Should you book now, but will the price of that ticket go down if you wait? What if you wait and it goes up? Airfare has become very complicated and is hard for to figure out. There are so many costly mistakes you can make! We share our favorite best hacks to save money on airfare. Keep reading for the best tips to save money on airfare.
Tip 1. Understand What Your Airfare Covers.
Don’t be doomed to the dreaded middle seat. You need to understand the different fares and what they don’t include. Every fare will get you there, eventually. Nowadays many airlines not only charge you for a checked bag, but will even charge you for a carry-on bag.
When you see a low advertised price, it is usually for a “basic fare.” Basic fares mean you cannot choose your seat, and often you will have to pay extra even for a carry-on bag. You may start with a basic fare then decide to pay a fee for a carry-on, and a checked bag, and an assigned seat. Before you know it you have paid more than if you had booked a higher fare class. Nowadays, even regular main cabin fares usually do not include a free checked bag, which is why you see people trying to stuff enormous carry-ons into overhead bins.
Tip 2. The Best Way to Save Money on Airfare: Research
To save on airfare it is essential to do research. Go to Google Flights and enter your information. Once you find a flight or two that meets your needs, hit the “Track Prices” button and enter your email address. As prices go up and down, you receive alerts. Google Flights even tells if the prices are typically high or low for that flight.
If your plans are flexible, there is a grid that lets you to see the lowest priced date combinations to get the best price on your airfare.
Then double check the fare on the airline’s website.
Next book the flight. If you book directly with the airline most U.S. airlines will give e-credits for the difference if the fare comes down because they no longer charge cancellation or change fees. Just make sure the airline you select does that.
Important Note: This does not work if you book “basic economy” so be sure to book main cabin or better.
As long as you are willing to accept e-credits for future flights, you can now relax because you will get the best fare. The flight alerts make it easy. Doing this has saved us thousands of dollars.
We set alerts for our personal travel after we have booked a flight. Be sure to only use airlines that let you rebook with no cancellation fee. If the flight price drops, we go to the airline site and adjust the fare. (Sometimes you might need to make a phone call.) Then, we have hundreds of dollars in e-credits ready to use for our next flight. Sometimes it will be better to cancel the flight, get the e-credit, and use the e-credit to book the flights at the new rate. Either way, you will end up with e-credits in your account.
Best of all, you can book that airfare now and relax in the knowledge that if the fare comes down, we can take advantage to save some money. And if the fare goes up, as it often does, you can appreciate how smart you were.
Tip 3. Credit Card Perks Help Save on Airfare
Consider getting an airline credit card to save on airfare. Most of the major airlines offer a no-fee credit card for a year. Usually, they include free checked bags and other amenities. This alone can save you $70-$80 per checked bag per trip. It can be worth your while even if you only fly once a year.
Tip 4. Sign Up for Airline Programs
This is an important tip to save on airfare. Even if you think you will never fly with them again, sign up for the airline’s frequent flier program. It costs nothing and you can get extra perks. For example, with Delta you will get free wi-fi on your flight and your Delta Skymiles will never expire.
Here’s where you can sign up quickly and for free. We keep our clients frequent flier number on file so there is no need to remember them.
By the way, with most programs you can sign the kids up too. if you are paying for a seat, why not?
Click the airline to go to their page to join.
Delta Skymiles, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Jetblue, Spirit, Southwest, Icelandair, Air France, British Airways, Turkish Air, SAS, TAP Air Portugual, Emirates, Quantas
Tip 5. Taking a Cruise? How To Save on Airfare
Most cruise lines offer airfares at discount prices. Check to see what the cruise line is offering for the exact same flight you picked out earlier. Surprisingly, the cruise line price is sometimes lower. The downside of using the cruise line is you have a bit less control over the booking. Be sure to book “flexible” or cancellable tickets if you can.
Tip 6. Understand Your Rights
The U.S. Department of Transportation has this helpful dashboard. It is important to understand them. In general, you will have fewer rights when the delay or cancellation is not controllable by the airline, like severe weather. Controllable delays within the airline’s control include maintenance or crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, etc.
Tip 7: Travel Insurance Can Save You Money
While we strongly recommend travel protection, do not buy it from the airline, and rarely from the cruise line. Instead ask for quotes from reputable third-party insurers. And if you travel more than once a year, consider a very affordable annual multi-trip plan. You can learn more here.
