16 OCTOBER, 2019

AMAZING HACKS TO ALWAYS BOOK CHEAP FLIGHTS

To achieve your travel goals, you have to shell out money. You have to pay for your airline tickets, accommodation, and other travel expenses. But money should not deter you from achieving your travel goals. To get those affordable flight tickets, check out these awesome travel hacks in booking flights for cheap deals. 

1. Search in incognito mode 

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Before you book your flights online, search in Incognito mode. This will prevent you from getting tricked by websites into booking flight tickets. If you search for airline tickets using the normal browser page, your browser’s cookies will track the popular travel destinations that you or anyone on the Internet is searching for. This tracking data can then be used to increase the flight tickets’ prices, offering you the most expensive ones instead of cheap airline tickets. 

By using the Incognito mode, you will prevent the browser from storing data about the travel destinations that you searched for. This is because every time you open a new Incognito browser, your browser cookies are erased or reset. 

2. Use different flight search engines

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This is one travel hack to keep this in mind: there is no best search engine for booking flights. You have to check out different websites to book your flight tickets and find cheap flights. This may mean spending more time and effort on your part, but at least you can be sure that you can compare travel deals from one website to the other.

Also, you can try checking out the famous local airlines. Ticket booking in domestic airlines usually includes awesome promos, so you have to watch out for that.

3. Avoid scheduling flights on Fridays or Sundays

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Just like with daily commute, Fridays and Sundays mean more people are going on vacation or going back home. Fridays are especially more jam-packed for travelers because many people want to spend their weekends elsewhere. Naturally, flight ticket booking will be pricey for these days.

If you want cheap flight tickets, the best days to book your flights would be Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Make sure to check the flight prices now and then. Different countries and local places may price their flight tickets higher even during those days, especially for international flight tickets. 

4. Stay tuned for fare alerts

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In this digital age, it pays to stay updated. Since you are booking flights online, don’t forget to switch on the notifications for emails, social media pages, and app alerts of certain airlines. This way, you won’t miss any budget promos that may arise while you are at work or at home. Some useful traveling apps for local destinations, like Boracay, are the Philippines Map and Trip It. 

One of the best promos, especially for local airlines, is the Piso Fare promos. These promos offer limited slots only. Since you are not the only travel junkie out there, you could be competing with hundreds or thousands of people for those slots. 

5. Book a package, if there is any

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Promos are definitely your best friend in traveling, aside from your human best friend. Some airlines offer flight and hotel packages which can help you save a lot, compared to booking flights and hotels separately. Many hotels provide good discounts together with airfare versus hotel discounts, only.

While this is a good thing, make sure to check out the accommodation reviews online. Check if the quality of the hotel is excellent, or you might end up with a cheap but unsatisfactory stay. For a great vacation in Boracay, try booking Alta Vista de Boracay. 

6. Pay attention to the country or location rates

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As it turns out, watching exchange rates is not just for economic experts or enthusiasts. As a travel enthusiast, you should also check out the exchange rates of certain countries or locations with the local currency.

For example, some countries may have a favorable exchange rate that year with your country’s currency. However, make sure that you also pay attention to other expenses you may incur for your international flight. Consider that the international flight tickets may be cheap, but some fees in the airport (or after landing in your destination country) may be expensive.

7. Don’t make travel agencies your enemy

DIY tours are better for many reasons. You get to search for the best deals for flight tickets, and you have more time to explore, once you land in your dream destination. But this doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t enjoy your trip if you sign up with a travel agency.

Travel agencies also offer cheap deals for airline tickets because they may have direct partnerships with certain airlines. They also offer travel insurance; so that you wouldn’t have to deal with travel emergencies on your own. But before you go booking flights with a travel agency, make sure it’s a DOT-accredited travel agency;  so that you avoid being ripped off. 

8. Search for local airlines

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If you are going for an international flight, this is one tip that you have to remember: check out the location’s local airlines, especially if your dream destination is remote or less traveled. Take note that most websites for booking flights will not show you these airlines but the more popular ones. 

Once you’ve found out about their local airlines, check out their websites and inquire about their travel offers or deals. This goes for your accommodation, as well. Instead of checking out hotels in flight booking websites, look for their local hotel’s websites. 

9. Check out tickets one at a time

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If you’re flying with your friends or family, you should still check ticket prices one at a time. Here’s why: flight tickets are often sold at different rates for multiple fare classes. If you find the lowest fare class, but there is only one left, the airline’s system will show you the highest fare class tickets for the other seats you are looking for. This is especially true if there are limited seats available.

Searching one at a time may not ensure that you get all your companions the same cheap flight tickets, but at least you get the lowest possible price for the available seats. 

10. Consider flying on the actual holiday

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Have you tried flying during the actual holiday—say, Christmas Day? Most people will avoid those days because it would be convenient to have longer vacation days before the holiday. But the most significant savings for booking flights online is on the actual day of the holiday. After all, everyone would have been at their vacation spots by then. So if you are not in a hurry, try booking flights for cheap deals on that day.

Also, remember that changing your departure or return date by one day can make a significant difference. Again, it pays to check the website and search for flights now and then. 

Traveling is genuinely fulfilling, but it will cost you lots of money if you don’t know how to search for good deals. But with cheap or expensive flights, traveling will bring you memories that will make you think it’s all worth it. While the experience may not be life-changing, it can help you relax and get you ready for more challenges at home and work.