How to Choose a Low Cost Airline
Use flight search engines for budget airlines., Be flexible with your travel dates and times., Be flexible with your travel routes., Book your flight about seven weeks before your trip., Search for one-way ticket prices.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use flight search engines for budget airlines.
Familiarize yourself with the budget airlines available in your country so you can take advantage of flight search engines that cater to them.
Flight search engines will provide airfare pricing for every budget airline that accommodates your travel dates/times.
This allows you to easily comparison shop for the cheapest price.Use multiple flight search engines to make sure you don’t miss any additional results or cheaper fares.
It is very common for prices to vary from search engine to search engine.Examples of these flight search engines include TripAdvisor and Expedia. -
Step 2: Be flexible with your travel dates and times.
Budget airfare costs fluctuate depending on day of the week and time of year.
Winter and summer are both busy times for flying.
European travel peaks in the month of August.
Airfare will cost the most during these busy times of year, so avoid them whenever possible.Fly during the middle of the week.
Airfares tend to go up on the weekends.
The cheapest flights will have very early morning or very late evening departure times.
Flights tend cost a lot less immediately following major holidays. , Nonstop flights are usually the most expensive options.
Flights with connections may extend your travel time a bit, but they can be a far cheaper alternative.
Be aware of the major cities surrounding your destination and look into flights landing there, too.
Explore a variety of options before buying your flight.
For example, a nonstop flight to Amsterdam could be far more expensive than first flying to London, then taking a budget flight from there to Amsterdam.Don’t forget to check into regional airports, as well.
The flight search engines rarely include these, but you might find some great prices.
It’s definitely worth a look., While it’s not an exact science, data seems to indicate that about seven weeks before you intend to fly out is the best window for getting cheap airfare – for domestic travel and short haul flights only.
Eighteen weeks ahead is the best time to shop for cheap rates for long haul destinations, such as flights that will take you over an ocean to another country.
Avoid waiting to book your flight at the last minute.
Sometimes you can score a cheap flight by taking advantage of airlines trying to fill seats at the last minute.
However, it's not a dependable strategy. , Don’t limit yourself to round-trip flight searches only.
With a little research, you may find that purchasing two one-way tickets is a cheaper deal.
One budget airline may have a great price on a one-way flight to your destination, and an entirely different airline may offer a return one-way flight for a highly discounted price.
Don’t be afraid to shop around at different budget airlines and mix it up if it will save you money.If you use this technique, don’t forget about airport parking.
Different airlines don't always use the same airports.
Your return flight may land in an entirely different airport than the one you departed from. -
Step 3: Be flexible with your travel routes.
-
Step 4: Book your flight about seven weeks before your trip.
-
Step 5: Search for one-way ticket prices.
Detailed Guide
Familiarize yourself with the budget airlines available in your country so you can take advantage of flight search engines that cater to them.
Flight search engines will provide airfare pricing for every budget airline that accommodates your travel dates/times.
This allows you to easily comparison shop for the cheapest price.Use multiple flight search engines to make sure you don’t miss any additional results or cheaper fares.
It is very common for prices to vary from search engine to search engine.Examples of these flight search engines include TripAdvisor and Expedia.
Budget airfare costs fluctuate depending on day of the week and time of year.
Winter and summer are both busy times for flying.
European travel peaks in the month of August.
Airfare will cost the most during these busy times of year, so avoid them whenever possible.Fly during the middle of the week.
Airfares tend to go up on the weekends.
The cheapest flights will have very early morning or very late evening departure times.
Flights tend cost a lot less immediately following major holidays. , Nonstop flights are usually the most expensive options.
Flights with connections may extend your travel time a bit, but they can be a far cheaper alternative.
Be aware of the major cities surrounding your destination and look into flights landing there, too.
Explore a variety of options before buying your flight.
For example, a nonstop flight to Amsterdam could be far more expensive than first flying to London, then taking a budget flight from there to Amsterdam.Don’t forget to check into regional airports, as well.
The flight search engines rarely include these, but you might find some great prices.
It’s definitely worth a look., While it’s not an exact science, data seems to indicate that about seven weeks before you intend to fly out is the best window for getting cheap airfare – for domestic travel and short haul flights only.
Eighteen weeks ahead is the best time to shop for cheap rates for long haul destinations, such as flights that will take you over an ocean to another country.
Avoid waiting to book your flight at the last minute.
Sometimes you can score a cheap flight by taking advantage of airlines trying to fill seats at the last minute.
However, it's not a dependable strategy. , Don’t limit yourself to round-trip flight searches only.
With a little research, you may find that purchasing two one-way tickets is a cheaper deal.
One budget airline may have a great price on a one-way flight to your destination, and an entirely different airline may offer a return one-way flight for a highly discounted price.
Don’t be afraid to shop around at different budget airlines and mix it up if it will save you money.If you use this technique, don’t forget about airport parking.
Different airlines don't always use the same airports.
Your return flight may land in an entirely different airport than the one you departed from.
About the Author
Kelly Butler
Kelly Butler has dedicated 4 years to mastering accounting. As a content creator, Kelly focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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