The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have taken a toll on the global economy as countries all over the world continue to institute safety measures.
The transport sector is certainly among one of the hardest-hit industries, and as Edition CNN noted earlier this year, air travel could cost a little more with the adoption of social distancing.
Some airlines have resorted to blocking out the middle seating areas, leaving between 50 and 60% of their seats available for booking.
While this would most probably lead to higher airfares, we have a few tips to help you save a bit of money when considering domestic & international flight booking.
Opt for a Connecting Flight
Booking a direct flight gets you to the destination fast, but the speed will surely cost you. If you have a few days spare or are not committed to a set date of travel, traveling via a connecting flight could save you a lot of money.
Travel booking sites like Cleartrip help you filter the itineraries as appropriate.
Try No-Frills Carriers
Traveling on major airlines is quite fun with all the amenities provided, but you can be sure they will come at an additional cost.
If you are looking to make domestic and international flight bookings cheaper, consider trying out discount carriers.
Discount carriers focus on cutting operational costs, and as a result, they do away with basic amenities such as meals and seat choices. This is in exchange for a significantly lower fare and is most ideal for travel solo or with minimal luggage.
Make your Booking Early Enough
Most airlines allow you to book both domestic and international flights as early as four months prior to the date of travel. You can therefore take advantage of this and book ahead to secure a cheaper ticket.
Airfares tend to jump up significantly in the final weeks, so book ahead if it is possible.
Try Price Alerts
If early bookings are not your thing, price alerts can be of significant help. Most airlines have a system set up to notify passengers about price fluctuations.
There are also a couple of dedicated cheap flight ticket websites such as Jack’s Flight Club who send alerts and instructions almost every day via email.
Look Out for Special Deals
Even if the circumstances surrounding your reason to travel take you to the final week to book a flight ticket, you can still find a perfect last-minute deal.
You could find an airline with remaining seats that need to be sold, or maybe a new route that has recently launched, airlines often offer special packages in these circumstances.
Luckily, there are countless websites dedicated to finding the best flight deals and with help from the above tips, we hope you are able to make your next air travel experience simple and budget-friendly.