THE BEST TIPS AND TRICKS FOR CHEAP AIRLINE TICKETS

Air travel doesn't always have to be expensive. With just a few tricks, you can get hold of the cheapest tickets and protect your travel budget. We'll show you the five best ways to save money on your next flight booking.

1. Save money with flexibility

Flexibility is a major factor when it comes to cheap airline tickets. If you book your flights outside of the holidays, they are usually cheaper than during the main travel season . You should also inform yourself beforehand whether a larger event is taking place at the destination . If this is the case, you'd better travel a week later and save money (by the way, this also applies to the hotels).

In addition, you should be flexible on the departure days. The flight search engine Momondo , for example, offers a good overview of the different flight prices around the selected flight date. Sometimes it can be worth flying a day earlier or later to save money.

2. Alternative routes - fly cheaper

You want to fly from Stuttgart to San Diego but the flights are far too expensive for you? Then informed you about alternative departure and destination airports . It is best to search for flights from Munich, Frankfurt or from airports in neighboring countries, in our example from Luxembourg. You can also see which alternative airports are still available at the destination. In our case, the airport of Los Angeles or Las Vegas is not far from the actual destination. And if you can save a few hundred euros, you can take a car ride. Tip: It is best to create a small table in Excel , the easiest and easiest way to compare the prices and identify the cheapest flights at a glance.

3. Save thanks to transfers

Direct flights are generally significantly more expensive than flights with a stopover . Often you can also use a stop to discover another city. So once you've found your cheap flight, take a close look at where you need to change. Often it is possible to take the onward flight the next day at no extra charge, so you still have time to explore a new city. Especially on the way to Asia you can make a stopover in Dubai (with Emirates ) at no extra charge . It is also possible in the USA, for example, with TAPFlying over Lisbon and exploring the Portuguese capital as you pass. In addition to saving money, switching also gives you the chance to get to know new cities that may not be on your list.

4. Surf incognito, book cheaper

Everyone who travels on the Internet leaves traces and a digital fingerprint. Based on the search terms and the websites visited, a fairly clear picture of every surfer emerges. If you have frequently searched for a specific holiday destination or for a specific flight, this data is saved (in the form of cookies). Now the prices that are shown to you for your flight may suddenly be more expensive. It is therefore advisable, especially if you are looking for flights, to do this in the incognito mode of your browser. So you move anonymously through the comparison websites and the risk of a price increase due to your great interest in a certain flight decreases. Sometimes it is also worth havingto search for different end devices (iPhone, Android phone) and over different networks (WLAN, mobile data network). There are often price differences here too and you can save cash .

5. Luggage & check-in

Many of the low-cost carriers such as Ryanair or Eurowings offer basic tariffs that do not include luggage or preferred seats . Therefore, it is advisable to check before the trip whether you actually have to check in a suitcase for a weekend trip or whether the trolley for hand luggage is enough. At Eurowings you can, for example, take hand luggage with the dimensions 57x54x23 cm (maximum 8 kg) on ​​board. In addition, you can take a smaller personal item (40x30x10 cm) such as a handbag, a laptop bag or a photo bag into the cabin. Sufficient for trips with only a few overnight stays. So if you don't give up a suitcase, you save money when flying.

Some low-cost airlines such as Ryanair are now also charging fees for checking in at the airport. This can also be easily avoided by checking in on your PC from home or by using the airlines' apps to check in. This not only saves money but also queues at the counter. Those who like it even more convenient can use the new AirlineCheckins service. Here you can choose your preferred seat in advance (e.g. at the window or in the corridor). As soon as the booked flight is ready for online check-in, you are automatically checked in and receive your boarding pass conveniently by SMS or email.