Traveling the world is a top item on everyone’s bucket list — until you see the prices of flights. 

The cost of a single plane ticket can ground any hopeful traveler before they ever lift off. To save on costs and use your money for activities and souvenirs instead of flights, it helps to know how to navigate the world of airlines.

Saving money on flights is an art. To get the best deals, it helps to have a helpful guide to refer to. Below, you’ll find our top tips and strategies to help you get the best deal on your next flight.

The prices of airline tickets are constantly fluctuating. The cost of a ticket one week might be several hundred dollars different from the same flight the next week (or even just a few hours later).

So, why does this happen? Here are the most common culprits:

Supply and demand dynamics

The first reason flight prices fluctuate is supply and demand dynamics. The airline industry is constantly changing due to the demand for tickets and the availability of flight tickets. Airlines will use variable pricing so that the same ticket might be a different price for different people at different times. After the tickets are first available for purchase, they will continue to rise in price as they start selling out.

Fuel prices and operating costs

Part of the cost of your airline ticket goes towards fueling the plane. Some estimates say that between 30-40% of ticket costs come from fuel expenses. That means when gas prices increase, so do your airline tickets. 

Other operating costs like airline staff salaries, food and beverage prices, and maintenance fees are all included in the ticket price. As these things fluctuate, so will your ticket price.

Competition and market forces

Airlines will monitor their competitors’ ticket prices — for both international and domestic flights. They will often engage in price matching, increasing and lowering prices to match the costs of other airlines, so tracking down the best price can be difficult.

Sales and promotions

Airlines are constantly running different sales and promotions on tickets. These sales and promotions aren’t always advertised, so you might stumble upon a price drop by accident while searching for tickets. 

Other types of sales and promotions might be attached to other actions like signing up for an airline credit card, becoming a member of the airline group, or going to a specific destination.

There are a few different strategies that you can employ for booking that can help you save money and find better deals — some you might not have considered before. Let’s break down some of the best strategies that should influence your approach to booking flights.

Booking in advance vs. last-minute deals

The first strategy to look at is booking in advance versus trying to find last-minute deals — and there are benefits and drawbacks to both.

If you book early, you might be able to get in on the first round of ticket sales, which tends to be the lowest-priced tier. In contrast, you could employ the strategy of trying to find last-minute flight deals, as sometimes airlines will drop prices when trying to sell the last few tickets on the flight.

Unfortunately, waiting for last-minute deals might mean you can’t get a ticket if they all sell fast and no one gives up a seat. However, booking in advance might mean missing out on flash deals.

Using price comparison websites and apps

Another important strategy for booking is to browse and price shop around before buying a ticket. Even if you prefer a specific airline, you might get a better deal somewhere else. 

A price comparison website like Momondo or FlightHub will show you the current price for an airline ticket for different companies. This lets you find the current lowest price and book with the airline that offers the best deal at that moment.

Taking advantage of flash sales

Airlines will use flash sales to try and get their flights booked during slow travel periods. They will also use flash sales and promotion headlines to try and attract people to their websites where they will book a more expensive flight to a different destination. 

By offering super cheap deals, they hope that people will be reminded of other flights they need to book. But if you keep your eye on flash sales and don’t get distracted by other offers, it’s a great way to find an inexpensive ticket.

Consider using a budget airline

Budget airlines often get a bad rap for being uncomfortable or having poor customer service. However, the reality is that they can be a great option for finding a lower-priced ticket. 

Budget airlines will often have significantly lower-priced tickets than other airlines. That means you can spend your money on other activities during your vacation — as long as you’re willing to forgo the bigger seats, carry-on flexibility, and legroom that you might get with more expensive airlines.

Now that you know what strategies to keep in mind as you book tickets, let’s get into some specific tips and tricks that you can use to find the best deals, book the least expensive flights, and get the most out of your travel experience.

1. Set price alerts and monitor fare fluctuations

As mentioned earlier, flight prices can drop suddenly. Keeping an eye on the fluctuations of fares can help you catch those sudden deals as soon as they appear and before they sell out. Setting a Google Flights price alert can help you find cheap flights when they become available.

