Flight Deals

Travel is expensive and wages are not increasing so unless you know someone who knows someone you probably are going to pay full price for your flight. Even if you know someone, there is a chance that you won't get a deal as profit margins for airlines are getting smaller and smaller. However, there are somethings that you can do to help save some cash or get upgraded. If we are missing any that work for you / you do, drop us a line and let us know.

Buy frequent flyer points / air miles

1. usually cheaper than actually flying
2. sometimes there are promotions so you can get more than if you flew
3. can use them for upgrades

Apps

1. set up flight alerts on Google Flights or Kayak
2. some airlines are promoting "hidden fares" that you can only get through their app that can save you as much as 35%
3. there might be discounts on their partners (hotels, car rentals) that you can only get through the app

Check all the classes

1. there can be promotions where the next class up is cheaper than the lower class
2. if one class is fuller than the other, it might be more expensive

Use a travel agent

1. some will have access to "up fares" which will upgrade you to business class for the price of economy
2. the risk is that they can bump you if business class sells out
3. to lower this risk, make sure to book a seat at the same time!
4. if you are okay with a flight with a connection, they might be able to route you through a less desirable destination which could save you money
5. if you are booking business class, they might have an agreement with the airline and can save you money
   1. same thing if you are booking a group (usually 10-15 passengers or more traveling on the same flight)

Book two round trips

1. book the first part of the trip on the date and to the city that you want but for the return part book it for the low season from the city you are going to. Since you are booking a flight in the low season this will bring the cost of your ticket down. Now since you are wanting to get home, book a separate ticket home for the day that you want to return but since it's a roundtrip ticket, pick any low season date for you to "return".
2. Once you've flown the leg that you want, call the airline and have them put the second half of the ticket into an "airline credit". Normally these are valid for one year from the time you cancel the flight and sometimes can only be used for the same itinerary. However since booking this way saved you money, it makes no difference if you use it or not.

Example: Going from Toronto on June 10 to London, returning on June 17. So you would book: Ticket #1: June 10, YYZ - LHR. Returning Dec. 15, LHR - YYZ When I land in London on June 10/11 I will call the airline and ask them to put my Dec. 15 flight into an airline credit for me as I "cannot use it".

Ticket #2: June 17, LHR - YYZ, Returning Dec. 15, YYZ - LHR When I land in Toronto on June 17 I will call the airline and ask them to put my Dec. 15 flight into an airline credit for me as I "cannot use it".

Hidden city ticketing

1. look at flight connections that go through the city you are going to. Sometimes these connecting itineraries are cheaper than flying to your destination as the end destination (ex. you want to go to LA from Vancouver so you would book YVR - LAX - PHX). You would take the first leg and get off at your stop without taking the connecting flights (ie. fly YVR - LAX and leave the airport in LA).
2. only works with one way tickets as the airline will cancel your return flight
3. make sure you do this with carry on luggage as checked luggage will travel all the way through (ie. your luggage will end up in Phoenix but you are in LA).

Don't fly in a rush

1. flying stand-by (ie. you "stand by" the flight until there is a no show) can save you some cash but you risk spending all day at the airport waiting for a spot to open up on a flight
2. booking an overbooked flight increases your chance of getting upgraded (economy usually sells out first unless first / business is small) as they want to get as many people on the flight to make the most money and there might be things like food that they don't want to go to waste. Another reason is that you might get compensation (credits, cash, coupons) that you can use for your trip or on another trip due to getting bumped