Whether you are travelling for business or leisure, one of your goals is to have some savings on your plane flights. After all, this gives you a chance to enjoy your trip while getting the most out of every dollar you put in for your air fare. In the end, it is indeed a win-win situation that you should never miss out on!
While it is true that flying is an expensive way to travel, this does not mean that you can never minimise your spending on your plane fare. In fact, with just a few basic techniques and some planning, you can travel cheaply via air anywhere in the world you want to go. All it takes is some research, as well as these practical tips to increase your savings each time you book a flight. If you know how to limit your expenses for the trip, you won’t even probably need to go to a moneylender to take out a personal loan for your trip.
Travelling is always an exciting activity we look forward to even if you are doing this for a strictly business purpose. If you are flying to get to that special destination you have always been dreaming of, then the adventure becomes even more exciting. But hold your horses and do not book on impulse just yet. We have here for you some smart ideas to cut down your expenses on flight tickets, which may be worth looking into before you pay for your fares.
You see, there are several things that impact your air fare. This is why you may be surprised to find out that there are times the cost of a ticket is cheaper in some days and more expensive in another. The price tends to fluctuate, and it may differ depending on the route you plan to take or the airlines offering the flight. For the most part, the price is affected by the so-called supply and demand concept, thus revealing the reason behind pricing changes.
Below are among the things you may want to think about and apply when it comes to increasing your savings on your next air ticket.
1. Plan carefully the departure and arrival date of your trip.
Do you have a specific date in mind for your travel? Or perhaps, are your travel dates flexible enough and can be adjusted according to your preference? It all depends on your trip since in some cases, you have no control over the date of your trip, while there are those who travel at their desired date.
In case you can dictate your departure and arrival date, then you need to choose a more economical option for your flight. Generally, airlines boost their profitability by segmenting their market. With this in mind, there are different pricing levels applied based on the travellers they are projecting to be booking flights on specific days. Most people travelling for business purposes leave on a Monday, and they usually return on either a Thursday or a Friday. This is why you may notice that the air fares for these days are more costly than flights during the mid-week. So, if your goal is to save on your air tickets, choose to travel either on a Tuesday or a Wednesday as these are guaranteed cheaper days in terms of flying.
2. Timing is always essential for lower air fares.
Your best bet to get the cheapest tickets is by checking out seat sales, which airlines usually offer from time to time. Of course, you can significantly slash the price fo your air fare by keeping your eye out for a sale. But did you know that even if you do not find a seat sale by airlines, you can still expect some savings?
The secret to booking a flight and getting the lowest possible fee is by timing it well. It all depends on choosing the right day for making a purchase, and it is not rocket science if you think about it. In fact, SkyScanner, a flight comparison website suggests that you book your flights at the earliest time possible. This is recommended for your short-haul or budget flights, and you can guarantee to find a much cheaper air fare if you do so. If you are travelling to Singapore, you may consider booking about 28 to 29 days before your expected date of flight. However, for long-haul and full service flights, waiting for a bit may lead you to cheaper fares. But still, never wait too long before the actual travel date. The perfect timing would be 17 to 22 weeks prior to your scheduled flight.
3. Book a flight on hours that are considered as off-peak.
Depending on the flexibility of your travel date, you may consider checking out flight hours that are less peak or not as popular as others. These unpopular hours are expected to be cheaper than the peak hours since the latter is more in demand. You may want to take advantage of this obvious fact for more savings on your plane fare.
If you decide to book a flight for an hour that is less peak, there is nothing to worry about massive fees for your ticket. For the most part, travellers do not normally prefer to get to their destination at a later time or during the wee hours in the morning because they are afraid of any inconvenience in reaching their hotel or accommodation. But if you are certain that there is public transport available at any time, then you can take advantage of cheaper flight times for additional savings.
4. Consider checking with flight comparison sites.
Nowadays, almost anything can be done online – including finding the cheapest air fare for your travel needs. You can visit multiple sites or a reputable flight comparison website that should be able to offer you with several airlines with varied rates, which could make it easier for you to come up with a practical decision. This way, you can find the best price that will suit your budget perfectly.
Take advantage of technology and the freedom you can get to choose the most ideal air fare for you. So many websites are worth looking into such as Expedia, Kayak, SkyScanner, and Expedia. Just type in your destination and origin, travel dates, and there are numerous results to choose from. Consider using at least 2 or 3 of these flight comparison websites to make sure you are indeed getting the most reasonable air fare.
5. Use your credit card rewards for your air fare.
You will be amazed by the prospect of getting a much lower fee for your plane tickets by using your credit card rewards. This is why you may want to check with your credit card company if there are air miles, free travel insurance, or rebates that you qualify for. Be sure to do this prior to booking your flight since discounts and deals can truly go a long way.
There are several banks that offer credit cards you can use for travelling purposes, which could increase your mile points whenever you fly. As you collect miles, you may eventually use these points to offset your upcoming plane tickets or even get seat upgrades. Frequent travellers may even be eligible for redeeming free tickets. In case your credit card does not have such kind of reward, you can always go for rebates or free travel insurance, which are not so bad at all.
6. Check out travel vouchers online.
You may want to do some research on travel vouchers currently available on reputable classified sites including STClassified or Gumtree. Sometimes, people win travel vouchers from lucky draws or as a gift, yet they have no intention of travelling. Usually the vouchers cost 10 to 20 percent less than its actual value, so you can grab a chance to boost your savings.
Do consider these practical guide on how to save on air ticket and stretch the value of your dollar for your upcoming travels.
