How to get Cheap Flights

Let's face it, beating the system can be tricky. Saving money sometimes takes a little more time but taking those extra few moments has saved me lots of money. Once I got a flight from London to Denmark for only $6 USD. I didn't plan that as my next destination but for $6 USD I couldn't pass that up. Here are a few shortcuts that works for me.

My top tips on how to save money on booking flights:

1. BE FLEXIBLE. If you only have certain dates that you can travel on, the chances are that you are going to be spending a lot more money than if you have a buffer zone. Being open to a variety of airlines is also key. Especially when it's only a short flight. Some airlines don't offer movies and free refreshments but it can be worth it if you are saving hundreds on your flight.

2. AVOID BOOKING RETURN FLIGHTS. Plans change and life happens. There is a huge misconception that if you book your flight round trip that it's cheaper. Yes, sometimes that's true but most of the time cheaper options come up and you have the flexibility to travel anywhere you want before you have to return home.

3. LET THE TICKET DECIDE THE DESTINATION. When I am looking to book a flight, the first thing I do is browse the 'everywhere' page on SkyScanner. You can see the lowest prices from where you are to anywhere in the world. By leaving your travel destination open, your ticket can go from over a thousand to under a few hundred.

4. SIGN UP FOR A CREDIT CARD WITH GOOD TRAVEL REWARDS. Most cards give a bonus for signing up and spending a certain limit within the first couple months. I personally like the chase sapphire reward card because it also has free foreign transaction fees which can save you tons. I pay every single bill with my credit card to I earn every point possible. If you eat, fill your gas tank, have a phone bill etc. Pay it with your credit card and you'll have a ton of miles awaiting you in no time. The Chase Sapphire card also gives you an option to take a lump sum of cash after you've earned your points or you can save 20% and put those towards travel. I suggest doing your research so you fully understand the terms. Another tip with owning a credit card is be responsible. I like to pay off my entire balance each month so I'm not paying tons in interest. The point of having a card is to save money and not pay heavy interest fees.

5. BUDDY PASSES. I've had friends who have worked for airlines that get buddy passes every so often so once in a while I get lucky and they'll send one to me. The catch is that you must fly standby. Airlines can't give out the exact number of seats sold (probably due to 9/11) so a tip is to call in advance to ask if theres a good chance of you making that flight without asking how many seats are available. If you don't have a friend that works for an airline you can find associates selling their buddy passes online for cheap. (Make sure you find out details of what you will need to be able to use the ticket before you buy them).

A FEW MORE TIPS:

-I use the skyscanner app and check for flights on Tuesdays around 3pm. I've personally found that time to have lower rates.

-I also turn off any settings that show my location to trick the system into not knowing where I am to help get better rates.

-Its a misconception round tip tickets are cheaper so try searching your flights separately

-Sometimes the cheapest flights are last minute ones as airlines often scramble to fill the flight.