How to buy cheap flights anywhere in the world: all the tricks to save on tickets and a selection of useful resources. When plane tickets are cheaper Air tickets are cheaper in advance

06.06.16 353 616 3

How to get the cheapest flight ticket

Everyone knows the mythical Vasily, who flies from Moscow to Bangkok for 20 euros.

It's very cheap. But you go to the site with tickets - and there, as always, everything is expensive. To fly cheap, you have to be cunning. In this article, we will tell you how to get the cheapest possible air tickets.

Ekaterina Kachalina

journalist

1. Hide from surveillance

On the Internet, you are not faceless. Search engines know what city you live in, what tickets you are interested in and what device you are looking for them from. For the same flight, a New Yorker will see a higher price than an Indian from Delhi.

If you are looking for tickets from an iPhone or iPad, tickets will cost more for you than if you were looking from an Android. And if you enter the same search query twice in the aggregator, you will see how the price increases with each query. You are provoked to buy right now so that you do not have to pay even more later.

These are all marketing gimmicks.

Outsmart the system: clear your cookies or put your browser in incognito mode. So the aggregator will not know if you have searched for these tickets before.

Even better, use an anonymizer - a program that "hides" all the data about your device and location. Download the Tunnelbear program (you need to register) or go to an online anonymizer website, such as hideme.ru. Try to play with the IP address of the computer in the settings of such a program: pretend that you live in South Asia or Latin America and you will see lower prices.

Don't forget about currency conversion. If the site shows prices in pesos, then when paying, the money on your ruble card is converted twice: first into dollars, then into pesos. For each transaction, the bank will write off a commission. Consider whether such a purchase is profitable.

2. Don't get attached to a place

It is usually cheapest to fly from Moscow, because it is a large interchange hub and many airlines fly through it. But if you live in another city, don't worry. Go to Moscow by train and fly out of there calmly.

Petersburgers were even more fortunate. You can easily get to Helsinki or Lappeenranta, from where European low-cost airlines fly.

You can also save money on where you fly. In Europe, the larger the airport, the more money it takes to service the aircraft. Choose small airports in non-capital cities. Flying to the Dutch town of Eindhoven is usually more profitable than flying to Amsterdam. When going to Germany, check the prices for tickets to Frankfurt and Düsseldorf.

3. Choose in the public sector

Airlines are divided into budget and more expensive. The most profitable offers are from European low-cost companies. If you book a ticket in advance, then for 10 euros from Helsinki you can fly to anywhere in Europe.

These tickets are often ignored by ticket aggregators because they are low fees and look better than regular high fee tickets. You need to look for cheap tickets on your own on airline websites or on special resources: azair.eu, kiwi.com (formerly skypicker.com).

When buying a ticket for a low-cost airline, carefully read the rules of the airline. In exchange for the money saved, you will deprive yourself of meals on board, the chance to return a ticket or change a date, and sometimes free baggage allowance. You need to register for such a flight yourself via the Internet. At the airport, this service is paid separately.

Wizz Air and the first domestic low-cost airline Pobeda fly from Russia. You can fly to or from Italy with Air Italy, Latvia with Air Baltic, Germany with Germanwings and Air Berlin, and the leader of low-cost airlines in Asia with Air Asia.

4. Seize the moment

Another inexpensive option is a charter flight. Charters fly only to certain places and only during the high season. It is these flights that travel agencies use as part of package tours. It happens that the agency does not fill the plane completely - then last-minute tickets can be redeemed at the last moment on special sites.

A charter flight can be rescheduled at the last moment. But the prices are even lower than those of low-cost airlines:

Look for charter flights on the websites chabooka.ru, clickavia.ru, tourdom.ru.

5. Take advantage of someone else's mistake

Special advice from an expert on erroneous fares

Mikhail Lyubich

founder
10​0500miles.ru

Sometimes airlines offer cheap tickets not as part of a promotion, but by mistake. The employee could make a typo in the price, calculate the fuel surcharge incorrectly, or put the decimal fraction in the wrong place. No one is immune from such mistakes.

Erroneous rates usually last only a couple of hours until they are corrected. But if you manage to book a ticket during this time, it is rightfully yours. Therefore, you need to book such tickets immediately.

Never call an airline or agent for clarification unless you want the wrong fare to be covered. You risk nothing. The worst thing that can happen is that your booking will be canceled and your money will be refunded.

Most often, erroneous fares can be found on aggregator websites, sometimes they come across on airline websites. It is preferable to buy tickets on airline websites, as there is less chance of cancellation.

