There are only a couple of weeks left till summer is officially here. Most people are already dreaming of being in a hot and tropical paradise after months of hardwork and school. The excitement to be relaxing somewhere far and exotic may impede folks’ judgement when it comes time to booking the next vacation. Before you plan that much awaited and deserved holiday, there are some things to consider to save money. #3 should be a must for every vacation.Most airlines give you a 24-hour window to cancel your flight for a full refund. Make sure you read the terms and conditions before booking.
Travel during off-season for better deals. Summer and Christmas are the most expensive time of the year to book a vacation.
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday are the days when airplanes are not full and fares are lower.
Airlines begin their sales from Tuesdays to Thursdays. The sales are usually for flights for two to three months in advanced.
Make sure you are following airlines on social media for exclusive deals.
Consider booking your flights with separate airlines for two one-way fares.
If you are flying in a group, look for seats separately. When you are searching for multiples, search engines will show the highest priced seats. You may not get to sit together, but you’ll happy to be saving money.
Book your hotel and flight together. It is usually cheaper than doing it separately. Hotels are also more willing to discount their prices without making their status look cheap.
Red-eye flights continue to be the cheapest time of day to fly.
If you can’t make the red-eye, consider booking early in the morning when that’s the second cheapest flight time.
You may want to consider paying more for your flight to earn reward points. Airline credit cards offer additional bonus points which lead to a future free flight. Other perks include free luggage check and priority boarding.
Flying on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving can give you a lot of savings. The only exception are the three-day weekends like Labor Day and Memorial Day.
A non-stop flight may get you there quicker but if you book a layover flight you can save anywhere from $100 to $200 per fare.
If you are planning on leaving your car at the airport, book it in advance. Booking on the exact date of your flight may end up costing you more.
Certain airlines do not fly to the main airports but will land smaller ones. Choosing a smaller airport might save you $50 to $100 per fare.
Adding a couple of days to your trip during peak days may help lower your fare.
Don’t ignore the smaller carriers. They may not be fancy or have the biggest plane but you can save a lot flying with them.
People usually assume airlines only list their expensive seats. Often times, they will have special offers only available through their site.
If it’s not too far, book your flight to a different city. Just remember that the cost of transportation from the airport to the hotel is affordable so you are not saving on your flight only to pay it on the taxi ride.
Not clearing your cookies or cache on your search engine may result in not getting the newest, lowest ticketed prices.
Travel agencies buy their tickets in bulk so they can get you some pretty cool deals.
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