Traveling is an expensive venture. The airfare and accommodation alone can already eat a huge chunk of your budget. But there is a way around it. By looking around, it is possible to find packages that will suit your budget. Here are some tips on finding cheap flights:
1. Use fair flight search engines. Most airfare search engines are owned or operated by major airlines so expect that they will be biased towards their company. However, there are other search engines that will give you fair and unbiased rates. Examples of these websites are Skyscanner and Momondo
2. Look for flights from nearby airports.Sometimes it is more expensive to book flights from local airports to your destination. On the other hand, flights that emanate from nearby airports can be cheaper. Although you may have to drive or take a bus to the nearby airport, it may give you some savings on your flight. Carriers from these airports are much smaller than the major ones so they can easily adjust their ticket rates.
3. Check airline websites. If you will only look around at the various airline websites, you may be able to find great deals. You may know it, but airlines offer great deals for passengers who visit their sites. Normally, airfare discounts or sales are offered for only 1 – 3 days.
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4. Subscribe to travel alerts.Another way to get cheap flights is to subscribe to travel alerts. With this, you will receive notifications about flight deals on your phone or email address. Websites like Airfarewatchdog and Flightfox occasionally sends alerts to subscribed members. You can filter your search according to a certain criteria so that you only get what you are looking for.
5. Follow airlines on social media sites. While for some it may feel silly, there are huge benefits for following certain airlines on Twitter or Facebook. Airlines would want to reward regular customers to entice them to continue flying with them so they will post special low rates and discounts on social media only. The more airlines you follow, the higher is your chance of getting a good deal.
Searching for cheap flights is a good way to get savings on your travel expenses. Just follow these tips and you could be on your way to a ski vacation in the Alps or wading in the waters of a tropical island.
