If you are planning a holiday and you are restricted by a tight budget – do not fear! There are a number of ways that you can save on flight costs and find the lowest priced airline tickets, no matter if you are planning a local holiday or an overseas break.

• Timing. If you are flexible with your travel plans, the best way to secure the best price is to wait it out. This may sound like a gamble and a little risky but the fact is that last minute airline deals are the most cost effective and in many cases, an air ticket can be scooped up for a little as a third of the price of a normal airline ticket. All airlines have one common goal and that is to fill up as many seats as possible. When booking a flight well in advance, the seats are plentiful and the carrier is hopeful that all seats will be occupied when the flight takes off.  A few days before the scheduled flight is due to depart, panic kicks in and the airlines will start to reduce their ticket prices in a bid to attract as many clients as possible. Waiting for the last moment to book a flight may not work for a business flyer or for a traveller who is travelling to tend to an emergency but for the leisure traveller who is flexible and willing to wait it out, last minute bookings are a sure-fire way to yield the best prices on flights.

If you are planning a spur-of-the-moment weekend getaway, using this method to find affordable airline tickets is ideal. By using the internet booking sites, weekend travellers are able to quickly compare the prices which are offered between airline carriers and scoop up the best deal on flights for a well-deserved, last minute weekend getaway. The affordable tickets are usually a lot easier to come by towards the end of holiday seasons and during off-peak seasons.

Those who are planning an overseas holiday will find that a little research will help them identify the off-peak seasons or the peak holiday seasons and when planning an overseas trip according to the seasons, not only will they enjoy the most cost effective ticket prices, but they will also be able to find affordably priced accommodation.

• We often hear of airline companies offering unbelievable prices for flights but these deals are limited and if not booked within a specified period of time, the low prices cannot be enjoyed. Consumers are usually under the impression that these are fantastic promotions but the fact is that these hard-to-believe ticket prices are actually an attempt by the airline to minimise their losses and that is why they have such a short booking period. Remember airlines want to fill up seats – empty seats are not good for business.
• Budget airlines do not typically offer the best last minute booking discounts, as their prices are generally far cheaper than most other carriers and the seats on their flights tend to fill up a lot quicker. To this end, when looking for the best deals at the last moment, be sure to try the most costly airlines first – you may be pleasantly surprised.
• Day or night flights – choosing to fly at night may very well have an impact on the price that you pay for your ticket. In addition, flights on extra-special holidays, such as Christmas Day or New Years Day are usually slightly more affordable than flights on regular days. Compare the airline ticket prices between day and night fights.
• When booking an airline ticket, remember to use the online booking facilities which are offered either by the airlines themselves or by travel crawler websites. Since you are booking your own ticket, you are rewarded with a slightly lower fare.
• A lot of the airlines send out regular e-newsletters that contain information on budget airfares or promotional deals. Visit the websites of different airlines and make sure you are signed up to receive these emails on the discounted flight deals. If you are travelling abroad, you will find that several airlines fly to the destination – take advantage of this and compare prices between all airlines (local and international).
• Make use of the travel websites, such as this one. These sites have been designed to crawl the databases of a large number of different online travel agencies or airlines and the results will instantly show the best-priced airline ticket prices. These sites are also very useful for comparing prices and for figuring out just how money can be saved by delaying a trip or booking a last minute flight.  These innovative travel sites afford regular travellers the ability to reap the benefits that were once only enjoyed by travel agents!
• Package deals are another effective way to secure the lowest priced airline tickets. The deals include flights, accommodation, etc. In light of the fact that the entire package is sold for one price, the cost of the flights are far lot less than if the flights were booked on their own. Not only do these package deals offer the best prices, they are very convenient and are generally sold with no hidden costs (airport taxes and levies are included in the price). Remember to regularly browse the travel websites to source package deals, the chances are quite good that a deal will be offered for the exact destination you plan to visit.  Keep in mind travel magazines and newspapers as they often have adverts for packages or travel deals.
• Frequent flyer rewards or Vitality points. If you are a frequent flyer, most airlines have a rewards program in place and these rewards can be used to offset the price of an airline ticket (in some cases the entire cost of the ticket can be redeemed using loyalty points). In addition, there are some medical aids like Discovery’s Vitality program that offers discounted rates for airline tickets. If you plan to travel in the near future, check the balance on your points and use these rewards to enjoy the convenience of air travel.

When planning your next holiday or trip, using these cleaver tips and helpful hints – there’s no need to break the bank and you can look forward to all that your selected destination has to offer.  Bon Voyage!