Business travelers often consider the cost of airfare when determining the ROI of their business trips (and if you don’t, you should, especially for entrepreneurs and executives whose travel costs come out of their regular budgets). You can find less expensive flights with just a little planning, but without giving up the comfort and convenience of your usual travel schedule.
Yahoo Travel shared several great ways for saving money on flights, and they apply to business fliers as much as vacation travelers.
Let’s start with the basics: it’s true what the experts say. The cheapest flights will be found when you book eight weeks out for domestic travel and 24 weeks out for international. However, if you’re impulsive and can leave at the drop of a hat, you can also snatch a cheap flight last-minute if you can be somewhat flexible in your schedule.
If you want to be more scientific in your search for a deal, we suggest downloading a fare alert app that lets you know when the cheapest flight becomes available for the destination of your choice. Another way to get the big picture on flight prices is to investigate the “search by month” option on sites such as Skyscanner and Google Flights. This will take the guesswork out of your purchase.
If you make a reservation a week or more in advance, you can cancel and rebook without any penalty within the first 24 hours if the price changes in that time. This only applies to US flights and is a mandate of the Department of Transportation.
We all know the benefits of rewards programs, but did you know that by flying from an alternate airport or adding a layover you might save hundreds of dollars on your ticket price? If you’re interested in accruing more loyalty points and have time, this can save you money and help you get your next flight cheaper too.
With a little planning and preparation, you can save hundreds of dollars on your next trip.
If you make the most of these sites and do some planning, cheap airfare can be the start of a great memory making adventure.
How do you book your cheap flights? Tell us about it in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or in our Twitter stream.