Who doesn’t know flight deal websites such as Skyscanner, Expedia or Kayak? Wonder why they always show you much lower prices than the airlines? In the end, you still pay a higher rate than the airline rate. Well, that’s because of their hidden charges, such as insurance or booking fees. I’ll never forget the day my grandmother booked a flight. She called me in confusion, when she booked a flight she did not recognize, and ended up purchasing insurance, which cost her around 80€/month for the next 12 months. If you are quick enough, you can still withdraw from the contract. If no then you owe them 80€ per month, for the next year. Read the next five steps carefully so that you avoid to waste your money!
- Don’t listen to the booking myths
No one can guarantee you that flights are cheaper on a Tuesday or Thursday evening, or if you book three months in advance. Unfortunately, there is no algorithms for cheap flights! Consider the following points to fly cheaper than everyone else.
- Don’t miss a flight sale
Before you start to compare flight deals, check Holiday Pirates or My Holiday Guru to find the latest flight deals. Even if there are no current offers, check the latest ones. Subscribe to the newsletter of your favorite airlines. Personally, I really like flying with Ryanair. The last time, Ryanair sent me a newsletter, I booked a return flight from Cologne, Germany to Bergamo, Italy for 10€.
- Use Google Flights
Honestly, Google Flights observes the whole flight network and shows you the best deals for the destinations from your airport. So if you are not sure where to go to, Google Flights shows you where you can go with a low budget. Furthermore, if you have a specific route, it displays you the low-priced dates. Sometimes, it makes more sense to take the more expensive flight the morning of the next day than paying less in the evening before. Eventually, it will be costlier to fly in the evening and book a hotel for one additional night. However, as I have mentioned, hidden charges at the beginning, Google flights displays the exact rates of the airlines. If you want to book the flight, it will lead you to the airline’s website, which does not suggest any fraudulent dealing.
- Set your fare alert
Do you still have time? Are you not sure if you already found the best fare for you? Don’t worry! You can still set a fare alert, which will let you know when the flight price drops. sends AirefareWatchDog you an email when the price drops. For new error fares, check ErrorFareAlerts. Error Fare Alerts will inform if a “0” is missing in the price. The app, Hooper, also predicts a fare and lets you know when you should book it.
- Discount your ticket
Search for voucher codes before you book your low-cost ticket. Cuponation, Voucher Codes, Coupons or Retailmenot offer promo codes for flights. If you are lucky, you will find a discount code for your flight and save money.