By February, many northerners are thinking about a vacation somewhere (anywhere) warm. When traveling, the first (obvious) priority is to select a destination, but the next task is actually harder, which is arranging airfare. I’ve flown to Florida for the last 15 years for my winter vacation, and always booked well ahead of time (usually in August) to get the best rates and flight times. But is there a “sweet spot” when it comes to booking a flight that yields the best (read cheapest) flight? I don’t have time to constantly monitor flight rates, so found the following suggestions from ThriftyNomads.com on how to get the best deals extremely helpful.
#1—Keep your searches top secret.
Does it seem like the more searches you conduct, the higher the quoted rates go? Based on the cookies in your browser, flight prices do increase when a particular route is repeatedly searched, as the site wants to scare you into booking the flight quickly before prices get even higher. ThriftyNomads recommends that you always search for flights in incognito or private browsing mode to see the lowest prices. (Click on this link for directions on how to enable private browsing mode).
#2—Try out a variety of flight search engines.
A few that ThriftyNomads recommend (that I was unfamiliar with) include Skyscanner, AirFare Watchdog, Momondo, and Cheapoair.
#3—Identify the cheapest day to fly out.
Weekdays are usually cheaper. Use the booking calendar to experiment with different days unless you absolutely have to fly in and out on specific days. I got better rates flying out on a Thursday and returning on a Thursday.
#4—Check out the budget airlines (e.g. Budget, Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant).
Budget airlines offer great deals, but those low prices often come with compromises (for example, luggage fees, less leg room, and no food or drink).
#5—If you know where you’re going, and when, book as early as possible.
Airline tickets rarely get cheaper the closer you get to your destination date. The sweet spot (and this can vary by location) is to book approximately six to seven weeks before your trip. Overseas recommendations range from 12-18 weeks ahead of time.
#6—Use credit card rewards or airline points if available.
My credit card gives me two points for every $1 spent. Those points cover the cost of the rental car I need while on vacation.
#7—Try searching for rates from alternative airports.
Because I live right on Lake Erie, Cleveland is the closest airport to use for air travel. But my trips to Florida were always made from the much smaller Akron/Canton airport. It took 45 minutes longer to drive to that airport, but we got really cheap, straight through deals that more than made up for a little extra car time. Another plus? The smaller airport is a breeze to navigate; from parking to boarding.
Bottom Line?
Traveling by air has become frustrating and time consuming since 9/11. But it doesn’t have to break the bank as well. The time you spend doing a little basic research will help you yield better deals (and leave you more money to spend during your vacation).
