Flying can be super expensive, and there’s no doubt about that. Even after using all your miles or various discounts, flight tickets can burn a hole in your pocket rather easily. So, how do you get affordable tickets without compromising on your in-flight comfort? Well, here’s a complete guide that will help you with just that:

Go incognito

A lot of online websites use cookies to inflate the prices of flight tickets. No, you did not make a mistake when you saw the prices the first time, it truly did change. Multiple sites use these cookies to check if the route has been searched before. With that information, they hike their prices and scare the customer into buying the tickets as soon as possible.

Book the tickets as early as possible

Booking the flight tickets at the last moment means high prices. Instead, plan your trips in advance and book the tickets at least three months before the trip. This will help you save a lot of money, and you will be able to choose better seats. If not three months, book the flight tickets at least 30 days before the trip. Ticket prices see a hike during the final three weeks before a flight.

Set a price alert

Yes, flights are cheaper if you book them in advance, but how will you know you’re getting the cheapest possible flights? To do this, set a price alert to get notified when the price increases or decreases. When the price hits the level you want, you can book the ticket. Even if the dip in costs of the flight ticket is small, you will have major savings if you’re booking tickets for a family.

Compare prices on different airline portals

Checking the prices of flight tickets on the carrier is good for research purposes. You can then use this information and check for flight prices on travel and planning websites to see if you can avail of major discounts. Do not just check one or two websites. More is always better. This way, you’ll know if you’re actually saving money by getting a discount on your ticket.

Take the connecting flight

If you’re in no hurry to get to your final destination, book a connecting flight. Connecting flights are always cheaper than non-stop flights. To top it off, if you can book the connecting flight yourself, you’re bound to save more than you can imagine. That being said, don’t forget to ensure that the two flights have enough time apart or may end up missing your flight.

Mix airlines and airports

While traveling, it is also important to remember that certain airports are more expensive than others. The same goes for airlines. This is why it is important to check nearby airports while booking a flight. You can end up saving around $30 by choosing the next airport instead of the first one. While searching for connecting flights, you may only receive results showing flights from the same carrier or its partners; you want to avoid this. Choose different websites and different airlines to get the best discounts.