How to Fly on the Cheap like a Seasoned Pro

In 2019 I took about 50- ish flights. I have been stuck, stranded, delayed, canceled, re-booked and canceled again on sooooo many flights and I get asked how I am able to fly so much and even more how can I fly on the cheap.

I spend a lot of time flying all over the world and I get asked how I find my flights A LOT! I get asked which sites I use, how I book my flights, what I do for baggage and what are my tips and tricks for booking cheap plane tickets… well ask no more because I am going to break this down into my top 5 tips for finding and booking cheap flights….here are my secrets!

1. Get Yourself a VPN

Personally I use NordVPN but there are other options out there as well like ExpressVPN. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network. Basically it provides an added layer of security and anonymity. Sometimes, not always but sometimes when you change the country that your IP address is in then you can find cheaper flights on many of the airline websites and other bargain websites too. It also comes in handy if you are traveling and want to be able to continue watching your favorite shows from home.

2. The Best Days to Purchase Your Flights & Fly

There is a ton of research out there (Nothing concrete but in my experience sometimes it works) about what days are the best to fly (generally Tuesday & Wednesday) and what are the best days to actually purchase your tickets (generally also on Tuesday but can also be on Sunday). Sometimes these days fluctuate a bit and if you check back on these flights on the same device or computer often, the airlines or companies will increase the cost because the cookies will keep track of it. In other words, that’s another reason to use a VPN and clear your cookies!

3. Don’t Buy Your Tickets Too Early or Wait Too Late

If you are traveling within the US you can look at purchasing your tickets about 3 months in advance but domestic flight deals can also be found about 30 days out. If you are flying internationally, about 6 months out or about 1.5 months out (approximately 54 ish days). I generally book my stuff about 50-55 days out if I have the opportunity to plan in advance. (It also helps if you can be flexible on the dates.)

4. Always Compare Airfare & Use a Flight Booker

This might be obvious but when trying to fly on the cheap always always compare your airfare websites. Don’t assume if you are on a site that collects airline data that they will all be accurate all the time. You can use Google flights and also check directly on the airline websites. I have, however, booked about 80% of my cheap flights through Kiwi.com and I recommend them all the time. You can also use sites like Skyscanner, Dollar Flight Club, and Scott’s cheap flights to get emails about cheap flights.

5. Take a Connection & Pack Less

Another tip for how to fly on the cheap is cutting back on those direct flights. Direct flights will, without a doubt,  be more expensive so if you can swing a little bit of extra time, take a flight with 1-2 connections. If you have an extra day or so, consider an even longer connection to see an extra city or country. It can be a bit of a pain but honestly at this point in my life and being from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I am super accustomed to taking flights with multiple connections. It’s rare to catch a direct flight from Albuquerque to anywhere in the world unless it’s super close by.

The second part of this is to pack lessssssss…. I know I know! It’s practically impossible. But you are gonna have a hard time finding an international flight without having to add on those extra baggage fees. A lot of flights may even charge you for a large carry-on but it will be cheaper in the long run than checking a bag, PLUS if you do end up with a longer connection your bags will not be a pain in the ass. You can get a few of my packing tips here.

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