Flying cheap
Searching for cheap flights for your trip? Today, in collaboration with holiday search engine liligo.com we will show you how to fly cheap.
Search for flights in advance
This is key. There isn’t a magic formula, but there are useful tips to follow such as searching for flights in advance. It is most sensible is to do it 3 months prior to the scheduled trip in order to fly cheap. This is especially valid for low cost and budget airlines as they don’t usually offer flights more than 5 months in advance.
There is an easy way to know how far in advance you should book: the further away the destination, the earlier you should do it. Below are the timings recommended:
- Short haul flights: 3 months in advance;
- Medium haul flights: Between 5 and 6 months in advance;
- Long haul flights: 8 months in advance.
Not all search engines are the same: choose the one most suitable to your needs
The choice of search engine is important as they are not all the same. It is advisable to pick one which shows the price with any tax and added fees included so that you are able to see the final price straight away.
There’s more: the choice of search engine can affect the price in various ways. To be sure you will find the best prices, choose your search engine based on the following points:
- Search engines with low cost and budget airlines: essential if you’re after the best prices, despite cramped flights and being sold the lottery on board.
- Independent search engines: if linked to airlines or travel agencies it may prioritise other results over the best prices.
- Search engines with a multi-transport option: it is worth taking into account that depending on the route, other transport methods (such as train or buses) can sometimes be cheaper the flying.
Pay attention to your IP address
It is beneficial to know that high demand is not the only reason for an increase in flight prices. In fact, there is another less well known reason: the IP address or IP tracking.
This involves the airline website knowing your IP registration when searching for a certain flight. Through this it can control your visits in a given internet connection and ‘know’, for whatever reason, that this flight is of great interest to you. As a result, it automatically increases the price of the fight for your internet connection. Controlling your IP address can help you to fly cheap.
Review the information on your reservation
Did you know that airlines can stop you from boarding the plane if there are any errors in your reservation details? Or that they can make you pay to change it? In order to avoid this, it is best to be very careful when writing down your details. Nevertheless, it is good to know that low cost airlines offer alternatives.
Volotea, for example, lets you change the name on your reservation for free. All you have to do is send a message online informing them of the mistake.
Ryanair on the other hand, charges at least €160 to change the reservation. However, if you’re aware of the mistake within the first 24 hours they let you alter it for free. For this reason, it is important to always review your details and those of your friends in case there is a mistake.
Pay attention to airline luggage policy
Being up to date on airline’s luggage policy is no small matter when searching for cheaper flights. Not knowing size and number of hand luggage bags allowed may cost you more. Extra charges, given their prices, will make your dreams of a cheap trip vanish in seconds. It is no joke: it is not difficult to increase the total cost of your trip to the price of a less economical flight.
You should also beware that there are great differences in luggage policies between airlines – especially budget airlines. You should not trust that one airline’s luggage policy will be the same as another, they can be completely different.
Each airline has its own luggage policy with many variable and exceptions. In order to have an overall vision we advise you to read this study on the luggage policies of the main regular and low cost airlines.
Translated by Sarah Silveira