6. Make it harder

In ticket aggregators, flights with transfers are almost always cheaper than direct ones. This happens because it is profitable for airlines to fill flights using their base airports (hubs). Aeroflot has Sheremetyevo, Pobeda has Vnukovo, Emirates has Dubai.

Sometimes you can get a significant discount if you create a route with several connections. Many aggregators allow you to create a complex route yourself. Experiment with flying to Stockholm via Helsinki and to Asia via Bangkok. Try to take a return ticket from a neighboring city or even a country.

In 2014, it was possible to fly on a trip to Dublin - Mahe (Seychelles) - Mauritius - Paris for only 29,000 rubles:

Advanced travelers actively use stopover - a "transfer" longer than 24 hours. This is an opportunity to look at one more country on a budget. Stopover is issued by the airline after the purchase of tickets with a connection. Find out in advance if this is possible on your flight. And do not forget to clarify what documents are needed to exit the airport at an intermediate point.

7. Cut off the excess

Trick for the smartest: buy a transfer ticket and just ignore the last segment. Let's say you're going to Estonia. Go to the aggregator and find out that a flight from Moscow to Oslo with a connection in Tallinn will cost less than a direct flight to Tallinn. It's a shame? On the contrary, it is very convenient.

Ask at the counter at the airport to check in your luggage to the transfer point or fly with hand luggage and upon arrival in Tallinn, calmly leave the airport. Nobody will stop you.

To use this life hack, you need to know which airlines fly to the city you need and at which airports they are based. All this information is easily googled. For example, Bergamo Orio al Serio Airport is one of the main hubs for the Irish low-cost airline Ryanair, while Air Baltic is based in Riga. Let's see how it works in practice.

You need to go to Riga. Direct flights are expensive:

We go to the Air Baltic website and see where you can fly cheaply from Riga:

Now we are looking at ticket prices for each of the directions where you can fly with Air Baltic. We find the most profitable option using the brute-force method:

Now you have a ticket to Budapest with a transfer in Riga. Saved 2247 rubles.

Please note that the first flight cannot be missed. This option is also not suitable for round-trip tickets: after missing any of the segments, the ticket is canceled. Buy a return ticket separately.

8. Sign up for a loyalty program and earn miles

Airlines offer bonuses to regular customers. For registration in loyalty programs, you will receive miles and coupons for purchases in duty free, hotel stays and free tickets.

conclusions

1. Look for tickets in incognito mode.
2. Fly low-cost or charter flights.
3. Try to pick up small airports in non-capital cities.
4. If you see a suspiciously low price - buy without hesitation.
5. Cunning: pick up tickets with transfers and just get off where you need to.
6. Earn airline miles or just

It would seem, what kind of question? The sooner, the better. But this statement is only partially correct, because there are other factors besides the margin of time. Let's figure out when it's cheaper to buy plane tickets.

There are many authoritative studies that convincingly demonstrate how profitable it is to buy tickets as early as possible. Because of this, many travelers go out of their way to plan their next trip in a year, and then are very disappointed to learn that they would have saved the same amount (and sometimes more) by making a purchase a couple of months before departure. Why it happens?

When can I buy the cheapest flights

If you buy a ticket a year before departure, then it is beneficial, first of all, to the airline, and not to you. The carrier receives a guaranteed passenger and working capital, and you get a headache, because, you see, it is not easy to predict the date for such a long time.

• Do not miss:

Experienced travelers are advised to start thinking about buying an air ticket no earlier than 4-5 months before the desired date. It is at this time that airlines, based on the percentage of flight occupancy, begin to “throw out” interesting offers on the market.

Most tourists consider the optimal time to buy 90 days before departure, plus or minus 10 days. American journalist and traveler Peter Greenberg claims that the cheapest way to buy plane tickets is 50-60 days in advance. In his opinion, it is at this time that the actualization of statistical data and a temporary decline in prices take place. But the long-term statistics of the company CheapAir even names the exact date - 54 days.

When less than 50 days remain before departure, the chances of buying a ticket at a profit are rapidly fading. Apparently, not everyone knows this, because it is then that the peak of demand begins. According to statistics, most tickets are bought 30-40 days before departure, when they are almost the most expensive.

If you missed the 50-day milestone, then there is one more chance to get a cheap air ticket. True, the chance is rather risky, so it should be resorted to only if the flight is not critical. You need to calmly wait for time, and on the eve of departure, start “live” on the airline’s website, in the hope that someone will cancel the reservation and the ticket will be put up for sale at a bargain price. This happens, however, like miracles, very rarely.

