Budgeting 101 – How to Fly Cheap
- December 15th 2007
- Saving for your trip
Ok, so flights are one of the biggest parts of any travel budget. It doesn’t matter how much you can skimp on your room and board if you can’t get to where you’re going in the first place. So here is how I get cheap airfare when I need (read: WANT!) to go abroad:
10. Shop around. Use the internet, call travel agents and call airlines themselves to check prices. Frequently one might have access to a better fair than another.
9. Flex your days. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are the cheaper days to fly anywhere because business travelers and weekenders aren’t flying them. All airlines and travel agents can check these dates for you and now many search engines can as well.
8. Fly location specific airlines. Air Lingus frequently has the cheapest flights to
7. If you’re flying within a country or region find out what airline the locals fly. Many times these airlines don’t list their flights anywhere but their own websites, for instance if you’re flying in the western part of the
6. Fly ‘open jawed’ round trip flights. This is an oldie but a goodie, if your travel plans allow, consider flying into one airport but out of another. The best way to get cheap trips this way is to work with a travel agent, because their systems allow them to work easily with different locations.
5. Speaking of which, shop your airports. Airlines have to pay to land at airports, but the amount of these fees vary dramatically depending on their negotiations. For example, American Airlines is expensive to fly into LAX, but not into
4. Travel light. Elliott, over at http://www.elliott.com has been talking recently about the trend in airlines towards charging for luggage. With increased costs of fuel, airlines are trying to save wherever they can and those extra 50-100lbs of luggage that you used to bring along for free as checked bags are now going to cost you. Check with your airline ahead of time.
3. Fly Courier. If you’re used to traveling light, there are several courier companies that will pay for part of all of your ticket if you will take their luggage for them. Post 9/11 these are more strictly regulated, but that only means that people who have gone through the effort to get approved are in higher demand. Plan on paying to get certified though.
2. Military? Use it! Not only do many airlines offer military discounts, if you check around with your branch sometimes you can catch a ride on a jump seat of a transport plane if there is room. Several of my friends are pilots for various branches, and they say that this isn’t unusual but that only a few people take advantage of it. It never hurts to ask.
1. The number one way to fly cheaply? Get someone else to pay for it. This takes the most creativity, but it is completely possible to figure out ways to get your company, family, fellow travelers, airline, etc. to pay for your trip.
I like that number one listing . . . now if I can just get my boss to pay for those tickets to Maui.
I’m sure if you asked nicely… But no. I’ve found the best way to get your company to pay for a trip is to show them how something indespensible is happening there that you HAVE to be there for. Put some time in on a proposal (Maui has a convention center, right? There must be one you need to go to)and present it. Then, once it’s been approved, just ‘add days’ to the end of it and take those days as vacation. My sister has traveled all over the world using this scheme and she works for a small independently owned nursery!
Wow I’m glad I found your page. I’ve really enjoyed your post and look forward to your updates.
It’s always fun when you find someone with similar ideas as your own. <3 Keep up the good work!
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