Recently updated on August 29th, 2024 at 11:24 am
One of the biggest expenses when planning a big trip is often the flights, but there are a handful of flight hacks you can use to save hundreds off the price of a ticket. Naturally, shopping around is one of the top ways to find cheap flights, but there are other tips and tricks to help you find the best rates.
If you’re planning to travel by plane in 2025 then read on to discover how to score the cheapest flight prices. With the below knowledge you’ll save both time and money, which you can then spend on food or souvenirs once in your dream destination. Ideal!
Here’s how to be a flight booking pro and discover the optimal moments to snap up those coveted low fares. These flight hacks will make travel in 2025 more affordable. And once you’re done with flights, you can seize the moment and grab a deal on a 2025 Trafalgar tour with our sale.
First, understand the flight booking cycle
Finding cheap flights is a matter of you against the system. Naturally, every airline wants to earn more money from every customer, but they also don’t want to fly half-empty planes. Airlines use dynamic pricing, meaning the seat price fluctuates due to supply and demand.
Many airlines know they can charge more during travel high seasons, school holidays, and special events. Often traveling outside these times will show you cheaper fares. Some airlines also release seats at tiered rates, with prices increasing as the departure date nears and the seats fill up.
Consider when to avoid booking flights
Peak travel periods, such as school holidays and major holidays like Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving, will likely attract those sky-high prices that you’re hoping to avoid. Miracles do happen, but it’s more likely that you’ll be paying a premium to travel during this time. While there are some optimal times to score cheap flights, it’s equally worth knowing when to avoid flying.
Best times to book long-haul flights in 2025
Timing is everything when it comes to booking long-haul flights. While you can expect prices to be higher than your last trip, due to inflation and jet fuel costs, there are still bargains to be found.
For domestic trips within the US, booking just one or two months ahead is often the best time for the cheapest flights. Most airlines will start managing their prices around four months before the date, increasing or decreasing the prices depending on demand. You can monitor your dates and book when the price drop
For longer journeys from the United States to Europe or beyond you want to start planning much further in advance. Long-haul flights are still best booked six to eight months in advance. As for flight hacks, seasonality matters along with the ability to be flexible with dates. Travel during shoulder seasons will offer up significantly better fares.
If you are planning to travel to popular destinations at the peak time, like Greece for a summer vacation or Italy in July, then you’ll want to book even earlier. Some airlines release tickets around 11 months in advance.
READ NEXT: 8 useful life hacks you’ll learn on a Trafalgar trip
Top flight hacks for 2025:
Flexibility is key: keep your travel dates and destinations open
If you can be flexible, then you can find good deals. This often means traveling off-peak and off-season. So it might mean looking for flights on weekdays instead of weekends, and being open to the destinations you land in. If you loosen your requirements and dates, you can open yourself up to some amazing flight deals.
Consider the day of the week you book on
While the day you fly is important, the day of the week that you book those flights can make a big difference too. Some people say Tuesday is the cheapest day to book and fly, since it’s far from the weekend, and it’s often true. Flight comparison site Skyscanner says sales are usually dropped on Monday nights or Tuesday morning, which skews this data, but it’s all about the route and destination.
More recent data actually suggest that Sunday might be the best day to book cheaper flights, but it’s not a hard rule as there are a lot of factors at play.
Look at airline loyalty programs and benefits
Airline loyalty programs can seem like a cult for those on the outside, but don’t underestimate the power they hold when it comes to free flights. Of course, the challenge is accumulating enough points with the same airline so you can redeem them for the route you want!
If you travel a lot for work, then you may accrue loads of points with a certain airline. Of course, it’s a false economy if you’re always paying more to fly with the points-earning airline over the cheaper competitors. With some credit cards, just buying your groceries will gain points but each shop barely scratches the surface for a free flight. To really earn points you need to shop around for sign-on deals, or point transfer bonuses and flight hacks like that.
If you do have enough points with a domestic airline, chances are they have connections and code shares with long-haul carriers that may even get you to Europe for free! Now that’s the best price.
Use flight comparison tools effectively
While we used to rely heavily on travel agents, now we can just sit on the couch and browse for the best deals across multiple airlines and travel agencies using flight comparison tools. These sites scour the depths of the web for the best deals, and offers loads of cool features.
To find the best fare deals you can’t just hit search and cross your fingers. You need to use the filters and features, which differ from platform to platform. Experiment with different search parameters, such as flexible dates, alternative airports, and different airlines. This may toss up a great deal, just don’t forget to factor in sneaky extras like baggage fees, seat selection costs, and other charges.
For example, with Google flights you can add multiple departure and arrival airports so you can quickly see which airlines have direct routes to which destinations. The calendar view lets you see the whole month, so you can quickly spot any super cheap deals. And if you see a flight you like, you can set an alert so it emails you when the price falls.
Last-minute deals and fare sales
If or once you know which airlines fly the routes you hope to one day fly, you should sign up for their newsletter so you’re the first to hear about any special sales or deals. Maybe next year you’re tossing up between Japan or China, so if an unforgettable deal pops up for Tokyo you’ll have your answer!
Of course, finding great deals isn’t exclusive to airlines. You can also save money on the your Trafalgar tour if you jump on our seasonal sales. Right now we have huge savings on 2025 trips. If you seize the moment you can save hundreds on your next tour. If you’re not ready to book now, subscribe to our newsletter so you get updates about deals.
Do you have any flight hacks you’d like to add? Will you jump on our 2025 sale? Leave us a comment….