Get the best deal when booking an airline ticket

Getting the best deal when booking an airline ticket

Booking a flight can get complicated even when you’ve traveled plenty of times. There are dozens of airlines, different fare classes, frequent-flyer programs, baggage rules, seat fees, online travel agencies and enough fine print to make you wonder whether that cheap ticket is actually cheap at all. Add chronic illness, mobility issues, a tight budget or the need for special accommodations, and choosing a flight becomes about a lot more than finding the lowest number on the screen.

I’ve learned that lesson more than once.

For me, getting the best deal on an airline ticket isn’t necessarily about finding the absolute cheapest fare. The best deal is the flight that works for my budget, my body and my trip. I want a flight I can afford, but I also want to know what I’m buying. How long is the layover? Can I choose my seat? What will my bags cost? Can I get assistance at the airport? What happens if something goes wrong? And am I going to save $50 on the ticket only to spend another $150 fixing everything I didn’t notice when I booked it?

Getting there is one of the biggest expenses of most vacations. If I’m going to spend that money, I want to spend it wisely. Here are the things I’ve learned about finding a good flight without letting a supposedly great deal turn into an expensive headache.

FORGET INCOGNITO MODE—TRACK THE PRICE INSTEAD

For years, travelers were told to search for airfare in incognito mode or use a private search engine because airlines would see that we kept searching for the same flight and raise the price. I followed that advice, too. It sounded reasonable: don’t let the internet know you’re interested in the flight and maybe you’ll get a better price.

But there isn’t good evidence that simply searching repeatedly in a regular browser causes an airline to raise your fare because it knows you want that ticket. Airfares change constantly for plenty of other reasons, including available inventory, demand and changing fare levels. So today, I wouldn’t spend much energy trying to hide my searches.

I would spend that energy tracking the fare.

Google Flights lets you track prices for specific dates, routes or individual flights. If your dates are flexible, you can also track prices for different dates and receive notifications when fares change significantly. Google Flights can provide information about whether current prices are low, typical or high for a particular trip.

That doesn’t mean Google has a crystal ball. Airfare can change quickly and predictions are still predictions. But I’d rather make my decision using price tracking and actual information than spend my time clearing cookies and hoping I’ve outsmarted an airline.

DON’T JUST LOOK AT THE PRICE—LOOK AT THE FLIGHT

When you’re on a tight budget, that lowest number can be awfully tempting. I understand. I’ve stared at two flights and immediately gravitated toward the one that’s $40 cheaper. But I’ve learned to stop and look at what I’m actually getting for that $40.

Flight-search tools can show cheaper itineraries that come with trade-offs—longer travel times, inconvenient connections, different airports, restrictive tickets or bookings through third-party agencies. Those things don’t necessarily make the flight a bad choice. They simply need to be part of the decision.

For someone traveling with chronic illness, limited energy or mobility issues, those trade-offs can matter even more. Saving $50 doesn’t feel like much of a bargain if it gives me an eight-hour layover, an airport change, a middle seat and a marathon through a terminal. Sometimes the slightly more expensive flight is actually the more affordable choice once I consider what that itinerary is going to require from me.

That’s why my definition of a good deal has changed. I don’t just look for the cheapest ticket anymore. I look for the flight that gives me the best value for my money, my time and my energy.

If stretching your travel dollars is one of your biggest concerns, you'll find more realistic ways to make travel affordable in my Budget Travel section.

LOOK ONLINE, THEN COMPARE THE AIRLINE’S PRICE

I still like using flight-search tools because they let me see what’s available without going from airline website to airline website. Once I find an itinerary I like, though, I check the airline directly before I buy it.

Booking directly isn’t guaranteed to be cheaper. Sometimes an online travel agency really does have the lower fare. But price isn’t the only thing I’m comparing. I want to know what kind of ticket I’m getting, what baggage is included, whether I can choose a seat, what the change and cancellation rules are and who I’m going to have to deal with if something goes wrong.

That last one matters. Let me tell you why.

THE $300 BAGGAGE LESSON I DIDN’T WANT TO LEARN

My 12-year-old nephew was selected to play in a soccer tournament in Poland. His mother purchased his airline ticket through Expedia. This was his first time traveling anywhere by himself, much less overseas, and his mother was understandably concerned about her baby traveling so far without a family member.

So, of course, his overseas soccer auntie decided to tag along.

I needed to get on the same flight as my nephew and, preferably, sit next to him. Since this was a last-minute trip, I also needed to watch the price. I went online armed with his flight information, found the same itinerary and saw the price on Expedia.

But I didn’t buy it there.

