Airfares go and up and down as much as the planes these days and more often than not it´s pot-luck whether or not you get the best price for your flight. Sometimes there is nothing you can do, but there are certain rules you could follow to at least search the internet for the best deals together with a few helpful ideas that will help you save money on your next flight to Europe.
Save Money, that’s what this article is all about!
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Use Online Agents to find Cheap Flights
The quickest way to find the best priced flights to Europe is by using online agents that scour numerous airways and give you a list of prices for each airline. Sites like Expedia, eBookers, CheapOair and Kayak all have good search engines and lists of airline contacts. They also list the available flights in descending order with the cheapest option at the top. Simply browse through the results and eliminate the most expensive. All you have to do then is decide which times and air company’s best suit you.
Another benefit this gives you is it identifies which airlines are offering the best prices to the destination you are travelling to. Therefore, you might want to deal directly with the airline. Although the fare may be the same price if there is a problem with the booking you can at least deal directly with the airline rather than the middle man.
Pack light
The amount you pack is not something most travellers think about before boarding an airplane, and not all airlines give you a set weight limit before you travel. In general passengers on budget flights are allowed up to 20lb for luggage going in the hold and 8lb hand luggage. Anything over these amounts will incur a penalty so watch your weight.
Some airlines don´t stipulate a maximum amount but charge a fee for every pound in weight you are carrying. When booking a flight make a note how much weight you can carry or how much they charge per pound and pack your bags accordingly to keep the weight down?
Be a Coupon Clipper
Airlines often offer discounts using coupons or other conditions such as writing a review about the last destination you travelled with that airline and offering you a discount on your next flight with them. These are often sent to your inbox so don´t just delete them, keep them in a separate folder so you can check out the deals when you are ready to fly again.
Groupon on CouponCodes are offered by airlines from time to time and it is pot-luck whether you happen to be offered one at the time you want to fly, but some of them have good deals that could save you around £50 or £60. All you have to do is follow the instructions to get a code, it´s usually pretty simple.
Last Minute Bookings
Whilst it´s not guaranteed you will get a reduced fare with a last minute booking from every airline, more often than not it pays off to book late. If there are not many people on the flight the fares will be reduced to a more attractive price about a week or two in advance. To determine whether it is worthwhile booking now or later, check the price of flights that depart a week from now or even a few days from the date you are looking to book. If prices to the destination you are going reduce the likelihood the prices for flights on the day you want to travel will as well. You might save yourself around £50.
Register with a Frequent Flyer Programs
If you are flying in Europe on a regular basis your best option is to register with a frequent flyer program of the airline you will use the most. Frequent flyer programs, or FFP, are loyalty schemes that award you points every time you fly. Once you have accumulated the qualifying number of points you can cash them in for a flight in Europe either at a reduced rate or completely free. You can also save up air miles, which can make amazing savings too.
Save your Air Miles up, you will be surprised at how much this can amount too.
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There are many ways to save money off your next European vacation. Shop around, not just for cheap flights, but accommodation, currency, clothes and other items too. You will me amazed at home much money can be saved if you take the time and effort.