By Elaine Mendoza, International Living,

“So how can I get a cheap flight?” That’s one of the most-asked travel questions, and these powerful tips will help you secure the best deal. The tips below will help you save your hard-earned money. Money you can use towards your adventures instead of just your airfare.

1) Be Flexible
Flexibility is key when securing a cheap airfare. For example, an airline will have their lowest fares on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Much more expensive are Sunday evenings, when most people try to get home before Monday morning.

2) Use Alternative Airports
Many cities around the world have more than one airport that you can fly into or out of. These airports pay their taxes and fees depending on the location. The fees are later passed on to you as the traveler. It is possible that the airport 80 miles away from your desired location is significantly cheaper than the one you want to fly into. For example, think of Orly as an alternative to Charles de Gaulle when flying in or out of Paris. You may save yourself hundreds of dollars by choosing a different airport.

3) Clear Your Web Browser
Have you ever wondered why your flight prices seem to go up minutes later? Search engines can actually track your browsing. They want you to panic and purchase that flight right away. It is important that you block cookies or clear your web browsing data so that you can search for the lowest price. You can do this in the “options,” “tools,” or “settings” menu, depending on your browser.

4) Compare Different Search Engines
Skyscanner: Skyscanner lets you search for the cheapest month and day to travel to your desired destination. Flexibility is key. While I understand that not everyone can be flexible, you can still get a good feel for what month and day your destination is cheapest and prepare your next trip around this information.

Skiplagged: This search engine found such a powerful loophole in the airline industry that some airlines (unsuccessfully) tried to sue the creator. Skiplagged’s founder noticed that flights with lots of stops and longer layovers are cheaper. However, what if you never intend to take that last flight and your “layover” is actually your final destination? You’ve suddenly got yourself a cheap flight. Be aware that, for Skiplagged, you must have carry-on luggage only and a one-way ticket. After all, you can’t check your bag to your “final” destination.

Azair: Azair may not be a well-known search engine and its site is quite basic. However, they offer budget flights around Europe, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Asia. Using Azair makes flying around Europe cheaper than taking the train.

5) Timing
There are many apps that are specifically designed to help you purchase a ticket when the lowest prices are available. You will benefit with an app like Hopper, that will alert you to when that is. When it comes to purchasing airfare, timing is everything. It is true that a flight will cost you less if you purchase it on a Tuesday instead of a Saturday morning, regardless of what day the flight is. What is the reason for this? Businesses run inventory and airlines are no different. A rule of thumb is to start checking 60 days in advance of your desired flight or simply buy last minute for leftover seats. Whenever you do decide to finally purchase your flight, you are better off purchasing it on a Tuesday.


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