How to travel smart: tested dos and don’ts for cheap flights

Do you feel that?

That ecstasy of planning a new discovery? Of the world, of people, of yourself? The pure joy that floods your veins and arteries and you’d never want to get rid of? … But also, the agony of planning it? The chase for good deals: cheap flights, good accommodation or perfect preparation?  

Well, I’ll do my best to look into this tantalizing question – How to travel smart: tested dos and don’ts to find cheap flights.

So far, I’ve never considered whipping up a piece of writing on how to get a good airfare. My motivation behind these travel smart tips hides behind the journey to the Netherlands, a journey made on demand for my younger daughter aged 15.

Travel as much as you can! It truly is a life-changing experience! For the better!

Taste the local flavor in abundance! Food, drinks, meeting locals and coming into contact with customs enlarge your horizon!

Feel free to explore, discover, and immerse yourself in this amazing experience! Do not be afraid to go off-the-beaten path sometimes!

Contents:

Travel smart tips for cheap flights
Sponsored third-party intermediary companies

Let’s break down each one.

Travel smart tips for cheap flights

Finding a cheap flight is like finding a four-leaf clover in a green field.

Hard, but not impossible.

Rare, but not impossible.

They say nothing is impossible.

In fact, it all boils down to strategy, research and patience.

• The smartest tip is to show flexibility both in terms of destination and date. You can check the monthly graphic of the prices on skyscanner.net, wizzair.com and others. Thus, if you are flexible in terms of period, you can pick the best days within a month or even the lowest month in a year. Moreover, being adaptable is a good cost-effective strategy. If you feel uninspired about the destination, why not give Google Flights or Skyscanner choose for you the best deal? They will show the cheapest places to travel within a given timespan! Simply type anywhere for destination!

As it can be quite difficult sometimes (I know this from personal experience), here are some more down-to-earth tips to consider.

• Purchase your flight ahead! It is hard to find that sweet spot when prices are lowest. Apparently, it is best to book 2-3 months before departure or 5 months before if you aim for peak season.

• Try booking tickets on different airlines! Try mixing separate segments for departure and return tickets. My city (Timisoara, Romania) does not have too many flights, so for my trip to Amsterdam I initially aimed for Wizzair flight to Dortmund and then a bus. In the meantime, the return got so expensive that I opted for Lufthansa from Amsterdam with a connection. Got a better price eventually and skipped the bus! Hooray!

• Book directly on the site of the company (avoid third-party intermediaries)! Try to book well in advance to secure yourself the best price! Compare prices and check for options, but I swear by booking directly on the site where you enjoy full transparency about luggage allowance or other issues.

• Book a flight with a connection! Add this filter in your choice. Oftentimes, a transit airport makes the flight more affordable. When booking long-haul flights, it will almost always prove cheaper to book a flight with a connection rather than a direct one. While this will increase your travel time, you’ll most likely be the owner of a cheaper flight.

• Going incognito is just a myth! People believe that if you clear your cookies or search in incognito mode, you’ll be able to find a better offer because flight prices fluctuate depending on demand. But think about it: ok, you delete your cookies, but cannot clear the clicks that the company receives. So, switching to private browser mode is not a travel smart tip! There is no evidence for better deals! Myth busted!

• Forget legends! Try reality instead! I have heard so many times that Tuesdays or Wednesdays are the best days to buy tickets! Well, nothing more untrue! I postponed buying tickets on Monday hoping for cheap flights offers which never came! On Tuesday, prices went up by 11%. I got stubborn and decided to wait one more day. I ended up rubbing my eyes: the next day prices skyrocketed by 90%!

• In fact, there are some tips that are true. Weekday flights are cheaper than weekend ones. Early mornings and late nights are cheaper than a flight at a convenient hour as many people would prefer a decent time. Fridays and Mondays are more expensive. Flight companies take advantage of people’s choices to increase their revenues. All of it makes sense, right?

• You can choose between regular companies and low-cost ones. The so-called budget airlines are no longer budget friendly, unfortunately, I might say. However, if you fly low-cost, the airline gives you fewer perks. Be sure to watch out for fees. They have fees for everything: check-in bag, overhead locker bag, priority boarding, insurance, reimbursement, and so on. Moreover, their policy is to fly into smaller airports, which are farther away from the city. Document from home the existence and price of a shuttle to take you downtown.

