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Budget Flights
Getting the best deal on budget flights is about using some common sense and being a bit savy when it comes to booking.
And before you start, remember one thing: it’s a jungle out there. The budget airline market is currently so competitive, that they are desperate for your business; you have the upper hand. The downside of course is that airlines, budget and mainstream alike, are suffering during this time from the credit crunch malaise and the saying here today, gone tomorrow, is very apt. If you can, pay for the flight with your credit card, as they will usually refund if the plane’s captain can’t afford the fuel bill.
To get the best deal on budget flights you must go against the flow.
The biggest tip is to travel when others aren’t. All holiday and travel companies are expert at squeezing the most out of the customers at the peak times. If you’ve ever tried booking a flight before a major holiday, you’ll understand. Therefore, travel when everyone else isn’t. Think of the busiest times, ignore them, and go for the slackest time, when seats might well be abundant.
And once you’ve avoided school holidays, or times around a festive holiday, think about going first thing in the morning, or last thing at night. Remember, do the opposite to Joe Average.
Two rules about booking: either light years ahead, or the latest nano-second. Booking well in advance, when airlines first release flights, is a great tactic. It suits you, if you can plan ahead, and it suits them, as they are generating forward cashflow. Alternatively, wait until the last possible moment, when empty seats for airlines are like toothless stumps and rip into their profit margins. They want a full plane at the highest price – you want a seat at the lowest price; it’s like commercial Russian roulette.
As to the market in general, keep an eye on what’s happening with the airlines. Subscribe for email updates on the budget airline web-sites, be one of the first to know of seat sales, or when one particular company decides to let rip and flog cabin space at bargain basement rates. Two of the biggest players in the budget airline market, Ryanair and EasyJet, hold regular online sales of tickets. But you have to be quick to get the best deals.
And talking about web-sites, use them to book your ticket, and you will save again, as airlines don’t like the administrative costs of doing it any other way.
Small things count as well - don’t hold out for long leg room, tonnes of luggage capacity, or in-flight food. Budget airlines are cheap and cheerful; and so should you be if you want the best deals.
And don’t limit yourself to short-haul. Budget airlines, once confined to hopping short distances, have spread their wings and now long haul to such destinations as the U.S, Canada and Hong Kong.
So to get the best deal on budget flights remember the rules: preparation, knowledge and flexibility.
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