10 tips for buying cheap airfare

Airfare can be the most significant expense of your trip, but did you know there are several “tricks” to save money on it? Many people think that buying cheap tickets is just a matter of luck, but it’s not! Check out my tips for buying cheap airfare and never overpay for a ticket again!

Of course, every now and then you might get lucky and find a cheap flight without even trying. But in general, you need to do a fair bit of research to score great deals. By following my tips for buying cheap airfare, I’m sure you’ll save money!

Tips for buying cheap airfare

I’ll list the tips in order of importance, starting with the most essential ones!

Buy in advance

In my opinion, this is the most important tip! Besides paying less, you'll have more flight time options, and you might even catch a special deal.

Okay, but now you might be wondering: how far in advance? It depends on the time of year you’re planning to travel. If it’s low season, outside of holidays, 60 to 90 days in advance is a good window. If it’s high season (December, January, July, and August), aim for 120 to 180 days.

Keep an eye on prices to know the average cost for your chosen destination. Also, monitor the exchange rate of the dollar and other currencies, as they can impact ticket prices too.

Be flexible with travel dates to buy cheap airfare

The second tip for buying cheap airfare is to be flexible with your travel dates! I know it’s not always possible, but even a flexibility of just one or two days can make a big difference!

When searching for tickets, try different date combinations and see which offers the best deal. Generally, flying on Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays is more expensive. Midweek flights usually offer better rates, as most people prefer or are only able to travel on weekends.

Be flexible with destinations

Flexibility is just as important as booking in advance! If you can depart from more than one airport, or are open to more than one destination, search different route combinations.

To illustrate, let’s suppose you live in a city with an airport, like Campinas, but you’re also close to another city that has an airport too, like São Paulo. In this case, the ideal is to search for flights departing from both locations.  

The more flexibility you have, the better your chances of finding cheap airfare!

If you find a good deal, book it immediately!

I know many people who missed out on very cheap flights because they saw a deal and decided to “think about it” before buying. The result? When they finally went to book, the price had gone up.

That’s why my fourth tip for buying cheap airfare is: if you come across a real deal, meaning one that is actually cheap, book it right away! This is where the rules of buying in advance and monitoring prices really help, since if you already know the regular prices, you’ll easily spot a true bargain.

There are several Facebook and Instagram profiles that track airfare prices and alert followers when they find great deals. My advice: follow a few of them too, every bit of help counts when you're trying to save money!

Use credit card points to buy flights

Many credit cards offer benefits and reward points that you can use when buying airline tickets. Check with your card issuer to see what perks you’re eligible for. If your card doesn’t offer any travel benefits, it might be worth researching other options, depending on your situation, switching cards could pay off!

Use fare comparison websites

Instead of searching directly on the airline’s website, use search engines that compare prices from various airlines and dates. Just make sure to check if the website charges any booking fees. If it does, buying directly from the airline’s website might end up being cheaper.

Fly with low-cost airlines

Another tip for buying cheap airfare is to fly with low-cost carriers. These are less traditional companies that offer cheaper flights. Some well-known examples include Ryanair (Irish) and Vueling (Spanish).

With these airlines, travelers get the basics, just a standard seat on the plane. You won’t be able to choose your seat number, and the seat usually won’t recline. There’s no in-flight service, and some companies even charge for bottled water. You also won’t be allowed to check in luggage unless you pay an extra fee.

Search for round-trip tickets and one-way flights separately

In the past, buying separate tickets wasn’t a good deal. However, nowadays it can actually be cheaper to book the outbound and return flights separately. That’s why it’s very important to compare both options and check which one offers the best price.

Travel light

When you start searching for your ticket, you’ll notice there are different fare classes. Some don’t include checked baggage, while others allow one or two bags. So, if you travel with just a carry-on, your ticket will be cheaper than someone traveling with one or two 23kg (50lb) bags.

Use incognito mode

To avoid airlines tracking your searches, use incognito (or private) browsing mode. This way, they won’t have access to your cookies or browsing history, and they won’t increase ticket prices after noticing that you’re repeatedly searching for the same date or destination. Another option is to clear your cookies and history.

That’s it! These were my top tips for buying cheap plane tickets! Did you already know any of them? If you still have questions, drop them in the comments and I’ll reply as soon as possible!

Kisses and see you in the next post!