5 Tips to Save Money on Airfare

You could spend ages trying to outsmart the airlines, but it would be a loser's game. There are, however, some simple guidelines to saving money on flights.

For one, in the world of air travel, time is money; the less money you spend, the more time you're likely to spend in the airport. If you're willing to make a stop or two rather than fly direct, or if you'll take on a layover more than 12 hours long, you'll save some dough. (Just keep in mind all that money you'll be tempted to spend at Chili's to Go, Starbucks, and Cinnabon, and the savings might evaporate.) Here are the other key things to keep in mind when searching for that deal.

1. There is no one magic bullet

"People would like a simple rule, but in practice there isn't a single day or time to buy," Patrick Surry, the chief data scientist for Hopper, an airfare prediction app, told The New York Times.

Moreover, there are plenty of myths online about how to get the cheapest tickets. It is not cheaper to buy tickets on Tuesday, for example, and there is no evidence to support that searching incognito results in better-priced fares, says travel expert Nomadic Matt.

Because airlines using complex pricing algorithms that are based on everything from time of the year, passenger demand, weather, holidays, time of day, competitor prices, and much more, it's impossible to predict future airline prices. Websites and apps — like Hopper — "are basically taking an educated (but probably wrong) guess," he says.

2. Be flexible when you fly

If you're flexible on when you fly, you could save a bundle. You'll find a better fare to Mexico during its rainy season rather than at peak holiday tropical getaway time, and save big if you don't demand to visit Rome in the high-tourist season (and heat) of August.

It's always cheaper to fly during the middle of the week than on a weekend, and early-morning or late-night flights will save you money.

Even "the difference of one day can mean hundreds of dollars in savings," notes Nomadic Matt, so be open to the penny-pinching possibilities.

3. Be flexible where you fly

When you're locked into where and when you want to fly, "No voodoo can change that," Nomadic Matt says. But there are those occasions when the world is your oyster, and you get to choose when you slurp it down. "When you become flexible, suddenly the entire world opens up to you and you'll find amazing cheap airfare!"

Google Flights makes it easy. Go to Google Flights and click the map. Put in your dates, home airport, and watch a world open up. There's always a deal somewhere!

4. Check each of these travel booking sites and put Google to work

Each airline search engine has its selling points — and its shortcomings. For example, budget airlines like AirAsia, Ryanair, and even Southwest often won't appear on large sites like Kayak, Expedia, or Orbitz because they don't want to pay a booking fee. Other times, the cheapest airline on offer has a site that isn't in English.

Kayak searches for "hacker fares," which allow you to fly out on one airline and return on another for savings. Skyscanner calls them mash-ups. Hit a few sites to make sure you're seeing everything that's out there. Nomadic Matt recommends Momondo, Google Flights, and Skyscanner.

5. Don't spend more than an hour searching

"If you're spending more than an hour booking a flight, you're spending too much time," says Nomadic Matt. Harsh words for the hand-wringing, purchase procrastinators among us. "Spend 30-40 minutes finding and booking a cheap flight at a price you're OK paying and move on with your life. I never second-guess myself on flights. You'll go crazy if you do."

PayPath
Follow Us on

Southwest Companion Pass

There’s all this talk about solo travel. And for good reason — no wasting precious time waiting for others to get their act together, take the plans out of the group chat and actually buy the tickets. Going solo, you can be spontaneous. You can plan your trips according to your precise tastes. You can hop on any flight and fly awayyyyyy.

Keep readingShow less

Jobs don't have to be miserable!

Photo by Madrona Rose on Unsplash

Though the wave of tech layoffs and the threat of a recession has overshadowed yesteryear's news of the great recession, everywhere you look, employees are asking for more — and getting it. Though this time of uncertainty could have given employers back the power, it's still in the hands of the workforce.

From Gen-Z's boundary setting and penchant for quiet quitting when they're being under-recognized, to labor unions and even the WGA writer's strike, we're in an era where workers can make demands about how they work — and where they work. And for many people, they want to work from home.

Keep readingShow less

Oh, how far we’ve come! Recently, it was revealed that — finally! — women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies outnumber male CEOs named John. A dubious milestone, but it's something to celebrate.

Though women have come pretty far in society, the progress we've made is far from enough. From the pay gap to daily microaggressions, it’s still obvious that women are treated as lesser than in society. This is especially clear when you look at how few female-founded businesses there are.

Keep readingShow less