Traveling is an amazing way to expand the way that one views the world. However, getting to travel the world is often considered to be only for the wealthy as it can be very expensive. In a day and age where people are constantly posting on social media about their travels, one might wonder how 20-somethings can afford to take vacations so frequently. The secret lies partially in knowing how to score deals on airfare.

Online Services

Chances are that you do not have five hours a day to spend scouring the internet for deals on flights. Luckily there are many free and paid online services that do this tedious work for you! Sites like secretflying.com and justgetoutoftown.com have algorithms and teams that search the internet regularly for low fares and airline error fares. Low fares can occur when airlines need to fill flights that are quickly approaching. Checking sites like these only take a few minutes. If you make it a habit to check them a few times a week, you are much more likely to find affordable airfare to the destination of your dreams.

Airline Credit Cards

Another great way to get discounts on airfare is to obtain one or more airline credit cards. Most major airlines offer credit cards that earn rewards for things like booking flights, eating at certain restaurants, or even shopping at certain grocery stores. You can use these while you shop as you usually do and gain reward points, or miles, without even really trying. If you want to take it a step further, you can build your budget around the locations supported by the card’s rewards system and earn even more benefits. Once you have racked up enough points, you can save hundreds on airfare tickets.

Book Early

This next method may seem too simple to be useful, but it can actually save you more than you think. When you are planning to travel, the earlier you start looking for airfare the more likely you are to get a good deal. Keep an eye out for whether it is cheaper to fly to your destination on a Monday or Wednesday. Airlines often follow schedules that are relatively easy to predict if watched for a little while. Try to book the tickets at least a month or two in advance to avoid last-minute ticket prices. There are some instances that ticket prices actually drop right before the travel dates. However, more often than not they skyrocket. Taking such a chance is okay if you are just trying to find a getaway but making solid plans will be more cost-effective if you book early.

Different Airports

While most cities have one or two major airports, there are often smaller airports that should be considered as destinations as well. For example, let’s say that you are planning a trip to Philadelphia and you are leaving Chicago. It would be much more convenient to fly into Philadelphia International Airport, but there is also an airport in Newark, NJ that is not too far from Philadelphia. It would be smart to check flights to both airports because a ticket into New Jersey may be one hundred dollars cheaper than flying directly into Philadelphia. If you are willing to take an extra step, such as riding a bus or train, to get to your destination it would be worth it to fly into Newark.

Airline Websites

You have likely heard of websites like Expedia or Priceline that advertise their ability to find you the best airfare prices. While these sites do make travel a lot easier in many cases, you should always double-check the prices by going directly to the airline website. Sometimes you can save a substantial amount of money by eliminating the middleman.

Hopefully, some of these tips come in handy and save you some money while you are planning your next trip. It may take a little bit of extra work, but airfare deals are everywhere and ready to be found should you take the time to seek them out!