Just an expansion on one of the old posts on “Travelling and Enjoying On Budget“. In addition, I came across people asking me why I travel so much, whether it is expensive, that I am always away.
Well, needle to say, travelling is my passion, to some extent my work and something that I see worth an investment into. The experiences.
I am still very careful when it comes to travelling. In terms of budget and locations. I am working in a corporate 9-6 job and my holiday allowance is limited. Yet, I am trying to utilize the time and various factors as much as I can so I can go away. I spend my boring and procrastination time browsing either through my unread emails, Instagram or flight tickets. Therefore I would like to share with you some tactics and tips on how to find cheap travel tickets so that you can go and enjoy the world too. Besides this, in my other old posts, you will find also many other online resources which are sharing similar tips and even some stats to back them up.
1. Know your tools
Know where to search and how to search. There are so many websites where you can search and get notifications. It is always beneficial to sign up for newsletters with your favourite aeroplane providers, hotel providers or even travel agencies. By doing so, you can keep yourself updated on the deals, packages, sales season, and trendy destinations or also collect points for being loyal.
My favourite tools to search for flights are Skyscanner and Google Flights. Apart from this, there is also Kayak, Momodo or direct at the aeroplanes websites. It is always worth checking different combinations, different websites, and different currencies as well as browsing through different devices.
2. Be flexible
Try to search for different dates, times or event airport locations. Be flexible as much as you can, if it helps you to reduce the cost of travelling. Ask yourself if it is worth the extra hours, or extra travel time. Be sensible and know the limits. For example, for my upcoming trip to Morocco, I have booked a flight to get to Rabat and then from Marrakesh back to London. Not only I will have the opportunity to explore two cities and sacrifice the 3h train ride from Rabat to Marrakesh, but also saved the cost of two ways ticket if I would only travel to Marrakesh. Look for combinations of time
3. Know when is the best to book flights
Logically, think about the periods when everybody else would think about holidays. Like, at the end of the month when people get paid, during winter times when people get tired of the cold weather and are seeking sunny places, or during any school holidays. Try to plan and think in advance before the majority would, in general months like January, February, August or September are great months to plan and book your trips. Those are the times when people don’t have money to spend after Christmas, or are too happy with summer weather and don’t have any vacation in mind for a while. Avoid booking peak seasons and know the best month and even hour to book. Additionally, Tuesday mornings are the best time to purchase tickets! Note that down.
4. Use multi-stop options
As I have already given an example of multi-stop travelling in point 2) Be flexible. Multi-stop option simply means travelling via different routes and cities. Try to look for the nearest city or other airport options. For example, if you would be travelling to Brno, Czech Republic, you can choose Vienna, Bratislava, Ostrava or Prague airport to travel into. All of it is about 2-3h far by bus or train. Try to fly in from one place and fly out from another place. Meanwhile, use local flights or travel options to travel between cities. Not only you will save money on aeroplane tickets, but also it may give you a chance to explore something new.
5. Online Travel Agents
OTA or Online Travel Agents are simple websites and companies that specialise in selling travel deals and tickets to consumers. Travel agents usually have direct deals with the provider and may sell it cheaper. But it is not always the case! If you are just purely looking for tickets, sometimes directly from airlines is cheaper. If you are looking for a package (e.g.: hotels, car rental as well) then check for OTA’s prices. It is worth comparing and making your decision before you will go purchase it either directly from the airline website or via a travel agent.
6. Be quick with deals
Deals don’t stick around for long, as it is limited by the number of seats and demand. Sometimes there may be an error in pricing (it happens) and if you spot one, purchase it immediately, because most of the time, it is the company’s fault and they can’t do anything about those tickets that went out wrong. The best time to check for tickets is the morning time. Don’t hesitate too long and purchase tickets when you find the deal!
7. Know what is or isn’t the best deal
Check what is are the average costs to travel to a certain continent or destination and base your deals around this. Getting tickets to Asia for £300 is a good deal for example. Getting a ticket around Europe for £30 is a good deal. Understand the pricing system behind just the demand and happy hunting!