete, this isn’t necessarily always the case.

While the internet is often great for finding cheaper deals, in certain markets such as the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, travel agents could actually still help you to secure some pretty good deals, which aren’t available on comparison sites.

Utilise package deals

Package deals have also somewhat fallen out of favour in recent times, but are another great way to save on your flights.

Again, it largely depends on where you’re going and when, but you could potentially make a nice little saving.

These are most likely to be found in the popular beach and ski destinations, and as an added bonus, they’re usually sold with ATOL protection, covering you if there are any problems with the hotel or flight. Don’t forget extra costs

While the price of a flight may look great on the surface, bear in mind that many people wind up paying a lot in extra fees.

One of the biggest extra costs is that of checked baggage, so if you’re planning travel for short period of time, then try carrying light travel bag or just hand luggage? (Check out this article at Mail Online for some tips).

Other extra costs could include onboard food and drink, an aisle or window seat, or late check in fees.

Make sure you’re aware of exactly how much you’ll end up paying and don’t get too focused on the initial low cost.

Be flexible

We spoke to cheap flights specialists, Globehunters who recommended: “Even though it could be inconvenient, if you can be flexible with your flights you can save a lot of money.

This could mean flying at antisocial times or days, or perhaps flying from another airport which is slightly further away.

And if you’ve really got some time on your hands, why not see if there are any non-direct flights with stopovers?