Faced with a long flight, the prospect of sitting in cramped quarters for hours on end can be daunting. In recent years, airlines have been cutting services to make up for lost profits from dropping prices, which has only made the situation worse. But there are some things you can do to make your round trip flights more comfortable and less expensive. By utilizing these tips and tricks, you can find cheap round trip flights:
Look at the 10 best travel booking sites
If you want to find the cheapest plane tickets possible, there’s no better way than simply searching around on some of the most popular flight search engines such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity. Usually, they’ll be offering the best deals to and from their site, but it’s worth checking other sites just in case.
Book earlier rather than later
The best time to book round-trip flights is typically about six weeks before your travel date. This gives you a wider selection of dates and times while also ensuring the lowest prices possible. However, if you’re booking close to your date, don’t book the first thing you see! Instead, continue searching for airfare every day up until midnight of your departure date. If you find a cheaper ticket at that time, it’s generally ok to cancel your original tickets and purchase the new one without penalty.
Check off-peak days and times
The most expensive times to travel are typical during the workweek and on weekends. Because of this, you should try your best to stick to traveling on Tuesdays through Thursdays whenever possible. You can also save a lot of money simply by choosing earlier or later flights if those tend to be cheaper as well (and they usually are).
Check multiple airports
If you live in a major metropolitan area, there are probably two or three airports close by that service to the same destination. If this is the case, it might be worth checking both of them to see if one has cheaper flights than the other. You should also check other nearby cities just in case one of the smaller airports has lower fares.
If you have the time, fly overnight
If you have flexible travel plans or are simply not afraid of traveling at night, consider booking flights that leave late in the evening and arrive early in the morning. The reason for this comes down to simple math: multiple days’ worth of low-priced or free lodging is more expensive than a night in the air. If you’re willing to put in the extra time, it can be worth it in the end.
Make sure your bags are small and light
Larger suitcases cost baggage handlers money because they have to pull them on carts through the airport or load them into cargo holds of planes. This means that it’s possible to save some extra cash if you’re willing to travel with a small carry-on bag. Not only might your suitcase be cheaper, but you’ll also avoid having to pay additional fees for checked luggage or overweight bags.
Skip alcohol and snacks when traveling
Believe it or not, buying alcoholic drinks or in-flight snacks can be one of the biggest money-wasters you’ll encounter when flying. If you want to save some extra cash, pack your food and drinks for the plane so you don’t have to pay those high prices.
Make sure to take out insurance
If you’re planning on traveling far away or are just nervous about the possibility of trouble along the way, many companies offer travel insurance for cheap or free. Make sure to look into these and see if it’s worth purchasing in your case!
Be flexible with dates and times
The most expensive part about booking an airplane ticket is usually the price itself; you might be pleasantly surprised by how much you save if you simply change the date of your flight. Travel websites are constantly looking for people to fill up their planes, so make sure to check back often in case of flights get cheaper by the day!
If you’re not afraid of budget airlines, consider them
Some budget airlines offer pretty cheap airfare while still traveling to major airports and offering conventional service. This can allow you to save a lot of money if you’re willing to be flexible about your schedule and destination, so consider them in your search.
Consider making multiple stops
If none of the above strategies are working, don’t worry! There’s one more tip available to you: flying with multiple layovers instead of one direct flight will often be just as affordable and save you a lot of time. While it’s not always the most convenient option, sometimes saving money is worth sacrificing comfort for a few hours.
Flying can be a challenge because it’s an expensive form of transportation. To find cheap round-trip flights, you’ll have to do some additional research or book slightly earlier than usual (though this is worth the extra effort). In this in-depth article, we’ve provided 12 tips that will help you save money on your next flight and get where you need to go without breaking the bank. Which one of these has helped you find low-cost flights before? Let us know how using them worked for you! If all else fails, consider taking a bus instead – they’re still cheaper than flying but offer less convenience. Whatever option suits your needs best, make sure to take out travel insurance as well so that if anything goes wrong along the way, there’s a backup plan in place.
