✈️ Budget Airfare Tips

Joseph Bejach

3 min read

Updated: Feb 9, 2020

Flights are the biggest variable cost in any vacation, so I always build my trips around cheap airfare

Be flexible about dates AND destination
Take advantage of low airfare calendars and pick a cheap day!
Build your trip around getting cheap airfare on the longhaul segments, worry about the small stuff later
Be aware that many airlines flights don't show up in standard search engines (ie. Southwest, Norwegian, AirAsia, Ryanair, etc.) so if flying in regions served by these airlines you'll have to check individually on their websites.
Sign up for a free budget airfare newsletter like the one available at www.theflightdeal.com
Do several searches, use resources like www.skyscanner.com

Honestly, I'm lazy, so even though it isn't recommended, if the price on Expedia is equal to the price that the airline charges directly on their website, I buy it on Expedia to avoid having to fill out lengthy information pages or deal with certain airlines websites that are substandard
Note that many airlines, namely Norwegian, charge you differently depending on which currency or version of the website that you're booking on. You can save up to $30 just by booking the flight on the Norwegian website instead of the US site.
If you're fixed on dates, an app like Hopper that can help you predict if the current price is a bargain, and wether to wait to buy or buy now.
Be aware that many times round trip airfare is equal in price or only slightly higher than one way travel, even if you get the return for months in advance. So, theoretically you can have a future flight for free if taking a one way flight regardless, to use at your discretion.
Know that the time of day and day of the week that you search can impact fares
Search for airfare using Incognito mode
It should also be noted that many times it's cheaper to buy a flight that goes through an airport instead of directly to it. I've only done this once, to get from Cancun to LA, and this is how it played out:

That being said, book this type of flight AT YOUR OWN RISK, and ONLY if you are NOT checking a bag. Personally, I enjoyed the impromptu trip to San Francisco, and wound up taking a bus back to LA, but if you aren't flexible on time, this could be a disaster.
Don't get your heart set on a certain destination at a certain time. Go to the place where you can find a deal, I don't try to visit the world in any particular order. You're going to enjoy that trip to Paris when it's on sale just as much after you've already done a budget trip to Peru!
Combine two round trips- but make sure you have time for your layovers. You may find that you can fly from LA to Barcelona and then separately from Barcelona to Marrakech MUCH cheaper than from LA directly to Marrakech, so you decide to visit both cities. However, DON'T spend 6 nights in Barcelona, and then 6 in Marrakech, INSTEAD spend 3 in Barcelona, 6 in Marrakech, and then 3 more in Barcelona on your way back. This way you avoid having to worry about wether you will make your connections.

Roundtrip From LA to: Sweden, Israel, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, New York

SAS Los Angeles-Stockholm One Way $97.90 (Thanks to the www.theflightdeal.com newsletter)

Air France Stockholm- Tel Aviv Round Trip $248.13

Norwegian Stockholm to Bangkok One Way $144.74 (Booking directly on Norwegians website(Norway site, not US site), and paying in NOK)

Air Asia Bangkok to Luang Prabang Round Trip $103.14 (Direct on Air Asia's website)

Air Asia Bangkok to Yangon One Way $47.56

Air Asia Mandalay to Bangkok One Way $72.00

Air Asia Bangkok to Phuket One Way $23.37

Etihad Airlines Bangkok to New York (Two weeks stay in New York), and New York to Los Angeles $688.68 (Expedia)

Total Airfare: $1,425.52

Roundtrip From LA to: Japan and the Philippines

ANA Los Angeles to Tokyo, Tokyo to Manila, and Manila to Los Angeles Multi-destinational flight $659.36

Air AsiaManila to Tagbilaran $25

Cebu Pacific Cebu to Boracay(Caticlan) $40

Air Swift Boracay(Caticlan) to El Nido $106 (Air Swift is not found on any flight search engine, so you must book directly on their website)

Air Asia Puerto Princesa to Manila $25

Total Airfare $855.36

(Almost)Roundtrip From LA to: Spain, Jordan, Israel, France, Italy, Georgia, Armenia, New York

Wow Air Los Angeles to Barcelona One Way $214

Aegean Airlines Barcelona to Amman One Way $188

XL Airways Tel Aviv to Paris One Way $128

Wizz Air Milan to Kutaisi One Way $88

Aeroflot Yerevan to New York One Way $340

Alaska Airlines New York to San Francisco One Way $114

Total Airfare $1,088

Let me know in the comments how what I've paid compares to what you've paid!