TRAVELING BY PLANE – BUYING THE FLIGHT TICKET

Prices of flight tickets can be silly, but your smile freezes when you see the prices of the extra luggage. How to book the cheapest flight ticket possible? In case you are buying the flight tickets by yourself and you are planning to fly with low-cost airlines, I believe that this article will be full of handy tips and tricks.

1. Have a newsletter sent to you or follow pages on Facebook

I am talking about websites, which monitor the prices of flight tickets and alert you when they are really cheap. Even if you aren’t sure about the destination where you want to fly, you can use these newsletters as an inspiration. And see which places are cheaper to visit and when. My favorite is Jack’s flight club. They are on Facebook, too. 

2. Look for the flight tickets on the websites, which compare flights… 

…and prices of various airlines and agencies which sell flight tickets. I use Skyscanner. The website will show you the cheapest flight tickets and the agencies, which offer them. I don’t use them. After I find the flight ticket on Skyscanner, I open the website of the airline and book the ticket there. Why?

It depends on the price offered by the agency and the luggage I intend to take with me. A lot of agencies offer lower prices than airlines. But! You can pay a bit less for the flight ticket, but if you need to add extra luggage, this price can be higher than the price set by the airline.

My second reason is regarding the rebooking of the flight or asking for a refund in case the airline changes their schedules. If you have a flight ticket booked through an airline, you can contact their customer service. In case, you have it booked through an agency, nobody from the airline is going to speak with you. You have to call the agency. And agencies are much busier and more unavailable.

3. Are you traveling for a weekend trip, 1-2 nights? Do you really need that carry-on luggage?

I don’t, most of the time. I can pack extra socks, underwear, a t-shirt, trousers, a charging cable, small shower gel, small toothpaste, and a brush in a tiny backpack or handbag. I’ll better buy the things I need at the destination than pack a whole small suitcase and pay extra charge both ways.

4. In case you really need that extra luggage, think about the priority package offered by the airline

Do you need the priority package? Do you need to choose your preferred seat and be the first one on the plane? If not, choose the lowest price option. On the next page, it will ask you if you really don’t want that seat. No, you don’t (in case you want to sit next to some family or friends, stop reading and choose the priority).

Later on, you are offered extra luggage. This is your moment. Add your extra carry-on. Check the price summary. I always remember or note the price of the priority package down and compare it at this moment. Because it all depends on the airline and its strategy. Maybe the luggage added by itself is now more expensive than the priority package. Anyway, at the time I’m writing this, it should be: flight ticket + luggage added later should be cheaper than the priority package you don’t even need. You are welcome.

You bought that extra luggage. Well done! But there can be another stress waiting for you. How to pack it? Check my article and take it easy.

EXTRA: Getting your flight ticket ready

Most airlines offer online check-in. Bigger ones (more expensive ones) will do it for you for free at the airport as well. But low-cost airlines are different. Check-in has to be done (!) online. For some flights, you can do it days or weeks ahead, some only 48 or 24 hours before the flight. Set reminders to your phone. You will receive an email as well, but you can be busy and skip it by mistake. And skipping it can be quite expensive. 

You will receive instructions on how to do check-in after you will book the tickets. After online check-in, you will receive your flight ticket. Read the instructions, they will tell you if you need to have it printed or if it is enough to have it on the phone or mobile app of the airline. The most practical way is to download the app and keep it there. You do not have to go through your mailbox or gallery and look for the screenshot.

In case you do not have any checked baggage, you can skip the check-in counter and go to the security control. You have your flight ticket already.

Do you have any more tips on how to survive buying of flight ticket stressless and save some more cash to spend during your holiday instead? Let me know!

(This article doesn’t include any paid advertisements. Advice is based on my personal experience.)