Low Cost Flights
Travel is a favorite pastime of most people, but it can be expensive to do. Between plane tickets, hotels, and rental cars you can spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a single trip and have nothing left over for entertainment and souvenirs. So, what are some ways you can cut down on the actual travel costs so you can have fun when you get to where you are going? The bulk of travel expenses are more often than not your plane tickets, especially if you are headed to a foreign destination. There are ways to find low cost flights, or even free flights, if you know what to look for and when. Here are five money saving tips that will help you find low cost flights and help your vacation run a little smoother.
Tip #1: Use a Travel Sites, but Compare Directly with the Airline
The ease and convenience of travel sites makes them a popular choice for booking low cost flights, and most of the time they can give you a really good deal on plane tickets. These sites have worked out a deal with the airlines they advertise that they are guaranteed a certain number of seats at a certain price. They get a discount for filling them, and you get a discount for purchasing through the travel site. It works out well for everyone.
However, if the destination and date you have chosen for your vacation plans is a popular one, the price will go up through travel sites. This is because the price on travel sites is not set like it is with an airline and is determined by a demand algorithm. The more people who search the destination and dates, regardless of booking them, the higher the price goes. It's important to always compare prices you find on a travel site directly with the airline you are choosing to fly on. Sometimes booking directly through the airline can save you money, so do your research.
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Because price for flights is determined by demand, the trick with travel sites is to search your destination and date early in the morning, or late in the evening, as the demand has slacked off and prices have gone back down. Less people are searching and booking flights in the early hours of the morning, so prices are lower than in the middle of the day when most people are browsing the internet.
The cheap seats generally go first, unless you are booking last minute. Last minute bookings tend to give you the best deals, but generally speaking, who wants to book their vacation at the last minute? Use a travel site for some great savings, but be sure to compare prices directly with the airline you are booking on and shop around.
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Top Travel Sites
The popularity of booking vacations online rather than through a travel agent has grown along with the number of web sites that offer travel discounts. With so many sites out there to choose from, how do you decide which to use? The answer really depends on your style of booking and how long you are willing to wait to book your vacation. Here are some highlights of some top travel sites and why people use them.
If your travel plans can be flexible, Priceline.com has a great "Name Your Own Price" feature that allows you to get as much as 40% off of the price of flights, 50% off of hotels, and 30% off of car rentals. With the "Name Your Own Price" feature, you give your travel dates you would like and how flexible you can be on them then bid on your tickets. If they accept your bid, you could save a bundle off the advertised price. This feature is also backed by their Name Your Own Price Guarantee where if you find the same flight at a lower price within 24 hours, they'll refund 100% of your money, or if the flight is not of the quality you agreed to (i.e. more than one lay over, a red-eye flight, etc.) then you can cancel or change your flight at no extra charge. Orbitz.com offers their Price Assurance Guarantee which gives you the peace of mind to know you are getting the same deal as all other Orbitz.com customers. If another Orbitz.com customer books your same flight at a better deal, even if its only $5 better, they automatically send you a check for the difference, right up to the day you fly, so no more missing last minute deals. The best part is that you don't have to track it, they do it automatically from the time you purchase until your plane leaves. Orbitz.com also offers a low price guarantee where if you find a lower price on another site for the same flight, they'll give you $50 per ticket towards your next Orbitz.com purchase. |
Tip #2: Book it All Together
When you are using a travel site to book your vacation, you can get a good discount off the already discounted prices by booking your flight, hotel, and car altogether. By bundling, the travel site guarantees they fill their quotas, and you get savings. Some travel sites also offer savings on entertainment at specific destinations like baseball game tickets, Broadway plays, and museum tours when you purchase these at the same time you purchase the rest of your vacation package. If you know what you want to do when you get where you're going, booking your vacation all together can get you good deal on the whole package. Get a low cost flight by booking your entire vacation through one travel site.
Tip #3: Become a Frequent Flier
One of the greatest gifts to the frequent traveler the industry ever produced was the introduction of the frequent flier miles programs. These are generally done through credit card companies where every dollar you spend on your card equals one free sky-mile, or for every mile you travel you get a free mile. This can equal free plane tickets for you if you are already spending money, particularly on travel, although most of the time you still have to pay the taxes on the flights you book. There are several frequent flier programs out there, and each has their own set of requirements. The important things to look for in a frequent flier program are no blackout dates, the lowest amount of redeemable miles possible, multiple airline options, and the chance for double rewards.
Blackout dates are dates that you cannot redeem your miles for. They can ruin your plans and move your vacation to a more inconvenient time of year. Look for a frequent flier program that offers no blackout dates. If the program offers it, they'll advertise it, so you won't have to look too hard to find out.
All frequent flier programs have a minimum amount of miles you have to earn before you can redeem any to fly. This is typically 15,000 points or miles, but can be as high as 50,000 if your destination is foreign. Be sure to find out all the requirements for redemption of miles before you sign up or you may end up disappointed and unable to use the miles you have earned.
When you sign up for a frequent flier miles program, be sure they offer multiple airlines. Not all airlines travel to all destinations, and not all airlines are convenient to you. If you have a favorite airline to travel on, then find a frequent flier program that works with that airline specifically. Not all frequent flier programs offer all airlines. Some programs offer mile for mile on their featured airlines, but only one mile per two you've earned on all other airlines. Read the fine print when signing up or you may be surprised at what it costs you to use a frequent flier program.
The last thing to look for in a frequent flier program is the chance for double rewards. Some programs offer double the points or miles for spending money at certain retailers or on specific types of things, like gas. This can be a really good way to stack up the miles quickly and save you money on your travel plans.
Tip #4: Use Other Rewards or Exchange Programs
There are other rewards programs that offer discounts on plane tickets besides frequent flier programs. Most credit cards that offer a rewards program, offer plane tickets as a part of the program. These generally work with specific airlines, have blackout dates, and have mileage limits that your can redeem, but they can be a great way to get low cost or free flights. If you already have a rewards program on the credit card you use, be sure to check out the travel rewards as there are sure to be restrictions and guidelines you have to follow to redeem your reward points for airline tickets.
There are some travel and time-share companies that have exchange programs. If you own a vacation package through one of these, you can exchange points or time for plane tickets. Most exchange programs still hold you responsible for the taxes on the flights you exchange for. This is a great way to get low cost flights, especially if your travel plans are taking you away from your normal vacation spots.
Tip #5: Get Familiar for Buddy Passes
A fun way to travel for free or at a deeply discounted rate is with a buddy pass. A buddy pass is a plane ticket that airline employees receive for free to use or to sell, so the key to finding a buddy pass to travel on is to know someone who works for the airline you want to travel with. Buddy passes are given out to employees of the airline based on seniority and reputation. If you are able to get a buddy pass, you are traveling as a guest on the good name of that airline employee, so be on your best behavior or they may not get you anymore passes.
With a buddy pass, you always travel on standby, so be prepared to be bumped if the flight you want is full. This can be inconvenient, but for free airline tickets, it can be worth the hassle. The nice thing about buddy passes is that when you do get a flight, you are more likely to end up in first class, as those seats don't fill up nearly as quickly as business or coach, so be sure to meet the dress code for first class just in case. Buddy passes are a great way to fly if you know someone who works for the airline you want to travel on, or if you work for the airline yourself.