What days can you buy the cheapest flights

Yes, don't be surprised. The day, and even the hour, of buying a ticket plays no less a role than the time remaining before departure. The cost of the same air ticket purchased, say, on Thursday evening and Friday morning, may differ by 10-20%.

The most profitable days for shopping are Tuesday and Wednesday, when the airline databases are updated. The aforementioned Peter Greenberg argues that the ideal time is one after midnight, on a Wednesday. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but there is a certain sense that it is more profitable to buy plane tickets at night.

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Most people are looking for cheap flights on so-called aggregators, such as Aviasales.ru. These are sites that collect information from different agencies and operators by downloading prices from their pages. If you go to such a site during the day, when the load is increased, there is a possibility that he simply will not have time to load all the data in the time allotted to him. As a result, some of the tasty options may simply not get into the search results. At night, the load is minimal, which eliminates this possibility.

Thus, knowing when it is cheaper to buy plane tickets, you can save from 10 to 40% of their cost and fly more often to the countries you plan to visit.

Additional tools for finding cheap flights:

The cost of air tickets is quite high, and not every traveler can easily shell out N-amount of money for a flight to a selected point in the world. Despite this fact, it is quite possible to find cheaper airline tickets. There are some good tips from experienced travelers that allow you to save a lot of money on buying a ticket to the desired destination.

When is the best time to buy plane tickets?

Airlines start selling flight tickets 330 days before departure. But do not make a reservation for such a long period. If your plans suddenly change, it will not work without financial losses. The optimal solution is to book suitable tickets 2-3 months before the planned trip. We invite you to read -

On the search site, enter the approximate date of the trip and “play” with the time, that is, view the pricing policy on different days of the week. It is not uncommon for a customer to find the lowest ticket price on a particular day in this way.

Experienced travelers have long known that daytime departure tickets are the most in demand. Air carriers know this too, setting inflated prices on flights departing at a convenient time for passengers.

Based on this, we can conclude: tickets for planes departing late at night and in the early morning hours are sold at more affordable prices. When studying the tariffs of the selected carrier, be sure to look at the prices for morning and night flights.

And one more important tip:. Such sales already allow you to save a certain amount, since the cost of tickets at the stationary ticket office of the airport is always higher. You will find 10 tips on how to save on air tickets.

For domestic flights

For domestic flights, you can purchase a cheap ticket for a charter flight. If the traveler does not care what day of the week to go on a planned trip, you can monitor the site daily, looking for the best option for purchasing.

Many airlines that want to sell all the tickets for the upcoming flight arrange sales and promotions 1-2 days before departure. This way to buy a cheap plane ticket is risky for those who have scheduled a flight on a specific date. If you have no restrictions on the date of departure, use this opportunity to purchase a "hot" ticket at a reduced cost.

For international flights

For an international flight, it is better to purchase a ticket in advance, which is especially important for travelers who have an open visa with a limited stay on the territory of a foreign state.

As a rule, most Russian tourists plan their trip several months before their vacation. Throughout the preparation period, you can monitor the site with the sale of tickets, choosing the appropriate fare. You can familiarize yourself with the map of low prices.

If you find a very good offer on the site from an airline offering to buy tickets for a flight at a very low price, check with the fuel surcharge. Quite often, the unrealistically low cost of a ticket has a catch associated with the fact that the tourist will have to pay an additional fuel surcharge, the price for which can be equal to 50% of the cost of the ticket itself.

The fares for cheap tickets may also not include additional services for meals on board, etc. It is better to clarify all these nuances in advance, which will allow you not to overpay for the services provided during the flight, which you can find out about immediately before departure.

Tips from experienced travelers:

• if you want to save on tickets for an international flight, look for suitable options for flying to;
• it is better to buy plane tickets abroad in two directions at once, which will already save a certain amount of money;
• if you are not afraid of transfers on the way, buy tickets for transit flights.

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What days of the week are plane tickets cheapest?

Air carriers set the highest fares for tickets that take off on holidays and weekends. If you're in no hurry, book more affordable options on weekday flights.

According to experienced experts, the best day to buy cheap tickets online is Tuesday-Thursday.

What time of day is best to book flights

The best time to purchase a ticket at a reduced price is after 15:00, when many carriers launch promotions and sales, as well as at night, from 01:00 to 05:00 in the morning. At this time, most of the country's residents are resting and do not show much interest in buying plane tickets.

In order to attract the attention of potential customers to the transportation service, companies arrange night sales that allow you to buy flight tickets at very competitive prices. You will find more tips on how to buy air tickets profitably.

