How to Find the Cheapest Flights: A Step-by-Step Guide to Booking at the Right Time

Now, with increasing airlines and options for flight booking, travelling to any part of the world has become as easy as a breeze. However, for most of the travellers, finding a suitable airfare is quite challenging. With the fluctuating prices, peak seasons, and huge options available on the web, knowing about the cheapest available travel deals can be a bit painful. So, in this article, we will guide you through simple yet effective steps on how to get the best and more affordable travel deals besides booking tips from popular airlines like Air France.

Why Timing is Everything for Cheap Flights

The Best Time to Book Your Flight:

However, a good time for booking cheap flights would depend on the airlines' relative demand and season, as different airlines charge different prices depending on how far in advance one books their flight. Most experts make suggestions to book international trips about 6-8 weeks in advance. Domestic travellers can get good deals booking 3-4 weeks in advance; however, last-minute bookings can be more expensive.

Do Days of the Week Really Matter?

Many of us wonder if there are days to book the best flight. The truth is yes! Majorly, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are considered days to book flights at cheaper rates. This happens due to the fact that many airlines, like Air France, usually display new offers early in the week, and it so happens that by midweek, competitors have usually adjusted their prices to take off the other's advantage. Don't book your fights during the weekends because this is when the prices tend to go up due to higher demand.

Using Flight Comparison Tools to Your Advantage

Price Alerts: The Power of Them

This would also be a way that flight comparison tools help you monitor price shifts. Most websites offer price alerts, which include Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Kayak. You can have it notify your desired route, and the tool will alert you if prices go down. For instance, if you will be flying with Air France, you can put an alert for routes that Air France flies; you would then get a notification as soon as an Air France deal is available.

Using Itineraries

Another terrific way to save money on flights is to seek out alternative airports. Frequently, when larger cities contain more than one airport, arriving in the one closest to you will keep you from losing a pretty penny. When flying into Paris, check prices to both Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY) airports. Air France, after all, is one of the major international airlines that departs from several airports; so casting a wider search may yield flight deals for you.

Be Flexible about Your Travel Dates

How Flexibility Saves You Money

If your travel dates can be somewhat flexible, you'll have a chance of getting cheaper flights. Prices vary depending on airlines and peak and off-peak seasons. Even a few days of difference in your departure and return date may make a huge difference in the price. For instance, flying Air France on a Tuesday might be cheaper than Friday due to that day being demand-driven.

Shoulder Seasons: The Best Kept Secret to Lower Prices

One of the best-kept secrets in getting a cheap flight is to travel during the shoulder season. This is that period when neither the peak nor the off-peak season is at play, and the tourist crowds are not all that large, making it a great time for airfare with drastic cuts. For example, if you are travelling to Europe, you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll get yourself a much better deal using Air France in late September or early May compared to summer.

Taking Advantage of Airline Loyalty Programs and Promotions

Earning Miles from Frequent Flyer Programs

If you fly a lot with Air France, then you must join their loyalty program. Flying Blue is Air France's loyalty program: it allows you to earn miles every time you fly and to redeem those miles for free or discounted flights. Not travelling a lot means that you will not harvest points frequently, but joining such programs will make good savings on future flights.

Keep an Eye out for Special Deals and Flash Sales

Airlines usually run promotion, flash sale and discount programs for their faithful followers. These will help you grab a discount deal, and hence you should keep an eye on them. You can get a newsletter subscription or follow Air France on social media to get notified of the special deal. Often, the deals are time-sensitive. So, the faster you act, the better you'll be in regard to price options.

Use Incognito Mode and Clear Cookies

How Search Engines Affect Price

Ever notice how flight prices jump every time you search for the same route? It is because websites track your search history and cookies, which could increase prices based on how often you are looking for a certain flight. If you want to see unbiased prices from the website, then you must search in private or incognito mode. This will not let websites track your activity, ensuring you find the most unbiased prices.

Clear Cookies for Accurate Price Comparisons

Clearing your browser's cookies before you search for flights may also be helpful. Your cookies will store your browsing data, and the airlines might use such information to increase prices if they notice that you're searching the same flights over and over again. Hence, clearing your cookies often assures you of receiving the most accurate and current prices through your research.

Book with budget airlines or multi-city flights

Mix and Match Airlines for Best Deals

Air France offers perfect service at times; sometimes, mixing and matching airlines will save you some money. Budget airlines tend to give you cheaper options whenever the travel is short-haul, so you can always book different airlines for each leg of your journey. This strategy is called a multi-city or open-jaw flight. It makes saving very important, mainly to those travelling across continents.

Avoid Direct Flights for Cheaper Options

Direct flights are always convenient though sometimes more expensive. If you do not mind a layover anywhere along the route, you could save a tremendous amount of money. For example, instead of travelling on Air France from New York to Paris directly, try adding a layover in another European city. Sometimes, layovers can actually reduce the full cost while allowing you to visit another place.

Conclusion

Finding the cheapest flights, in fact, requires good timing, flexibility, and proper tools used in unison. From following the guidelines below, you will find, for sure, an ample amount of your money saved on those tickets—use of price alerts, flexible dates, airline loyalty programs, and much more. But, if you are travelling with one of the big airlines such as Air France or taking advantage of creative combinations of budget airlines, it is going to pay off either way. Happy travels!