• Low-cost companies have different bag measurements. If you have several options, you may want to choose the most generous offer. But, if you want to keep the cost of your ticket down, you may wear some layers and fill your pockets! This is a travel smart tip for the less pretentious!

• Fly off season! Flying airlines are not dumb. Of course, they know when there is a sports event, festival or anything important going on. We were dead set to see the tulips in the Netherlands and had only one free week (my daughters’ and my vacation), so had to adjust accordingly! But yes, flying to a destination in the off season may bring along cheap flights!

• If you are travelling with a small group (family or friends), it is cheaper to break the deal down to individual ticket purchases. When the algorithm of an airline company sees a bunch of people, they always show the highest ticket price, which means you’ll end up paying more money. I know how frustrating this can get if you travel with children or long distances (to not sit together), but consider it as a money-saving option.

Sponsored third-party intermediary companies

Everybody starts their own search as they please. Unless you aim a particular airline, when you start, you’ll encounter a palette of sponsored third-party intermediaries.

But testing all of those companies can take a lot of time.

Fortunately, I’ve done all the hard work for you.

Here, I will show you my experience with third-party intermediaries.

• Skyscanner.net are a price comparison site and a good start for a search. You can compare the prices according to the days of the week or find the month with the cheapest flights. Moreover, if you aim to book a particular flight, they will show you the rates each company has, so you know which one to choose. What I like about them is that the site redirects you to the direct company where you eventually complete your booking.

• But watch out! Double check everything on Skyscanner! When I checked the site, there was one price for the airline flight, but as soon as I clicked on the airline company, surprise! The price was considerably higher! And as long as I understand, I am not the only one in this situation! I think it is best to use skyscanner for its initial purpose – comparison!

• Momondo gained reputation as a global travel search site that compares flights, hotels or car rentals. Unfortunately, today the company appears as unreliable due to the numerous fraud complaints. When I simulated some flights, in some cases the company redirected me to the direct booking company, while in other cases they just connected me through eDreams. I would recommend them for comparison only!

• The deal with the sponsored intermediary companies (eDreams.com, skyscanner.net, kiwi.com, booking.com, etc) is that you need to constantly check the price, meaning that it can slightly fluctuate every two minutes. If the price is okay and try to book, you’ll have a pop-up coming repeatedly to your screen that urges you to hurry as prices will soon go up. I think it is really annoying.

• The thing with the baggage allowance is rather ambiguous on such sites. For example, I saw a good rate on eDreams.com, but the tariff did not include any luggage. When you check the luggage, you have the option of 23 kg/bag. But there is nothing between 0 and 23 kg … There is no transparency regarding the luggage policy, and they let you believe that you have no option but to add baggage. To make sure you are covered, check the luggage policy of the company you are flying with.

• You need extra caution with eDreams! If you decide to buy, before check-out you have two options: a fare with zero cost added (Prime Price), but it implies joining their membership (first 30 days free of charge – but they do not mention the amount to be paid after the expiration of the first month), or option two, a non-discounted fare, which depending on the moment of booking may vary from 5 to 70 euro/person!!! Personally, I see this as a traveler trap. It is convenient to skip the payment, but then… Just saying, it doesn’t seem a travel smart strategy; besides, it seems they are notorious for poor service…

• Kiwi.com boast cheap flights and is a user-friendly site. In some cases, prices are very competitive. However, don’t let yourself fool by their prices! Their refund process is almost nonexistent, getting in touch with a customer care assistant takes longer than you can afford and the message is always the same. Anyway, if you think they are the best option, secure yourself the option of protecting yourself from carrier cancellations or disruptions. But this means of course extra payment! That is why avoiding third-party intermediaries is the best solution!

• Flights.booking.com is the new extended wing of the well-known company. I haven’t used it for a simple reason. The price suggested was much higher than other companies had. But after doing a bit of research, I most likely will skip them for now. People who booked through their site are totally disappointed and dissatisfied with the service.

In conclusion, all you need is a bit of strategy, research and patience! And sprinkle all with some fairy dust!

Happy flights!

Have you had good or bad experiences with any of the airlines? Is low-cost cheaper? Are connections advantageous? I am looking forward to reading your experiences!