Do you think you have cracked the code of getting the best deal on flight bookings? Think again. Mentioned in this post are four big mistakes you could make, which is costing you more. Keep reading.
Millions of passengers fly every day. With so many airlines and flight booking websites out there to help you get the best deal, it can become confusing to select the best flight. This often makes you prone to mistakes that can cost you dearly in the long-run. Let’s look at 4 mistakes that you should strictly avoid.
1. Not Searching Discreetly: Travellers often make the mistake of searching for the best flight options in their regular browser, aiming to get the best deal on the ticket. While there is nothing wrong with that, searching in your regular browser could increase ticket prices. So how does this happen? Like any other website, flight booking websites track your cookies every time you visit them and search for a flight. When they see you searching for a particular flight frequently, they view it as high demand for the ticket. Resultantly, they increase ticket prices for the flights on the same route on the date of travel. The best way to avoid this is to search in incognito (in chrome) or private browsing (in safari) mode.
2. Booking too Close to the Travel Date: Flight ticket prices typically increase closer to the travel dates. This is because most of the seats on the flight have already been sold out. With a few seats left up for grabs, passengers are ready to pay an increased fare for the same. Thus, make sure you book your flights 2-4 weeks in advance. This will ensure you’re not booking too much in advance or booking too late as well.
3. Not looking at the Total Cost of Travel: Travellers often search for a flight option and get attracted to the lowest priced ticket. While it is good to find the best deal, make sure you look at the total cost of travel. Some flights that may appear cheap, do not turn out to be so by the time you complete your trip. This is because there are various hidden and add-on costs. Some important points to consider here are;
Taxes and fees usually charged over and above the price shown.
Some flight options only allow you to carry a cabin-baggage of up to 7Kgs. This means you will have to pay extra if you carry check-in baggage.
The cost of reaching the airport (for departure) or your destination from the airport (after arrival) might be higher for early morning or late night flights due to lesser public transport options.
4. Not Taking Advantage of the Mile Program: This has to be one of the biggest mistakes made by travellers. Many think this is not for someone like them who take a flight once in two months or even lesser. However, miles programs can work wonderfully well for you, even if you fly occasionally. Some of the new-age programs let you earn miles on a hos of activities such as shopping, dining, filling fuel, etc., apart from buying flight tickets. Another misconception is many feel the mile program is better suited to international travellers. This is again, not true. Whether you are looking at Mumbai to Varanasi flight rates or Delhi to Dubai flight rates, miles can considerably help you save on your flight costs.
Flight booking has been made easy today, with many websites to choose from. Choose one that offers you a wide range of options and lets you earn miles on every flight booking. Lastly, make sure you don’t make the mistakes point out above and select a flight that not only looks cheap but is actually affordable in the long-run. Happy travelling!