Practical tips for saving money when booking international flights…

Here are practical tips to save money when booking international flights, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or planning your first big trip:

1. Be Flexible With Dates and Destinations

• Fly mid-week: Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to have lower fares.

• Avoid peak seasons: Summer holidays, Christmas/New Year, and local school breaks hike up prices.

• Use tools like Google Flights or Skyscanner to explore the cheapest dates and destinations using the “Flexible Dates” or “Everywhere” search.

  

2. Book at the Right Time

• Best booking window: 2–6 months in advance for international travel.

• Use fare alert tools (e.g., Kayak, Hopper, Google Flights) to track price drops.

• Avoid booking too early (more than 8 months ahead) or too late (less than 2 weeks before).

3. Consider Alternative Airports

• Fly into a nearby city: For example, fly to Brussels instead of Paris, or Milan instead of Venice.

• Depart from different airports: If you’re near multiple major hubs, check them all (e.g., JFK vs. Newark, LAX vs. San Diego).

4. Use Regional Carriers or Budget Airlines

• Book a cheap international flight to a central hub, then use a regional budget airline for onward travel (e.g., Ryanair in Europe, AirAsia in Asia).

• Be mindful of baggage fees and tight layovers with low-cost carriers.

5. Mix & Match Airlines

• Don’t limit yourself to round-trip tickets from one airline. Use tools like Skiplagged, Kiwi.com, or Momondo to find cheaper combinations of one-way tickets or multi-city itineraries.

6. Use Miles or Travel Rewards

• Use points/miles earned from travel credit cards (e.g., Chase Sapphire, Amex, Capital One) to book or offset international flights.

• Sign up for frequent flyer programs even if you don’t fly often—it adds up.

7. Know the Luggage Rules

• Low-cost international flights may not include checked baggage, seat selection, or meals.

• Avoid surprise costs by reading the fine print and flying light when possible.

8. Clear Your Browser or Use Incognito

• Fare prices can increase with repeated searches—clear cookies or search in Incognito mode to avoid dynamic pricing.

9. Consider “Open-Jaw” or Stopover Flights

• An open-jaw ticket lets you fly into one city and return from another, often cheaper, and enables you to see more.

• 

  Some airlines offer free or cheap stopovers in their hub cities (e.g., Icelandair in Reykjavik, Emirates in Dubai).

10. Use Aggregators but Book Direct When Possible

Start with aggregators like:

• • Google Flights

  • Skyscanner

  • Kayak

  • Momondo

Then check the airline’s website for the same fare—sometimes it’s cheaper, and it’s easier to change or cancel later.

We have found that we can spend several hours researching for the best possible pricing. For us, it’s worth the extra time we spend to accomplish this.

Today, friends Roz and Les are coming for dinner. We’re making bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with sauerkraut, seasoned rice, Greek salad with homemade dressing, and homemade blueberry muffins. Plus, we’ll put together a platter of biltong, sliced cheeses,