Flight Hacking 101

Flight Hacking 101

As a world traveler for the last 7 years, it has become important to learn the secret ways to save on travel, especially when it comes to airfare. I have compiled a list of mine and fellow travelers top travel hacks and tips to help save you time and money when booking airfare. Here are the Flight Hacking 101 Do’s and Dont’s according to the experts. 

THE DO’S of Flight Hacking 101:

Search for flights midweek:

Airlines tend to launch their sales on Tuesdays and end them on Thursdays, so don’t limit your searches to the weekends. I always check my flights on Monday evening and then again on Tuesday morning and this has not failed me. The earlier you can book, generally the better price you can get. However, sometimes advertised fare sales generally target the next two or three months of travel and have 14- to 21-day advance purchase requirements. So if you can book within this time frame, you’re likely to get the best deal possible. 

Search for tickets one at a time:

Even if you’re flying with a group look for individual tickers to find out the lowest price available. Airlines often sell multiple fare classes at different prices, with a couple seats in each class. For example, if there’s only one seat left in the lowest fare class and you search for four seats, most automated systems will show you the highest fare class for all four tickets.  Yes, that means you’re paying the highest price for all four tickets even though it’s the same original low fare seat. 

If you search one at a time, and there are limited seats on sale, at least some of your tickets were purchased for the lowest possible price. If you lock in the cheap fare and have the option to select seats, pick one next to an empty seat; then, immediately book the second ticket and select the seat next to the first one. It takes a little time and effort, but can really pay off.

Search for two one-way fares on different airlines:

While some airlines charge extra for a one-way fare, it can pay to compare how much a round trip ticket on each airline would be next to two one way tickets on multiple airlines. If you do this, make sure to triple-check the dates, times and cities. 

Try to fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday:

Planes are least full on these days of the week, which leads to these flights having lower fares. Side perks: Getting through airports is usually a breeze, less people on the plane and plenty of room for your luggage! I always fly on these days unless there’s a conflict of schedule. 

Travel during off-peak or shoulder-season travel:

During months when destinations see a lower volume of visitors, they respond by lowering flight and hotel prices. Flights are a bargain (think $400+ less than what you’d pay in peak months). There will also be less people at the sites and excursions! It’s a win win in my opinion. 

Book a package:

If you need a hotel or a rental car in addition to your flight, it may be cheaper to buy a package than to book each separately. Many hotels take this opportunity to hide a very aggressive discount within a packaged price versus discounting the hotel alone. This is a great opportunity to find deals at big brands that are hesitant to have a low price next to their name.

Buy the deal when you see it:

Airlines are required by the DOT to offer 24-hour free hold or cancellations as long as you are booking your ticket 7 days prior to your travel date. Typically, you’ll have to pay first, then you get the full refund. The only exception is American Airlines, which is transitioning to this policy, but still offers a free hold for 24 hours. The other big exception to note is that you have to book with the airline directly. This rule doesn’t apply if you book your ticket with an OTA (online travel agency), like Expedia or Orbitz. I have had my fair share of third party issues and I no longer will book through these agencies. Their customer service and support are severely lacking and it will be much easier to solve any issues when you book directly with the airline. 

Check Skyscanner and Google Flights:

These sights allow you to see all the available airlines at once. You can compare times and prices all in one go. In addition, you’ll have access to deals that airlines can’t advertise directly. Little known fact: Airlines only have a certain number of seats they can advertise at a sales price. You can find these deals on Skyscanner or Google flights and then book directly with the airlines who have to honor the price. 

Set Ticket price alerts:

If you know your travel dates and are still a few months out you can set travel deal alerts for certain flights. If you have found a flight time that works for you, you can “trace” the flight prices and be notified when they drop. 

Know when to be loyal and when to compare:

Keep a loyal rewards membership with favorite airlines to rack up points when it makes sense. Sometimes, it’s worth it to book a slightly more expensive ticket when it earns you points that get you to a certain goal. Many airline credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses that are enough for a free flight, not to mention perks like priority boarding, free checked luggage and more. But, to make an informed decision, it pays to compare all available fares before booking.

THE DON’TS of Flight Hacking 101: 

DON’T rule out alternate airports.

Many larger cities have multiple airports. If you check the prices between the options you can often find significant savings in the “less popular” airport. Consider this when flying in as well as flying out. It might be cheaper to arrive at one and depart from the other. 

DON’T avoid flying on the actual holiday.

While I know airports might not be the ideal location for a holiday, changing your departure or return date by one day can save major cash. The biggest savings typically come with flying on major holidays. The exception however, is if you’re traveling over a three-day weekend (think Labor Day or Memorial Day). Then, everyone is looking to fly on the actual holiday. In this case, try and extend your vacation by a day. 

DON’T be afraid of the layover.

Even though a nonstop is ideal, you can sometimes save $100-$200 by take a one stop layover. If you happen to be fling through an exciting destination, you can often find long layovers that give you enough time to spend a few hours or even a fully day to explore the city ! Add a little bonus to your vacation. 

There you have it folks. The DO’s and DON’Ts for travel hacking 101 from some world travelers. I hope you can use these to guide you through your next vacation booking and save those Benjamins! 

Happy travels xx

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Please note the information provided in this post is of general interest only and is not to be construed or intended as a substitute for professional legal advice.