10 Secrets to Booking Cheap Flights

Hey Guys! Happy Happy Tuesday! I hope you’re out enjoying the sunshine with a drink in your hand and not sitting behind a desk counting the seconds til 5:00 pm. But unless you’re on vacation right now… it’s probably the later. But doesn’t a cold drink and some sunshine sound pretty dang perfect? You’re only a flight away…

Speaking of flights, I know. It can be an absolute HEADACHE trying to find the right flight for you. I know how it feels to start checking flights in the morning and then check later in the afternoon only to see their prices have skyrocketed since. However, if you roll up your sleeves and put in a little bit of effort, you can easily find great deals on your perfect flight… you just need to be let in on a few secrets.

Here are my 10 secrets to booking cheap flights!

1. Timing is Everything. When it comes to planning your entire vacation, timing truly is everything. If you’re trying to save money, booking a trip to Disney World in July isn’t going to cut it. The time of year and the destination will seriously determine not only how much you’ll have to spend on vacation, but how much you’ll have to spend getting there too. If you’re looking to save a bit of money, trying flying to a destination in the off season if possible. This is guaranteed to save you quite a bit of money.
2. Practice your Patience. Seriously. Don’t rush to book a flight, unless you’ve waited until last minute. (More on that later.) Start planning ahead of time, and checking your flights. Don’t be afraid to wait a little bit before booking. Airlines prices fluctuate daily. Check prices first thing in the morning and every evening. Do you notice a difference? Make a note of it, and check again later.
3. Technology is awesome… use it! Thanks to technology, you have all sorts of websites and apps at your fingertips that help make booking your flights easier. I have a very precise process when it comes to checking for my flights.
   1. I start with Expedia. I know most travel experts will tell you this isn’t the way to do it. But I like to look at Expedia to just get an idea of how much a flight might be from airports near me. (I usually fly DTW.) I like to see what airlines offer flights to my destination, and how many stops I might be having to make.
   2. Next, I head to my Hopper App. I freakin’ love this thing… and no, this post is not sponsored. You can choose your airports and it literally pops up with a color coded calendar to show you when flights are cheapest throughout the year. I like to try to plan my trip by seeing if I can book my hotel when my flights are the cheapest in my ideal time frame.
   3. Last, I head to Skyscanner. Usually, my flights will be ta few bucks cheaper here. However, if they are about the same, I usually will go back to Expedia and book through them… just because it’s easy and I love their app. However, if they are significantly less, I will book through Skyscanner.
4. Book about 47 days in advance. It’s said that officially booking your domestic trip about 47 days out is when your flight will be the cheapest! Whether this is true or not, I’m not exactly positive. However, I always try to follow the rule… just in case!
5. Book on Tuesday afternoons. I don’t know why this is… but there is a ton of studies out there that claims this is the best time to book your flights.
6. Fly during the Week. Everyone says that flying out on a Wednesday is the cheapest… however, I think Tuesday is just as good. Why? People flying for “long weekends’ don’t fly on Tuesday and Wednesday because that’s not technically a long weekend, where Monday and Thursday are.
7. Wake Up Early or Stay Up Late. Flying Off Peak hours is the easiest way to get your ideal flight day at a cheaper rate. Personally, I’m a huge fan of flying early in the morning. When our flight leaves between 5 am and 7 am, not only do we get a cheaper rate, but we have the entire day to explore our destination once we get there. We just make sure to go to sleep early the night before and nap on the plane. I know a lot of people like to fly after 8 pm too. You’ll also get a cheaper rate flying through the night.
8. Stop and smell the Roses Cinnabons. I know… direct flights are ideal. They easier, they have less of a chance of losing your luggage, and it’s all around less of a hassle. But direct flights cost more money. If you really want to cut costs, make a stop or two. At least you’ll be able to eat more Cinnabons 🙂
9. Take Your Chances. If you’re a last minute type person, you can easily wait until the last minute to book your flights without having panic attacks. (I am not one of these kind of people.) If you’re willing to wait and be flexible, you can score some seriously great last minute deals with airlines trying to fill their flights.
10. Be Friends. Follow your favorite airlines on their social media accounts… you’ll get special deals that they offer only to those who follow them online.

How do you make sure you get the best deal on your flights?!

In other news… can you believe it’s the SERIES FINALE of Pretty Little Liars tonight?! I’m so freakin sad! I’ve loved that show for years, and am not ready to see it go. Don’t tell me what happens. I’m working tonight and won’t get to watch until tomorrow morning!

Ohhhh who am I kidding?! I’ll be refreshing Twitter on my break to see who A is. I love spoilers 🙂

Have a great Tuesday loves!

Xx.
Savannah