If you are looking for tickets for two or more people, enter a search query for one passenger into a search engine and buy a separate ticket for each. When searching for tickets for two or more people, the program automatically issues standard fares.

It is better to start monitoring the site for buying air tickets 5-6 months before departure. During this period, you will definitely be able to find cheap plane fares in the right direction to save your personal budget.

When buying urgent tickets for a flight in the coming days, which was not planned in advance, the traveler can only hope for luck.

We hope you will find on our website the best offer for your destination on the right day and time.

How far in advance is the best time to buy tickets?

What day of the week are flights cheaper?

What time of day is best to buy a plane ticket

Traveling is a very pleasant, but also very costly process. When is the best time to buy plane tickets so as not to overpay? With a competent approach to buying, you can save up to a third of the cost of tickets, and sometimes more. The main thing when planning a budget vacation is to know some of the nuances and tricks.

A common mistake travelers make is to think that the earlier you book tickets, the better. However, buying earlier than 8-9 months before the trip is not the best solution. The fact is that airlines often form a price depending on the workload of the passenger flow last year, but this year it may decrease in a specific direction. Therefore, by purchasing tickets too early, the tourist runs the risk of overpaying for the trip.

What month is the best time to buy plane tickets?

It's better to buy tickets in advance. The optimal time for buying a ticket for domestic flights is 4-5 months, and for international flights - 5-6 months. As we approach the departure date, air tickets will only become more expensive, and already two weeks before departure, the cost increases every day and, in about 5-7 days, reaches its maximum.

Sometimes you can find cheap flights a couple of weeks or even days before departure, when companies are happy if there are extra seats left. But this is a matter of luck, not a pattern.

You can buy a plane ticket at a discount if you plan your vacation in advance so that it does not fall during the seasonal months. The most "expensive" periods are July, August and New Year's holidays. From mid-January to February, there is a decline in prices. In February, you can buy tickets for 30-40% cheaper compared to hot August.

It is also advantageous to purchase tickets from mid-November until around December 12th. Such a purchase of air tickets allows you to save up to 40%, and sometimes up to half the cost.

If it is important for you to purchase tickets specifically for the summer, then here you can save a little. Avoid popular destinations, as the cost increases slightly for some routes. For example, there is even a slight decline in Israel in June, there is no significant difference in cost when traveling to Croatia or Bulgaria in the summer. A good option is to plan a vacation for September-October, the weather in many countries is still warm, and prices are much lower.

It is important to take into account the features of specific areas. For instance:

• the most economical tickets to the Maldives and Sri Lanka can be bought in June;
• December is considered the most expensive month to travel to Thailand;
• The best months to travel to Canada and the US are November and February.

What day of the week is best to buy tickets

When is the best time to buy cheap flights? It is believed that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the most suitable days for purchasing economy tickets. According to statistics, the best option for buying tickets is Tuesday afternoon. It is on this day that airlines often hold sales after 15:00. In addition, a good time to book an air ticket is at night, around 1:00 am, and be sure to take into account the time zone of the airline.

What is the best date to plan your flight? Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are also considered profitable options. This is due to the fact that the bulk of tourists plan trips, adjusting to the standard work schedule in order to capture weekends, and weekdays are less popular.

The ideal day of the week for departure is Wednesday, it is on these dates that they are most often tracked. If we talk about the time of departure, then here the morning hours will be the most profitable, then lunchtime comes in popularity.

Tips for buying cheap flights

• Play with the days of the week. If the date of the flight is not important to you, it will be good to check the neighboring numbers, perhaps the tickets for them will be cheaper than for the date you are looking at.
• Buy round-trip air tickets immediately - it's more profitable than taking a one-way ticket.
• If you are flying together, it is better to take tickets separately for each person. When a search for two people is specified, the system usually returns the standard cost.
• Track promotions and sales on the official websites of airlines. As a rule, firms announce in advance the cost reduction for specific areas.
• Also use various services - they issue offers from various airlines. For example, the popular aviasales resource focuses on cheap tickets and, upon request, gives the client the most advantageous offers in the first line.
• For a better search, clear your browser's memory regularly. The fact is that the search engine remembers your requests and begins to seduce with marketing techniques - notifications may appear that the last places are left in the chosen direction.

The general recommendation is that if you know a specific destination, then you need to start tracking tickets six months in advance. If you have not yet decided on the place of travel, then on the airsales resource or other services it is possible to choose the cheapest air tickets for the near future or upcoming holidays.