Do you deserve that dream honeymoon? You bet you do, but the cost of flights seem to be rising by the day. Cheap tickets might seem out of reach, but with these tips, you’ll be sure to score a deal for your dream vacation.
Lucky for you, we’ve gathered helpful websites and apps that have the best deals. Score the best deals on airline tickets for your post-wedding vacation by utilizing these savvy airfare shopping tips!
1 – Do Your Research
Do your research to get all the necessary details you need to make the best choice for your flights. Look for deals online and compare prices between different airlines. There are several websites and apps that allow you to search for flights and compare fares. Google Flights is an excellent resource for this. Other recommended platforms for finding and comparing options include Skyscanner, Expedia, or Hopper.
2 – Start Your Search Early
If you’re looking to save money on your honeymoon flights, booking well in advance is important. Flights are often more expensive closer to the departure date, so booking as early as possible is best. Airfare experts typically recommend booking flights at least six weeks in advance for the best chance of finding a deal.
The sooner you start looking, the better your chances of scoring the best price. Booking early means you’ll also have more available itineraries to consider– including the most desirable flight times with the least amount of stops.
3 – Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates
Another way to save money on flights is to be flexible with travel dates. If you can fly on a less busy day of the week, you’ll likely find lower airfare prices. Booking a mid-week departure and return for your round-trip flights will save you significantly.
According to travel experts, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are typically lower in price and are the best days to find cheap airline tickets. Mondays and Fridays are often higher since many folks book those days for a long weekend getaway. Sundays are often the most expensive day to fly since it’s when most people travel back from their trips.
4 – Book Your Trip During Off-Season
Seasonal demand affects the prices of everything from wedding flowers to flights!
When it comes to travel, there are many variables that impact the price of different destinations. If you fly at a less popular time of year, you’re likely to find a better deal. For example, flying to Europe in the winter will be cheaper than flying during summer when everyone is trying to get there for vacation.
The same goes for beach destinations – try to avoid peak season if you want to score a deal.
If you move your honeymoon to January or February, you’ll see completely different prices than the summer holidays in July or August. You’ll likely find cheaper fares if you can fly during the off-season.
Also, take advantage of “shoulder season” travel to get cheaper flights and hotel rates. This is the time between the busy summer and winter holidays when tourist destinations are less crowded. You’ll find that prices for both airfare and accommodations are typically lower during this time as well.
5 – Be Open To Alternative Airports
If you’re not too picky about where you fly, consider alternative airports near your chosen destination.
Sometimes flying into a smaller airport can be cheaper than flying into a major city airport. Since demand may be down, flights and rental cars might be cheaper.
Using a platform like Google Flights, enter your city name rather than a specific airport to see nearby airports in your search results. Say you’re going to Los Angeles, you might find it costs less to fly into the less-popular Burbank airport over Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
The difference in price between Newark (EWR) and Laguardia (LGA) or John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York City can also be significant. Don’t miss out on great travel deals by restricting yourself to a specific airport.
6 – Bundle Your Trip
It could be more cost-effective to bundle your flight and hotel reservations together. If you’re working with a travel agent or have a specific resort in mind, they sometimes offer to bundle the flight and stay together. That is often the cheapest way to book your trip.
You can also search for vacation packages online on sites like Travelocity, Expedia, or Priceline. That could be a great option if you’re looking to save money on your honeymoon without having to do too much research or legwork.
7 – Utilize Credit Card Rewards
What are you waiting for if you’re not into the travel hacking game yet? By utilizing credit card signup bonus rewards, you can quickly pay for the cost of your honeymoon flights in full with points! If you learn the ins and outs and have a game plan set ahead, you can even fly business class or first class on a major airline. Who doesn’t want to travel in style for their honeymoon?
Sign Up for an Airline Credit Card
Some of your favorite airlines have their own branded credit cards that allow you to earn miles to use toward free flights. American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Jetblue, Delta, British Airways, and more have dedicated cards to earn points for their airlines.
Sign Up for Travel-friendly Credit Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture X cards offer access to their travel portals, where you can save on flight purchases by booking through their platform.
8 – Consider a Budget Airline
Of course, if you have to, you can opt to book flights with a low-cost, low-frills carrier such as Spirit Airlines or Frontier. Though it won’t be the luxurious experience of your honeymoon dreams, a budget airline will get you where you need to go! If you can find cheap flights, you can spend more on the experience when you get there. It’s all about your values and priorities.
Just read the fine print before booking and understand what is included in your ticket price. Sometimes these airlines will advertise a low fare but charge additional fees for certain services. More on that below!
9 – Avoid Extra Fees
Sometimes, additional fees are unavoidable. When you book a flight, in the fine print of the pricing breakdown, you’ve probably seen line items for fuel surcharges, service fees, taxes, and more. But what fees are avoidable? Luggage, seat selection, printing your boarding pass, and priority boarding.
Airlines are now charging passengers for services that used to be included in the cost of your ticket. Many brands charge extra for checked baggage. In some cases, carry-on luggage is also subject to additional fees. You can cross your fingers and hope you and your new spouse get placed in seats together if you want to avoid the extra cost per person and flight.
Mention to the gate agent that you’re on your honeymoon and you never know what surprise perks or upgrades you could get. Of course, nothing is guaranteed, so proceed with caution!
10 – Find Last-Minute Flight Deals
Another option for those couples who may be willing to take a risk for a major reward is to take a chance to find a cheap last-minute flight. This would require a very laid-back attitude and approach to your honeymoon trip. If you can remain open to whatever the best deal is at the time, you open yourself up to an opportunity for a spontaneous adventure.
This works exceptionally well for couples that live close to a major international airport, as it generally means you’ll have more options to consider.
Final Boarding for Cheap Flights
As you can see, there are a ton of ways that you can save on the cost of your honeymoon flights. Whether you’ve got your honeymoon sights set on a beautiful beach destination like Puerto Rico or Mexico, or the bright lights of a big city like Chicago or Las Vegas, you can undoubtedly score a deal on your air travel to get you there.
By following these tips, you can be sure to find cheap flight tickets that will help make your dream honeymoon trip a reality. As a result, you’ll have more money to spend on your fabulous honeymoon experience. Happy travels!
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Jessica Bishop is the founder of TheBudgetSavvyBride.com, the #1 online resource to help couples all across the world plan a beautiful wedding on a budget they can actually afford. Jessica is known as a Budget Wedding Expert and has shared her money-saving tips and tricks with outlets such as Good Morning America, BRIDES, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Refinery 29, and more. She’s also appeared as David Tutera’s featured expert at Your Wedding Experience bridal shows. Jessica’s book, The Budget-Savvy Wedding Planner & Organizer, is a best-seller with over 150,000 copies sold.
