Finding cheap flights
I’m always itching to go on a trip. Even when I just come home from a vacation, I’d like to leave right away for my next adventure! I spend a lot of my free time looking up flights to various places in the world. I’ve been doing it for a few years now. And through tons of trial and error, I deem myself a “Cheap Travel Expert.”
First thing’s first — Which airline is the most affordable?
If you are traveling within the U.S., my answer is Southwest Airlines. Now, they do not fly everywhere in the continental United States, but they will get you to a number of worthy destinations. I once flew Southwest to Kansas City, Missouri just last year for $49 each way! And as long as you book in advance, you are bound to find good deals.
- For Chicagoans — especially the South Siders like myself — the best part about Southwest Airlines is that it only flies out of Midway, which is a lot less crowded and easier to get to than O’Hare.
- While you are booking your flight on-line, take advantage of the “Wanna Get Away” deals. Flight prices range from anywhere between $69 and $139 when you book in advance.
- Finally, Southwest Airlines is currently the only airline that does not charge you for a checked bag!
I also recommend searching American Airlines by “Price & Schedule.” This way, you will be able to view the Economy Super Saver prices. I am currently searching for flights to London, England. By searching for my desired dates by “Price & Schedule,” I have discovered the Economy Super Saver price for $231 each way, as opposed to the roughly $2K price tag I was given by searching just by schedule. That is quite a difference!
While living in London, England, I was a huge fan of flying Ryan Air. They offer inexpensive deals all the time! Their current special includes one-way prices from London to various locations in the UK and Europe (Cork, Glasgow, Madrid, etc.) for just £10.00!
- You must fly out of London Stansted or London Gatwick;however both are much smaller, less busier airports than Heathrow.
- There are no assigned seats!
- You can enter/exit the plane from both the front and the back!
Second — Where else can I find travel deals?
Lastminute.com is a fantastic place to find deals on flights, hotels and car rentals at the drop of a hat! I prefer to plan things out very careful and way in advance. However, if you would like to be a jet-setter, even for just one weekend, this is the place you should look to for cheaper travel options. You are more likely to find a cheaper, last minute flight on this site than if you go directly to a given airline’s website.
Believe it or not, those pesky ads on websites can actually lead you to awesome travel deals… especially if you are a student! While poking around Facebook one day, I spotted an ad for Student Universe. The site offers cheap travel options for college students and faculty. At the time, I was a iunior in college, so this was a fantastic discovery! STA Travel is another great company that provides students with cheap travel opportunities.
I’d be happy to answer any other questions you may have regarding affordable flights. Stay tuned for my next post about cheap hotels/hostels!
- Posted in Recommendations, Travel Tips on October 10th, 2008
October 15th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
i love ryan (air) too
October 16th, 2008 at 1:07 am
On Bloggers\’ Row… finally!…
Unfortunately, the flights left from the St. Louis airport (STL) at 6 AM [then again, that could also be considered \”fortunately,\” as Lambert International is MUCH closer than the Chicago-area airports… And while the 6 AM thing was problematic,…
October 26th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
[...] a flight to Denver that only cost $79 each way. What a steal! If you missed it check out my post about affordable flights so that you too can travel on the cheap! Anyway, I called Lindsey and booked my trip all within 10 [...]
December 21st, 2008 at 12:32 pm
[...] reading some of my other posts, you will see I am a huge advocate of Southwest Airlines. One of the reasons is because it is the [...]
February 23rd, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Nice theme - did you build it?
April 14th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Also, you can check out Optifly.com for all of your flight route options. They don’t filter results to show higher prices because they dont SHOW prices. You can, however, view low cost carriers on their site and link to Expedia to cross-reference prices. They even have interesting city information and links to travel guides and stuff. Check out http://optifly.com/fo-LAX-JFK.aspx for an example: LAX-JFK. It’s pretty cool stuff. Certainly makes it easier to avoid being scammed!
May 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
I have never flown before, i saw on american airlines the “economy super saver” what exactly is that. Will I be flying below with the luggage???? It said it was either a M80 or ER4 plane. Are these little planes or “puddle jumpers?” I would appreciate any help. I have looked all over the web and can’t find any descpription of the plane or flight. All I found was that I have to pay for the snack. Thank you, Michael Ellen
May 9th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Michael - Thanks for visiting! The “Economy Super Saver” on American Airlines is just a price. You will be flying on the same commercial aircraft as all other AA passengers. No need to worry. Feel free to e-mail me with any other questions you have at carrie@gettincarriedaway.com.
May 10th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
hi, thanks,The article was very well written, very helpful to me
May 24th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Really cool blog. I found it on yahoo. I am looking forward to read more posts.
Can anybody tell me what?s the best hotel in Madrid for my honey moon? I going to married next month..
Thank you
August 18th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Incredible site!
August 24th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts.
You have a great Blog!!! I just added you to my Google News Reader.
Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Next month I will go to London on Vacations, can you tell me where to find cheap flights?
Keep up the good work.