For some (myself included) finding the cheapest flight is of the essence when it comes to travel.  When you’re going out on an adventure, especially international, the things you will spend most of your money on is airfare and rent.  So how to get the all fated, lowest fair?  Well fear not my friends, I am here to tell you my methods.  (And they work because I book flights from Florida to Italy for less than $500!)

1. You have to do your research.

   THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN EVER DO TO SUCCEED- when it comes to cheap flying at least.
   Now I have a bit of a problem- I legitimately look at flights every day, to different places, doesn’t matter where, but this is my main ingredient in the recipe of scoring a cheap flight.  Every airline has different days it releases different sales and puts up new flights.  This just means you’re going to have to keep checking back for the better deal.

2. Check more than 1 search engine.

   If you swear by Kayak, maybe you shouldn’t…When I am looking for a flight to book I search Kayak, SkyScanner, Student Universe, Expedia, and Google Flights.  At least.  Each and every single one of these has some of the same flights, but some of them don’t- or have different deals.  Make sure you are exploring all of your options!

3. Google Flights

   If you’ve never used Google Flights you are missing out so jump on this bandwagon ASAP.  Google Flights is where I generally start my search.  From here you can select up to 5 different locations you can fly out of (or into) and they give you a range of dates, and just looking at the calendar you can see which dates are the cheapest.  It sounds complex, it really isn’t, just go check it out.  It’s a great place to start to see which dates look best for your travels, and to move onto another site from here!!

4. Book on a Monday or a Tuesday.

   I have found it true, and I believe others will agree, which is why all of us travel gurus say it…Mondays and Tuesdays are better to book on!  For some reason, flights are just cheaper.  Whether it’s due to what I said in tip #1, or the travel gods smile upon us those days…who really is to know?

5. Know how far in advance you should book.

   International Flights- the answer is usually about 3 months (or so they say….I’ve found you can wait a little longer and save, but if you find a good deal early in the game, book!)
   Domestic Flights- here the answer is about a month and a half, and I think this is pretty consistent.
   These numbers are based on facts guys, cold hard facts.  (Seriously though- everyone is saying it, you don’t have to take my word for it!  But you should ?)

6. Sign up for newsletters.

   So you don’t have to go overboard with it like me and have your inbox overflowing with emails from airlines and booking agencies but select a few you like, and you’ll be the first to know when they have a sale!

7. Follow airlines & booking agents on Social Media

   Pretty much the same as above- you might be scrolling through Facebook and see your next adventure you didn’t know would happen.  (This literally happened to me recently when I went to Paris, I saw Ryan Air was having a sale for hundreds of flights €10 and under on Facebook- I was able to fly Pisa to Paris roundtrip for only €20!!!!)

   I also just saw a sale with Wow for international flights from NYC to Copenhagen for €129….you should probably go book that now!  Also if you’re willing to fly in terrible conditions (no food & no comfort & no judgment) check out airlines like Spirit Air and Icelandic Air!

8. Be flexible with where you leave from (or fly into).

   You may have your heart set on one airport, but another one 30 miles away may be nearly $200 cheaper.  Be flexible with where you leave from and you could save a ton of money!

9. City Hopping

   Sometimes it’s more convenient to fly out of a different city than you flew into, and an airline just might agree with you.  Check this option before you book so you could possibly save yourself some time and money!

10. Be flexible with your dates.

    Not everyone has this luxury, but if you do- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!!! The cheapest days to fly are Tuesday and Wednesday, so if you can avoid leaving on a weekend, you should do so! Use the Google Flights tool to help you pick dates, or choose the flexible dates option when looking at different airline search engines, you’d be amazed at the price differences in one day!!

11. Don’t travel during the high season.

    Again, a luxury for few, but those of you with the means to avoid traveling at Christmas or in July, it’s probably worth it.  Do some research on your destination and find out peak travel times versus the best travel times.  (Trust me, these are incredibly different things!)

12. Secret Flying

    I’ve never personally used this site, but I’ve heard amazing things about it.  If you’re looking for some wanderlust info because you have no idea where you want to go in the world, head here and find somewhere that suits you!! Secretflying.com is home to accidental prices airlines make on flights so you can score some amazing deals- granted as long as you’re not picky about where you’re traveling to!  If you do check it out or have ever used it let me know because I am dying to try and would love to hear someone else’s experience!

13. BOOK IT!

    Don’t be scared, just book that flight and head out on your next adventure!!!

Happy Travelling!

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