I called Delta, explained exactly what I was trying to do and told them the price I’d found. By the end of that call, I was on the same flight, our seats were next to each other, and I actually paid a little less than the Expedia price. My luggage was covered, too, and everything on my end went smoothly.

My nephew’s ticket was another story.

At the airport, we discovered that his checked bag wasn’t included. That was another $75. Then his mother wasn’t familiar with the carry-on limits, and his smaller bag was too large, so that one had to be checked, too. Another $75. We had the same problem on the way home. Altogether, those bags cost another $300.

Suddenly, the price of the original ticket wasn’t the price of the trip anymore.

Then there was the return flight. My flight home left at a different time than my nephew’s, and his itinerary included a roughly 20-hour layover in Amsterdam. I called Delta hoping I could change his flight to mine. Because his ticket had been booked through Expedia, however, dealing with the reservation wasn’t as simple as changing the ticket I’d booked directly with Delta. I eventually tried to move myself to his flight instead, but that flight was full, so he had to fly home with his team.

The lesson I took from that experience wasn’t that you should never use an online travel agency. Sometimes an agency may genuinely offer a better price. The lesson was that I need to know what I’m giving up in exchange for those savings.

A cheap ticket isn’t a bargain if the things I need turn it into an expensive ticket later.

BEFORE YOU HIT “BUY,” FIND THE REAL PRICE

This is where I think budget travelers get caught. We compare $425 with $475 and assume we’ve saved $50. But those aren’t necessarily the final numbers.

Before I decide which ticket is cheaper, I want to know the cost of the ticket, checked luggage, carry-on luggage if the fare charges for it, seat selection and any other extras I know I’ll need. I also look at the connection. Will a cheaper itinerary require an overnight hotel? Does it involve transportation between two airports? Is the connection so tight that I’ll be stressed trying to make it—or so long that I’ll spend half the savings buying food in an airport?

For spoonie travelers, I would add another cost that doesn’t appear on a receipt: energy. If saving $70 requires two additional connections and leaves me wiped out for the first day of my vacation, I haven’t necessarily gotten the better deal.

MY BEFORE-YOU-BOOK FLIGHT CHECKLIST

• Total airfare after taxes and required charges
• Checked and carry-on baggage rules and fees
• Seat-selection cost and location
• Departure and arrival airports
• Length and difficulty of connections
• Total travel time
• Change and cancellation conditions
• Any airport or disability assistance I may need

It takes a few extra minutes. Those few minutes can save a lot of money—and aggravation—later.

Want practical travel advice made for real life—not perfect travelers with unlimited money and unlimited energy? Join the Single, Sick & Broke Traveler community for tips, checklists and resources that can help you plan smarter, spend less and get there your way.

USE FLEXIBLE DATES WHEN YOU CAN

One of the easiest ways to find a less expensive flight is sometimes simply moving the trip.

If my schedule allows it, I look at the days before and after my preferred departure and return dates. Flight-search tools can make it easy to compare fares across several days, and I also check nearby airports when that makes sense.

But again, I don’t automatically choose the cheapest alternative. Flying from an airport 70 miles away might save me $100 on airfare and cost me $80 in transportation and parking. A 6:00 a.m. flight might be $60 cheaper but require me to leave home in the middle of the night. If you have a chronic illness, changing your sleep schedule or starting a travel day exhausted can have consequences that don’t show up in the airfare.

Flexibility is a tool. Use it when it actually saves you something.

For more ways to think beyond the advertised price and make the entire trip work better, visit Travel Smarter.

JOIN THE FREQUENT-FLYER PROGRAM

If an airline has a free frequent-flyer program, I generally see little reason not to join before I book. Miles and benefits vary considerably by airline and by your status, so joining a program doesn’t automatically mean you’ll receive free bags, preferred seats or priority boarding. Those perks depend on the program, fare, status and sometimes the credit card you carry.

What a frequent-flyer account does give you is a place for your flights and mileage to accumulate. Over time, that can matter.

I’ve benefited from airline loyalty myself. I once went to New Orleans on a ticket paid largely with miles. I still paid a small amount associated with the trip, but compared with buying another full airfare, it was a wonderful deal.

And don’t forget the airline’s app. Even if you don’t care much about collecting miles, having the app on your phone can make travel day considerably easier. Gate changes, boarding information, delays and other flight updates can reach you quickly instead of leaving you staring at a departure board wondering what happened.

DOUBLE-CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU CONFIRM

Never—and I mean never—book a flight without checking the details one final time.

