Booking long-haul flights can be intimidating. Tickets seem to cost a fortune, leaving you with not much to spend on anything else. Despite this doom and gloom, there are some tips and tricks that you can apply to save money and have a blast on your trip.
Make the most of the search engines
With so many people turning to the Internet for bookings, there are special airline search engines you can use to get the best flight deals. Not all of them include budget airlines, so you may want to choose those that do. They can show you sweet deals for airline tickets from $49. Even if you have to pay a little more, you will still end up saving a lot.
Timing matters
Early morning flights are not everyone’s favorite time to travel, but they can help you save money. Look at the first flights of the day and you are likely to get them cheap. Other good times to travel are at dinnertime and after lunch. Traveling at the unusual hours increase your chances of finding airline tickets from $49.
Focus on budget airlines
You may not have the most spacious seats or free food and drink on budget airlines, but you will pay a lot less for tickets. You can eat before boarding and buy meals on-board. You will still save more money than if you fly with a traditional airline. An important point to note when booking tickets with budget airlines is to check luggage weight, permissible dimensions, and other details carefully. They are strict about such matters and you could end up paying an extra fee.
Choose cheap destinations
Some places are just more expensive than others are and you cannot do much about it. If traveling to option A is beyond your budget, consider option B even if it means visiting a place that you would not typically pick. You could just end up having an adventure of a lifetime!
Consider paying in another currency
It can sometimes be cheaper to pay for tickets in other currencies. Double check if it is possible and make sure there are no high transaction fees attached. Otherwise, you will end up spending the same as booking in USD.
Choose credit cards carefully
Some credit cards have good reward programs and are particularly useful for long-haul flights. You can add points by using them to pay for day-to-day necessities. Once you have racked up enough miles, you can redeem them for affordable round trip deals from $58 or for expensive tickets.
Shop through airline shopping portals
Airline shopping portals are a great way to earn miles. The going can be slow, but if you are in no hurry to travel, you will soon see your miles piling up.
Finding ways to travel cheap can help you make huge savings. While it has become easier to find cheap flights from $49 onwards, you can always cut costs further with these hacks. The money you save can be put to much better use like taking insights, feasting on a sumptuous fare, and, of course, on shopping!