Save Money on Flights This Winter with These 7 Tips

November 8, 2019

The holidays are just around the corner and that means baking delicious treats, listening to Christmas music, and spending time with loved ones. This can also mean buying expensive flights in order to see everyone. If you don’t plan ahead, you can end up spending an exorbitant amount on domestic or international flights that can cut into your budget for gifts or holiday excursions.

Are you planning on visiting friends or family this winter and want to make sure you’re finding the best deal possible on flights? Keep reading to learn our top 7 tips on how to save money on flights during the holidays.

1. Buy during the week

When shopping for your upcoming flight, avoid weekends. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are the most expensive days to purchase a flight. To find the best prices, we recommend waiting until a Monday or Tuesday, when prices are typically lower.

2. Browse airline deals sites

Don’t only research flight prices on an airline’s own website. Sites like Kiwi and Skyscanner immediately review flight options for tons of airlines and automatically show you the best prices and times. You can also set up alerts to inform you when a flight to a specific destination has a cheap price tag.

Secondly, you can save big by purchasing a flight whose end destination may not be where you want to go, but the layover city is. Skiplagged is a website and app that finds these opportunities. For example, say you want to fly to Georgia from Florida. Skiplagged can find you a flight that is flying from Florida to Georgia to Minnesota for a lot cheaper than a direct flight. Keep in mind that this can be a tricky option for some since you wouldn’t be able to check any luggage. If you’re willing to give it a try, you can find some serious discounts.

3. Be aware of hidden fees

Although prices for certain flights can sometimes appear to be a good deal, there may be hidden fees that you aren’t aware of. These fees can be for extra baggage, seat selection, and taxes. Always be sure to get to the end of the checkout process to see the actual price after all fees are added up.

4. Search while incognito

It’s important to search for flights while your browser is in incognito mode. Google and airline websites collect your information each time you go to their website and know when you are consistently checking back for a new price. By doing so, your prices can go up. To avoid this, search while incognito so they cannot see that you’ve visited before, avoiding a price increase.

5. Utilize your credit card rewards

Put your credit card rewards to good use this winter by cashing them in for flights! Depending on your credit card benefits, you can save big time by using those points instead of cash. An extra bonus: when you purchase your tickets, you’ll get even more points that can be used for future flights.

6. Don’t be tied to one airline

We know, people like what they like. You probably have one or two airlines that you’re loyal to and you don’t want to test out a new one. Unfortunately, that can really cost you. Be open and flexible when searching around. By opening up your options, you can very easily find different airlines that are offering flights at a fraction of the cost of your typical go-to’s.

7. Don’t fly during the day

Similar to what day of the week you should be purchasing the tickets, there are also less expensive times of day to fly. Flights that are early in the morning or late at night tend to be cheaper than those that are in the middle of the day. If it works for your schedule, look for redeye or early morning flights to save money when you fly home to your loved ones this holiday season.

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And there you have it! We hope our 7 tips on how to save money on flights this winter helps you to find the best-priced flight out there to get home for the holidays.

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