The right choice of airline can significantly save money on the flight
First, plan your trip in advance. All discount fares have a so-called "deadline" – the final purchase date. Therefore, by putting off buying a ticket until the last day, you will never get cheap air travel. The airline's logic in this case is ironclad – the lower the fare, the stricter the conditions for its use.
The strictest conditions apply to the purchase of the cheapest tickets under "supersaver" fares: "superapex" and "superpex". They include deadlines by which the ticket must be purchased. The most common figures are: 21 days, 14 days, 7 and 3 days. Or conversely – not earlier than 7 days, 3 days. There are also days on which this fare cannot be used at all ("blackouts")
If you think these rules are too strict, know that it can be worse. A similar system in the US and Canada sometimes restricts individual flight numbers, a specific airport in a certain city, and even days of the week.
As a rule, the lowest prices can be offered by large ticket agencies and travel companies that have special agreements with airlines. A large agency has another advantage – customer loyalty programs.
Another tip that will come in handy when booking air travel: determine the dates and duration of your trip in advance. By slightly changing the timing of your trip, you may significantly reduce the ticket price. When using a discount fare, it is sometimes more profitable to either shift the trip or pay for an extra night at a hotel in the destination country.
Try to fly your entire route with the same airline. All cheap fares, with rare exceptions, apply when flying with one carrier. Also note that the simpler the flight route, the lower the ticket price. Therefore, even if your route goes through several cities, try to make the flight path as close to a straight line as possible.
For both passenger aviation and air cargo transportation, it is important to avoid route breaks. With rare exceptions, almost all special cheap fares do not allow route breaks on international routes. When planning a complex flight, try to ensure that the duration of a stopover at intermediate points does not exceed 24 hours. Most cheap fares do not allow such stops or require a special surcharge for them.
In spring and autumn, there is a much better chance of flying on a cheap ticket. With the start of the "dead" season, airlines need to fill their flights and remain competitive on a particular route, so they issue special offers one after another. So keep an eye on airline promotions – and you will definitely find a cheap ticket.