How To Find Cheaper Airfares Online

I didn’t know the until recently, but on on any airline there maybe up to ten different price points for a single economy seat! Ridiculous isn’t it? For instance, there maybe someone who paid £60 for a seat and they could be sat next to someone who has paid £300. On average a flight of less duration time than 90 minutes shouldn’t cost any more than £100, and a flight from between two to four hours shouldn’t cost more than £300.

Rick Seaney, cofounder and CEO of FareCompare.com says,  “If you’re paying more, you’re not doing a good job shopping.” Here at TechBeat we thought after spending lots of cash recently then you will need to start saving up for the tech that’s about to come upon us this year. So here is a couple of handy hints that will help you save some money on your airfares.

Rule number one: Timing is Key.

You should start shopping for your tickets three months before you are due to depart, this is the point when sales begin. Around 65 per cent of sales will last only three days. This is where you need to check frequently. Most of the sales occur earlier in the day and in the week. As a rule of thumb, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are the cheapest days to fly. Choose departures that are early in the morning, during mealtimes or on red-eyes as these are the cheapest. It is also noteworthy to mention flights with connections often cost less than non-stop ones. If you shop on budget airlines only, remember they aren’t always cheaper as those types of tickets often begin low, end high and fluctuate a lot in the mean time.

Rule Number two: Compare Your Fare.

There are plenty of sites to choose from; Opodo, FareCompare, SkyScanner and Expedia are just a few to look across the board at airlines. These comparison sites are good for mixing and matching airlines to find cheap combinations of flights.Sometimes the airline themselves will run special deals for booking directly with their site too. You can receive Web alerts from FlyerTalk and FareCompare, these will let you know about special sales and deals. Kayak will offer daily updates about the price of any given ticket also. Last but not least, when you book more than one ticket, you should compare individual versus group fares. “If you’re asking for four tickets, everyone has to be on the same price, even if there are three tickets available for cheaper seats,” says Seaney.

Rule Number Three: Look For Hidden Costs.

As you well know, the cost of your trip does not end with the cost of the airfare. You should always factor in charges for checked bags and transport to the airport. There are ways to save here too. Websites like TopCashBack often give one to two per cent cashback when you access an airline’s site through their links. Also be not he look out for booking sites that  also present cheaper air fares if you chose a “flight plus hotel” or “flight plus car” package, you may just have to spend one night in a hostel to save huge amounts of cash. Finally, remember that air miles are valuable too. If you earn points from a slightly more expensive British Airways flight to LA, you may be able to get a free flight within Europe in the future?

[Image via dailykarachinewsupdates2014]

SOURCE: http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2014/07/how-to/find-cheaper-air-fares