FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS ( Part 1 )
Plane tickets are the only travel expense where the price can vary so drastically for the exact same product. A flight from Montreal to Europe can cost $400 round-trip just as easily as it can cost $1,400 round-trip.
This is exactly why you should start your travel planning here. If you base your travel plan on a cheap ticket, you will already have saved several hundred dollars from the start. I wasn't planning on going to Southeast Asia in 2018, but there was a deal for $499 round-trip from Montreal (instead of the usual $1,500), so I went there.
Don't do what everyone else does by choosing a destination and a date first and then wondering why the tickets are expensive: plan around cheap flights (like the 50% off deals we track). Even if you don't want to take advantage of specific deals, there are plenty of ways to save on airfare: we have 28 tips below. Becoming a pro at finding cheap flights is extremely important given the price variations mentioned.
1. Plan your trips based on flight deals
Start organizing your trip around a 50% off flight deal to save on the flight, which is by far the most variable travel expense (the same flight can cost $500 or $1,500).
More information:
Coming soon.
2. Pre-approve your destinations and dates in advance
Be prepared and decide which destinations you would enjoy and the approximate dates you are available so you can jump on limited-time deals.
3. Book deals quickly
Hurry, because the best deals disappear very quickly, often within a few hours (or less). Be ready.
4. Don't choose your dates and destination first
Don't be like 99% of travelers who choose a date and destination first. You must be flexible on at least one of these two aspects to find a cheap flight more easily. If you are flexible on both, it is even easier.
More information:
Coming soon.
5. Do your research with aggregators/metasearch sites
Never use just one booking site (or worse: a single airline site), because none of them can be the cheapest all the time. Always compare. You can use other booking sites that have better search functions, but then go compare the prices on an aggregator.
More information:
Coming soon.
6. Book directly with airlines
Searching and booking are two completely different things. Once you are ready to book, for flights (unlike hotels, for example), there is absolutely no advantage to booking on third-party sites unless they are cheaper. And they often are. But at an equal or similar price, book directly on the airline's website.
More information:
Coming soon.
7. Be flexible on your travel days
Moving your flight by just one day can sometimes save you hundreds of dollars, as prices vary greatly from day to day.
More information:
Coming soon.
8. Learn the basics of plane ticket pricing
The only thing that determines the price of a plane ticket is the amount the airline can charge you, that's it. Distance, the number of flights, operating costs... none of that matters.
More information:
Coming soon.
9. Ignore myths and check as early and as often as possible
No, you don't need to use incognito mode to search for flights. Prices change because airfares change all the time. They vary enormously. There is no magic recipe like booking at 5 PM on a Tuesday. Do your research early and recheck often to understand the prices and have more data to make an informed decision.
More information:
Coming soon.
10. Travel light
Flight pros never bring checked luggage, and anyone can do it for almost any trip. It is obviously more affordable since you don't have to pay checked bag fees, but it is also much more pleasant and efficient to travel only with carry-on luggage.
More information:
Coming soon.
Continued in Part 2