Look at the departure date. Look at the return date. Check the year. Check the airports. Look at AM versus PM. Check the connection time. Check your name. Look at the baggage allowance and seat selection. If you’re flying to or from a city with multiple airports, make sure you’re arriving at the airport you think you’re arriving at.

I learned this one the expensive way, too.

Once I went to the airport expecting to catch a flight to Los Angeles. I was quite surprised when I discovered my flight was for the day before. I was standing in the airport trying to get myself onto the flight I had intended to book, and there was only one seat left—a center seat on a full plane. Buying it cost me nearly what I would have paid for an entirely new ticket.

It was uncomfortable, expensive and frustrating as hell.

Now I take those extra few minutes before I hit confirm. Being tired, excited, anxious or in a hurry is exactly when mistakes happen.

AND KNOW ABOUT THE 24-HOUR RULE

If you do make a mistake, don’t automatically assume the money is gone.

For airline reservations covered by U.S. Department of Transportation rules and made at least seven days before departure, airlines must provide either an opportunity to cancel the reservation within 24 hours for a full refund without penalty or an opportunity to hold the reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment. They aren’t required to offer both options, so check the airline’s policy.

The rule also doesn’t mean every change to every ticket is free. If you realize you’ve made a mistake, though, check your options immediately rather than assuming you’re stuck with it.

IF YOU NEED AIRPORT ASSISTANCE, THINK ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU BOOK

This section means much more to me today than it did when I originally wrote this article.

There was a time when I thought airport assistance was for somebody else. I can walk, so why would I need a wheelchair or assistance getting through an airport? What I’ve learned is that being able to walk and being able to walk enormous airport distances without paying for it physically are two very different things.

When I’m comparing flights now, accessibility is part of the booking decision.

If you need assistance, think about the entire trip. Do you need help getting from the terminal entrance to the gate? What about making a connection? Do you need extra time boarding? Are you traveling with a wheelchair, scooter, medical device or service animal? Does your disability affect where you need to sit?

Passengers with disabilities have rights to various forms of airport and boarding assistance under U.S. rules. Many types of assistance don't require advance notice, although some services do. I prefer to arrange what I need ahead of time whenever possible rather than waiting until I’m standing in a busy airport trying to figure it out.

This subject deserves much more than a few paragraphs here, which is why I wrote I Can Walk—So I Never Thought Airport Assistance Was for Me. If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not disabled enough for airport assistance,” read that one before your next flight.

DON’T FORGET TRAVEL INSURANCE—BUT KNOW WHAT YOU’RE BUYING

I’m a believer in travel insurance because I’ve had enough things happen while traveling to know that a trip can change very quickly. Two days before one of my trips to Europe, I developed severe food poisoning. Thankfully, I recovered enough to go, but I was very aware of how close I had come to having to cancel an expensive vacation.

Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all, though. I wouldn’t tell someone simply, “Buy travel insurance and you’re covered.” Policies have limits, exclusions, covered reasons and different rules surrounding medical expenses and pre-existing conditions. You have to read the policy you’re actually buying.

It’s also important to distinguish travel insurance from your rights as an airline passenger. In certain circumstances, including qualifying cancellations or significant flight changes when you choose not to travel or accept alternatives, U.S. Department of Transportation rules may entitle you to a refund from the airline. Travel insurance isn't a substitute for knowing the rights you already have.

I've written much more about what happens when a trip goes wrong in When Your Vacation Goes Sideways—Using Travel Insurance When Things Go Wrong & Disaster Toolkit.

THE CHEAPEST FLIGHT ISN’T ALWAYS THE BEST DEAL

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this article, it’s this: stop judging a plane ticket by the first number you see.

I’ve traveled enough to make some expensive mistakes, find some fantastic deals and discover that the two can sometimes look remarkably similar when they first appear on a computer screen.

Search broadly. Track the price. Compare dates. Check the airline directly. Look at the baggage fees. Consider the seat. Examine the connections. Think about the airport. If you need assistance, factor that into the decision before you book. And if you have a chronic illness or limited energy, remember that your body belongs in the travel budget, too.

You don’t need the perfect flight. You need the flight that works for your money, your body and your trip.

That’s how I define getting the best deal.

Travel doesn’t have to look the way everyone else’s does. If you’re traveling solo, managing a chronic illness, watching every dollar—or figuring out how to do all three at once—Join the Tribe. I’ll help you plan smarter, spend less and travel with more confidence.

Get there your way.

My nephew, Phelex and me in Amsterdam

one of hundreds of gnomes in Wroclaw, Poland

The Single, Sick & Broke Traveler

Travel stories for the brave and budget-conscious.

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