How to Find and Book Affordable Flights

1. Book at the right time

Do flights get more affordable closer to the date of departure?

It’s complicated.

Indeed, the best time to book a flight is hotly debated, with some travelers preferring to buy their tickets well in advance, while others are hoping for a last-minute deal.

But these days, airlines use dynamic pricing, which means prices increase as demand for your flight soars.

This makes holding out for a last-minute bargain a seriously risky strategy.

Most travel experts agree that it’s worth booking a few months in advance of an international flight for lower fares — although sadly there’s no magical pre-departure date when you’re guaranteed to find the very lowest prices.

You can be a bit more relaxed when it comes to domestic travel as passengers tend to book these journeys closer to departure. However, it’s still a good idea to purchase your flights several weeks before take-off.

You can give yourself a better chance of booking at the best time by setting up flight alerts that will notify you if and when the flight price drops within your budget.

2. Select multiple airports and sort by ‘cheapest’

Booking.com’s flight search tool includes a handy check box that allows you to find results for multiple airports at once.

Simply type in the city or state you’re planning to depart from and arrive at to see all the airports in that area, then check off each airport you could realistically fly from, and do the same for the airports at your destination.

For example, if you’re flying from New York to London, you could depart from JFK Airport, Newark Airport, or LaGuardia Airport.

To keep costs down, you could choose between flying to London Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, or Luton Airport.

This will significantly broaden your search results, giving you access to way more options and affordable flights than if you’d stuck with two specific airports.

If you’re still not seeing flights within your budget, it’s also worth including other nearby cities in your search.

After all, it’s worth spending an hour in a cab or on a train after you’ve touched down if it means hundreds of dollars off your air fare.

What’s more, some flight search tools (our included) have a ‘cheapest’ filter. Selecting ‘cheapest’ here will bring the most affordable results to the top of the list.

3. Be flexible with dates

The days you choose to fly can make a huge difference to your airfare — in fact, building flexibility into your schedule is probably the best way to get affordable plane tickets.

Flight prices generally increase when there’s more demand, and drop at quieter times.

‘What days are flights more affordable?’ you may ask.

It’s not an exact science, but flying around weekends tends to be pretty pricey, while mid-week days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically more affordable.

You can find the most inexpensive days to fly by searching with a flexible date.

4. Be flexible with flight times

As popular flights are typically more expensive, traveling at unsociable hours is another way to significantly trim travel costs.

So why are early morning flights more affordable?

Many people avoid flying overnight or in the early hours of the morning — meaning demand for tickets is lower during this time — but if budget flights are your number one priority, you’re likely willing to sacrifice a few hours of sleep.

And if you’re open to traveling at any time of the day or night, you’ll be able to choose from many more deals than if you’re restricted to specific hours.

There’s a bonus too: traveling in the early hours means more time you get to spend enjoying your destination.

5. Shop around

Certain airlines are famous for providing a luxurious experience, while others take a no-frills approach to slash costs for consumers.

If finding affordable flights is important to you, it’s crucial to browse fares from budget airlines as well as high-end carriers in the hopes of bagging a bargain.

6. Consider a layover

Layovers are admittedly a mixed bag.

On one hand, if you get your timings wrong, a layover means you’re stuck in an airport for several hours in the middle of your journey, with another long flight in front of you.

But on the flipside, taking a flight with a long layover is often much more cost-effective than going for a direct flight.

Plus, building a layover into your itinerary can add an extra day onto your trip, giving you the opportunity to explore a new city — all while saving plenty of money.

To turn a layover into a wallet-friendly bonus trip, look for itineraries where the layover lasts from the early morning through to night.

This gives you time to get out there and explore an exciting new destination you may otherwise never have experienced, while also saving you money on accommodation as well as air fare.

7. Use your air miles

If you’ve ever wondered how to find affordable business class flights — or if this is even possible — air miles hold the answer.

Using air miles is a surefire way to cut the cost of your economy airfare, or to bag a low-cost upgrade.

You can collect air miles by:

• Signing up for airline loyalty programs
• Signing up for credit cards that are partnered with airline loyalty programs

Once you’ve accrued enough air miles — by flying frequently or spending on your credit card — you can use them to purchase your airfare or even treat yourself to an upgrade. This means business class on a budget!

8. Book tickets one at a time

Booking one-way flights for each leg of your journey can sometimes end up being much less expensive than purchasing a return ticket.

This is because you can simply select the most affordable option from all airlines. For example, American Airlines may offer the best deal for your outward leg, while Delta may be lower-costing on your homeward journey.

Similarly, if you’re flying long-haul, you can often save money by booking each leg of your journey individually.

While this can save you money on airfare, there are a few pitfalls to watch out for if you’re taking this approach.

First up, you may end up paying significantly more for baggage, as you’ll have to pay a separate checked luggage fee to every airline you’re traveling with.

If you’re booking different legs of the same journey separately, remember that you’ll need plenty of time to make each connection.

When you land, you’ll need enough time to exit and re-enter the airport, check-in and go through security before catching your next flight.

Build some wiggle room into your layover in case of delayed flights, and ensure your travel insurance covers missed connections.

9. Check baggage allowances and travel light

Adding luggage onto your plane ticket is a sure way to significantly increase the cost of your trip.

For those wondering how to find affordable flights, this means two things.

Firstly, it’s important to check the luggage allowance different airlines include in their standard economy fare.

Some airlines only allow for one personal item (such as a handbag) per passenger, while others also include a cabin bag and/or one checked bag.

You should also visit the airline’s website to find out how much it costs to add any extra bags onto your ticket.

While one flight may initially appear more affordable, this may not be the case after you’ve taken luggage into account.

Of course, the easiest way to avoid luggage costs is to travel light.