How To Find Cheap Flights
Looking to book some cheap flights? You’re in the right place, but let’s start with a tough reality: the fact is, “cheap flights” are nowhere near as cheap as they were a decade ago, when no-frills airlines like Ryanair and Easyjet became commonplace in mainstream air travel. In fact, when you add on recent aviation taxes, cheap flights are now more accurately described as “reasonably-priced flights”.
Aren't our crowded skies cool!
So how do you find a cheap/reasonably-priced flight?
The best way to find something approaching a cheap flight is to work at extremes. By which we mean book either very early or very late in the day, and as an organiser of a hectic stag do or a romantic honeymoon, the latter option doesn’t seem very likely. Well, unless you and your travelmates live right next door to an airport, like environmental protesters with jolly beards.
The key for a large group is to communicate and book early on. That way, you can grab flights fresh on sale, and everyone has plenty of notice to plead for time away from work and/or girlfriends (come on, her brother can get married any weekend!)
Booking and Planning
When you’ve decided on your destination, you can head over to the matter of factly named Fly Cheapo, which lists which carriers fly to which airport from which UK city. Most European air carriers to such stag hotspots as Budapest, Amsterdam and Barcelona are short haul budget airlines. The aforementioned Easyjet and Ryanair are the main suspects, but that’s not to discount the work of Jet2, FlyBE and BMIBaby.
When you know which companies you’re looking at, you can get searching for the cheapest deals. Rather annoyingly, there’s still no database for comparing all cheap flights, with the main competitors seemingly keen to keep their fluctuating prices away from one another.
The best source is probably Sky Scanner (www.skyscanner.net), who also throw up some curveball airlines you might not have considered. We’re just going to cross our fingers and hope that all flights advertised on Sky Scanner include use of planes with wings and engines, etc.
It’s also worth checking a site such as Quidco to see if you can claim cashback on your trip at all. Flight cashback is less common, but you can potentially make great savings on hotels and car hire.
Reducing Extra Costs
When travelling, always consider the herd. The most popular travel days mean more people are willing to pay, which drives up the cost. Consequently, flights are pricier on weekends. Fridays and Mondays see a notable increase in costs.
With that in mind, whilst it might be more difficult to arrange, try and see if you can take the do from Thursday to Sunday or Saturday to Tuesday, which means you’re still afforded some of the weekends action but could make a sizeable saving.
As well as the flight fare and the additional calculated taxes, airlines will penalise you for excessive baggage, skis, small pets in cages and don’t even think about putting your ticket in someone else’s name – that’s a few basic keystrokes that will cost you around ￡50 in admin fees.
Take sandwiches in your hand luggage to avoid paying the premium for a less than fresh mid-air paninni. In fact, if you’re just dashing off for the weekend, it might benefit you to take nothing but hand luggage anyway. There’s no extra fees, and you get straight to your hotel or a bar instead of lolling (not LOLing) about waiting for luggage. Space for clean underwear and novelty inflatable sheep is encouraged though.
Stuff to Watch The Heck Out For
Some airlines – and yes, we’re looking directly into your shameless engines, Ryanair – often reduce costs by flying to the ‘secondary airport’ of certain cities. This means that whilst your luggage will be instantly delivered, possibly on a donkey, you’ll have to get an expensive bus, shuttle or taxi into the city, and this can take it’s time and your patience, especially if your time is limited.
To stay on the topic of the world’s foremost Irish airline, Ryanair now even spring the surprise of check-in fees when you don’t check in online in advance, so ensure somebody has a working mobile with internet access. On top of this, try and slip that fee on your card and you’ll predictably endure a surprisingly extortionate currency cost.
Budget travel has been revolutionary for the travel industry, and from a fun-seeking stag party perspective especially, but it’s a cynical business and when you’re part of a captive audience, prepare to be taken by your feet and have the change shaken out your khaki trousers if you’re not careful.
Bon Voyage!
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