How to Save Money on Air Travel: Practical Tips
While air travel is certainly the quickest and most convenient way to get around, it is often also the most expensive. With rising fuel costs, luggage fees, and extra expenses that pop up along the way, it can make you wonder if the price tag is even worth it. For many of us, travel by air is non negotiable, either because of work or to visit family. In those instances, you can save money by doing some research before you book your ticket, and can save money on the cost of your flight. Here are some practical tips on how to save money on air travel.
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Flexibility on Dates
Perhaps the greatest way to save money is to have a flexible schedule when it comes time to book your flight. The most popular flights are the ones on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday--the days on which people generally leave for holidays, and return from business trips. To save money, you will want to avoid these travel days. Instead, consider leaving mid-week, on a Tuesday or Wednesday. In addition, play around with the times of your flights. Since red eye flights are the least desirable, they are often the cheapest. If you're not in a rush when traveling, opt for flights that include a longer layover or more than one stop, which are often passed over by hurried travelers.
Book in Advance
If you were to track a flight's cost for several months, you would see that sooner you get to takeoff, the higher the cost of the ticket. Whenever possible, book your flight far in advance. This can save you significant money, as many flights become more expensive 21 days before takeoff. From there, the costs can rise quickly, until you are left with last minute tickets worth a small fortune.
Fly Off Season
Unfortunately, it is not always possible to time flights to correspond to the off season for certain areas. When you want to visit family over holidays, for example, it will generally be a busy time of year no matter where you travel. However, with personal holidays there should come more flexibility. If you want to head to Europe, don't try to go during the summer months when everyone else is booking the same flights. Instead, consider a trip in September, when the weather is still nice but most people are back at school or work. The same goes for popular ski destinations, which are most expensive during snowy winter months. A trip to Denver might be half the price in May as it was in January.
Luggage and Check-In
There are often several costs associated with checking in for your flight and sending your luggage forward. Some airlines even charge you a fee to print your your boarding pass at the airport. To save money in these cases, be sure to check in for your flight online in advance, before you arrive at the airport. This will also save you time so you don't need to wait in lines for so long. Also, avoid luggage fees by only bringing on carry-on luggage. If you must check-in a suitcase, be sure that it meets the weight and size guidelines to eliminate any extra costs.
Travel Websites
When searching for the lowest fares for your flights, don't be content to call just one travel agent, or visit one website. The best results are found when you scour as many sites as possible. There is no one site guaranteed to be best, instead, several great discounts can be found on many sites. Sign up to receive alerts when flights that fall in your price range appear. This way, you can be the first to snap up a great deal.
Food and Drinks
The costs of food and drinks on planes and at the airports are often exorbitant. Whenever possible, bring your own foods to eat on long flights or during layovers. While it is not possible to fly with liquids anymore, you can still bring in an empty water bottle, and fill it up at a drinking fountain before your flight. Small measures like this can bring great rewards if you fly frequently or have long distance trips involving several meals.
Frequent Flyers
Nearly every airline has a frequent flyer program, or a rewards club. Join as many of these as you can for their benefits. Even if you don't fly with an airline often enough to receive free flights, being a member still has perks. Sometimes you are eligible for upgrades, and other times members do not need to pay luggage fees. Although you may not amass a huge amount of points, even a few can result in discounts on certain items, or can be turned into points for things like magazine subscriptions. As long as the rewards club is free, be sure to sign up.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to cut the costs of air travel and save money on flights. By being flexible with your travel dates, avoiding peak seasons, searching multiple travel websites, bring our own food and drink, and joining a frequent flyer club, you can reduce the overall cost of your air travel trips.