6 Tips for Cheaper Airfare
When traveling, airfare is often the priciest part of the trip. This is especially true for a family traveling in an era of big increases in jet-fuel costs and increased demand. Whether you’re traveling solo or are a family heading off on your dream vacation, finding cheaper airfare can help your vacation fit your budget. Here are 6 tips for cheaper airfare.
1 Be flexible with your travel dates and time of day
The price of airline tickets can vary significantly depending on the time of year you travel, as well as the day of the week and even the time of day. For example, holiday travel is always expensive, as are the peak summer vacation months. If you are flexible with your dates and willing to travel off-season, you may be able to find a much better flight deal. Flying off-peak hours, such as very early in the morning or very late at night can also help you score a deal.
Momondo is a great tool if you are flexible. Put in your airport of origin and destination, select a particular month you want to travel, as well as the number of days, and then view a chart with the airfare for each day of travel. A search from Philadelphia to Miami that I did recently found fares ranging from a low of $136 to a high of $503. That’s a big saving if you are flexible.
2 Consider lesser-known vacation destinations
Florida beaches, Orlando, as well as beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean, are always top on vacation lists. This means high demand for flights and costlier tickets. Avoiding touristy spots like San Antonio, Miami, and Newport, and focusing more on hidden gems like Fredericksburg, TX, Fort Lauderdale, FL, or Block Island, RI may help you find a better deal.
Many websites, such as Google Flights, Kayak, Skyscanner, and Momondo, will enable you to put in the airport you wish to travel from and your dates of travel and then see airfare costs to various destinations. This is a great way to find a deal on airfare and find a new place to explore.
3 Flying direct is not always the best deal
While nonstop flights are extremely convenient, they may not be the best value for your travel dollar. Saving a hundred bucks per ticket by having a layover in some instances can equal big savings for a family of four or five. A search of the travel site Travelocity for flights from Philadelphia to San Francisco found nonstop flights starting at $502 and 1-stop flights from $431. It’s worth considering and comparing when looking to save. It may even pay to mix and match airlines for the best deals.
4 Search the sites of budget carriers
Gone are the days of having only a few choices of airline providers. According to Statista, there were 59 airlines in the U.S. in 2020 and thousands more worldwide. It pays to check prices with budget carriers that serve your local airports. Beware that you need to compare the add-on fees when comparing prices. At times, the extra fees may outweigh the low cost of the ticket. This might include baggage fees, seat selection, and even a printed boarding pass. As soon as you log on to the airline sites below, you’ll see flight deals pop up.
A sampling of the budget-friendly low fare carriers in the U.S. includes:
· Frontier
· JetBlue
· Spirit
· Hawaiian
Extra savings can be found on budget carriers with certain memberships as well. For example, Spirit Air has a “Saver$ Club” and Southwest Air offers “Wanna Get Away.” Flying budget airlines may be a good alternative to flying a major carrier when it comes to pricing.
5 Be on the lookout for special deals
Opt-in for airline newsletters, travel site emails, and text alerts to stay aware of the latest deals. Two of our favorites include Scott’s Cheap Flights, which is ideal for staying abreast of price drops and getting deal alerts, and Airfarewatchdog for travel tips, low fare alerts, and other deals. The Flight Deal is a good site when searching for global flights.
6 Use credit card and air mile points
If you don’t have a travel rewards credit card and are not signed up for airline rewards/loyalty programs you are missing out on big savings. Cash Back credit cards, such as Spirit Financial Credit Union’s Visa Card can provide cash back on purchases that can be used for anything, including paying for airfare. Airline loyalty programs are free to join and offer points for miles traveled on the airlines.
A personal loan can help you take a dream vacation
We hope you found our 6 tips for cheaper airfare to be helpful. If you are short on funds, but in need of a vacation, a low-rate personal loan can help. Check out Spirit Financial’s fixed-rate personal loan today. No collateral is required, and you enjoy a low, fixed interest rate, as well as flexible terms.
Read more vacation tips on our blog “How to Find the Perfect Budget Vacation.”