While travelling can be an incredibly relaxing and enriching experience, holiday planning can be a daunting prospect. Moreover, airfare can easily be the largest expense of your trip. Filtering through hundreds of flights and options based on time, carriers, duration and price, to avail the most cost-effective flight booking can be overwhelming for holidaymakers.
Dubai-based online flight and hotel booking platform, tajawal, have revealed a few insider tips and need-to-know hacks that will help plan your next adventure and save up money when you book a flight online.
Now, you can spend your money more efficiently and enjoy a blissful, stress-free holiday…
Travel mid-week vs. weekends
Flying out during the week can save bundles of cash. Book your flights for Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Sundays rather than weekends, as airlines tend to raise the airfares for Friday and Saturday flights, simply because these are the most likely days leisure travellers are planning to get away.
Online travel agencies (OTAs) vs. direct airline websites
Besides searching and comparing airfares from multiple airlines, online travel agencies (OTAs) such as tajawal act as a one-stop online travel shop offering more relevant and affordable flight rates, the convenience of adding cheap travel insurance, a superb range of travel offers, as well as safe and multiple payment methods. Rely on the OTAs to discover the most competitive flight deal options and promotions from various airlines, as opposed to airline’s websites.
Book connecting flights separately
If you’re flying somewhere that involves a transfer, say from Dubai to Toronto which involves Dubai to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to Toronto, consider booking these two legs separately by adding another destination to your trip. It can actually turn out cheaper, but you also get to explore another destination for a few hours or days, before catching your next flight. Be careful to not book layovers that are only a couple of hours apart as you will need to factor in time to collect baggage, weather conditions and airport delays. If you plan to stay for a few days or overnight at the layover destination, do your research on their visa requirements.
Flexible Schedule
There are certain times of the day and days of the week when it’s usually cheaper to fly. Travellers not committed to specific travel dates can search a range of feasible dates for the best airfares. If your schedule is flexible, play around with different flight dates and times until you find the cheapest option. Flexibility is one of the easiest ways to lower your airfare costs.
Always read the fine print!
Before you embark on your holiday, take a few minutes to read the fine print on your travel booking. You’ll be glad you did as sometimes online travel agencies (OTAs) show prices in bold without including applicable taxes and other fees that can amount to 20-30% of the overall rate. Comb through the terms and conditions to avoid disappointments at the time of check-in or book with a trusted OTA such as tajawal.
