Finding the best flight deals can make a huge difference in travel expenses, whether for business trips, family vacations, or spontaneous getaways. With a bit of know-how, you can unlock savings on airfare by taking advantage of various strategies, tools, and booking practices. Here’s a guide to help you find the best flight deals and make your travel plans more budget-friendly.

1. Use Flight Comparison Websites and Apps

Websites and apps like Skyscanner, Google Flights, and Kayak make it easy to compare prices from multiple airlines. These platforms aggregate fares, allowing you to see a variety of options based on your travel dates and destination. You can also set up alerts to track price changes for specific routes. With these tools, you’ll receive notifications when there’s a drop in prices, ensuring you’re aware of the best deals as they happen.

2. Book at the Right Time

Timing plays a crucial role in securing low-cost flights. Studies suggest that booking flights between 1-3 months before domestic travel or 2-8 months before international travel tends to yield better deals. For last-minute travel, midweek flights, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, are often less expensive as demand is typically lower. Avoid booking close to weekends or during peak seasons if you want to save money.

3. Consider Flexible Dates and Destinations

One of the easiest ways to find cheaper flights is by staying flexible with your dates and even your destination. Flight comparison tools often include features where you can search for the cheapest month to fly or for alternative nearby airports that might offer better prices. If you’re planning a vacation but don’t have a set destination in mind, searching “Everywhere” on Skyscanner can reveal destinations with the lowest fares.

4. Utilize Airline Rewards Programs and Travel Credit Cards

Airline rewards programs and travel credit cards offer significant benefits, including discounted flights and even free tickets. Signing up for frequent flyer programs and using a travel rewards credit card can help you earn miles or points on everyday purchases, which you can then redeem for airfare. Many credit cards also offer special perks like priority boarding, free checked bags, and bonus miles on sign-up.

5. Look for Airline Deals and Error Fares

Airlines regularly offer deals and promotional discounts, especially during off-peak seasons. Signing up for newsletters from airlines or travel deal websites like Scott’s Cheap Flights can alert you to limited-time sales and discounts. Error fares, which are unintentional price drops due to mistakes, can also offer substantial savings. Websites like Secret Flying and The Flight Deal frequently post these deals, but you need to act quickly since error fares are often corrected quickly.