Google Flights makes it easy to track your flight prices. After you’ve entered the details of your flight, you can toggle the “track prices” option to get alerts of when prices have changed, allowing you to capture those quick deals before they are gone.

2. Be flexible with your travel destinations

Another helpful tip is to be as flexible as you can with your travel destinations. Often, we look for the flight that offers the most convenience (time of day, layovers, etc.) and arrives as close as possible to your final destination. However, this might mean that you get a more expensive ticket than if you were more flexible with your plans.

Look into other airports around the area where you are traveling to, such as a different city within the same state. This could end up saving you hundreds on tickets, which works out in your favor. You can also consider booking separate, one-way flights rather than round-trip tickets.

3. Look for indirect flights and layovers

As touched on above, people usually opt for the most convenient flight, meaning they don’t want to switch planes or have a long layover in a random airport. However, tickets for indirect flights with different stops or layovers in other cities can significantly reduce the price of your overall trip.

Most stopovers in other cities are relatively short, which still allows you to complete your travel in one day. In addition to these tickets being less expensive, they can also give you a chance to get to your destination without the high costs of a direct flight.

4. Bundle your flight, transportation, and hotel bookings

Bundling your trip into a package can be a great way to save money. Third parties will often work with airlines, transportation companies, and hotels to create travel packages for a discount. 

By booking these types of deals, you can save money on your entire trip and even earn points for future travel. These can sometimes be the best flight deals available, but be mindful of the restrictions of the bundle you choose; some have limited refund policies or other limitations that make travelers leery.

5. Avoid traveling on peak travel days and times

There are certain days of the year when it seems like everyone is traveling. Spring break and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are busy travel seasons compared to other times of the year. That means that tickets are scarce and prices skyrocket. However, if you can convince your family to have dinner a weekend earlier, you can save hundreds of dollars on your flight with a different departure date.

There are also peak seasons for travel (summer), and peak times (mid-morning). Avoiding these peaks can help you save money and enjoy a more relaxed travel experience than competing with the big crowds, even if it means a crack-of-dawn flight and slightly colder weather.

6. Be open to different seat classes and cabin types

If we had the choice, we’d all fly first class. However, that’s unrealistic for the majority of travelers who don’t have thousands of dollars for expensive, high-end plane tickets. Instead, other seat classes are an economical option that helps you get to the right destination just as quickly as first class or business.

You can also consider different cabin types. Smaller cabins might have less legroom, but they can be less expensive than bigger planes with higher fuel and operating costs. Exploring all of the available options can help you find the lowest-cost ticket and get the best airline deals.

7. Be aware of hidden fees and costs

Is there anything worse than thinking you’ve found a great deal only to be hit with hidden fees and unexpected charges that skyrocket the cost of your trip? Many airlines have fees that aren’t shown right away when purchasing your ticket. The most common fees are bag fees and change fees. (To learn about fees for different airlines, check out this comprehensive resource by Kayak.)

A bag fee is the cost of transporting your bags. While you likely know that most checked bags have a fee, some airlines also charge for your carry-on bag. What seems like a cheap ticket might go up by a hundred dollars for your bag at the airport. 

Change fees are the costs that can be attached to changing your flight. If you miss a flight or a connecting flight, some airlines will charge you a fee to book you on another flight — on top of your original ticket price.

8. Use travel cards for points and rewards

The final tip that you should keep in mind is the benefit of using a travel card. These cards are great investments for frequent fliers, giving you miles and reward points that you can apply to your next trip. If you travel often enough, you may even be able to get entire trips for free by using your travel card points with companies like American Express or Chase United.

Some airlines will also offer special deals and discounts to people who have a travel card for that airline. They also might have perks, like access to special lounges, free bag checking, priority boarding, or cash-back guarantees. 

Save up for your dream vacation with Accrue Savings

Going on a family vacation to Europe or finally taking the solo trip of your dreams to New York is often the highlight of the year. However, saving up for these types of trips and events can seem overwhelming, even when you use these tips and tricks for saving money while booking a flight.

At Accrue Savings, we help you save money for the things you want — including your dream vacation. Our partnership with CheapOair helps you save up for your next trip and get up to $150 toward your next trip!