How to give holidays wings for less cash
SOPHIE ELSWORTH
NABBING the cheapest airfare possible can involve hours of trawling the web just to save a buck.
But if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and do some of the dirty work, there’s a good chance you’ll save cash.
There’s no denying Aussies love to travel and a getaway is even better when done without spending a fortune.
I am a sucker for booking flights well in advance to avoid getting stung before airlines inflate their prices to catch out the disorganised jetsetter.
But I’ve learned there are a few tricks to making sure you get your hands on a stellar price without jeopardising your holiday plans.
JETSTAR PRICE BEAT
No-one wants to save a dollar if it means flying with an airline that’s likely to throw your travel plans into disarray at the eleventh hour.
Booking domestic flights is relatively easy but there are simple tricks to paying even less than the advertised price.
Low-cost carrier Jetstar will price match any deal you can get from a rival airline, provided it meets set criteria.
This includes flying within a certain time of the comparable Jetstar flight and that it’s an economy fare. The airline will match the flight price of the rival and knock off another 10 per cent.
I’ve used this to wipe off the charges on interstate holidays, and it is a discount many travellers don’t know about.
FLIGHT TIMES
If you’re flying at peak times, such as weekends, school holidays and public holidays, there’s a good chance you’re going to fork out more cash.
Early birds who don’t mind getting up well before the crack of dawn have a good chance of saving serious cash.
Flying to your destination on the first flights of the day also means you will escape paying another night’s accommodation, compared with arriving at your destination late the night before.
SPECIAL OFFERS
Airlines are desperate to get bums on seats so they’re constantly rolling out specials, including $1 fares and buy one, get one free deals.
Sign up to airline specials and if you’re lucky enough you may score yourself a rockbottom deal.
But you may have to be flexible with your flight times and dates – often they are for departures mid-week and away from peak travel season.
INTERNATIONAL FARES
It can be a nightmare trying to find the quickest and cheapest routes.
I recently booked an overseas multi-trip fare and, to help ease the burden, I got help from a travel consultant.
But always do your own price comparison online to ensure you are getting the best price possible before you get anyone else to lock in those travel plans for you.
Price comparison sites spruik the cheapest deals but this can come with disastrous consequences if they are not reputable.
In December, Australian budget airfare company Bestjet went into voluntary administration, leaving many travellers thousands of dollars out of pocket.
PERSONAL FINANCE WRITER