Travelling can be expensive, but with the right strategies, you can find affordable flights and save a significant amount of money.
Gareth Hoyle from Coveragely provides us with a simplified guide to help you uncover cheaper flights and potentially save hundreds of pounds. These simple hacks are used by marketers for everyday tasks.
Use Flight Search Engines and Aggregators
Potential Savings – Up to £150 by comparing prices across different platforms.
Google Flights: Start with Google Flights to get an overview of prices from various airlines. Use filters to narrow down options by price, airline, stops, and more.
Skyscanner: Searches multiple airlines and travel agencies, providing a comprehensive comparison.
Kayak: Searches for flights and allows you to set up price alerts.
Explore Flexible Dates and Destinations
Potential Savings: Up to £100 by being flexible with your travel dates.
Flexible Dates: Search for flights over a range of dates to see if flying a day earlier or later can save you money.
Explore Everywhere: Skyscanner’s “Explore Everywhere” option helps you find the cheapest destinations from your location.
Use Search Operators and Specific Techniques
Potential Savings: Up to £150 by preventing price hikes.
Private Browsing: Avoid price increases due to cookies tracking your searches by using incognito or private browsing mode.
Combine One-Way Flights
Potential Savings: Up to £150 by combining one-way flights.
Mix and Match Airlines: Sometimes, booking two one-way tickets on different airlines can be cheaper than a round-trip ticket.
Set Up Alerts and Notifications
Potential Savings: Up to £200 by booking when prices drop
Google Flights and Kayak: Set up price alerts for specific routes to receive notifications when prices drop.
Hopper App: Predicts the best time to buy flights and sends alerts when prices are expected to rise or fall.
Optimise Your Timing
Potential Savings: Up to £300 by booking at the right time.
Advance Booking: Booking 1-3 months in advance for domestic flights and 2-8 months for international flights can yield better prices.
Best Days to Fly: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are often cheaper days to fly.
Leverage Social Media and Newsletters
Potential Savings: Up to £150 by catching special deals.
Social Media: Follow accounts like @SecretFlying and @TheFlightDeal for real-time deals.
Gareth Hoyle from Coveragely says:
By using these simple search hacks for cheap flights that marketers use for their everyday tasks, you can potentially save up to £1000 on flights. Whether you’re booking a quick domestic trip or an international adventure, these techniques will help you uncover the best deals and make your travel dreams a reality without breaking the bank. Happy travels!