5 Tips for Paying for Cheap Flights Within the USA
Many travelers see domestic flights as something that is out of reach. After all, who wants to pay for a flight to somewhere like Iowa when you can fly to Europe for the same price? But domestic flights aren’t as expensive as you might think. There are ways to save money on your next flight within the United States—you need to know where to look. With some advanced planning, cheap flights within the U.S. are not hard to find. With the help of these tips, you can save some serious cash on your next domestic flight.
Consolidate your flight and hotel stay
When booking a domestic flight, you might find that two one-way flights cost less than a round trip. If you can find cheap flights to your destination and a cheap hotel for one night at your destination, you may be able to save money by booking both. However, this works best for people with flexible travel dates. Additionally, if you choose this option, you’ll have to book your return flight at a separate time, meaning you can’t visit friends or family until your return flight date.
Avoid travel at peak times.
If you can’t find cheap flights on one specific date, try other dates in your given travel window. For example, if you want to visit New York City in October but flights are costly, try visiting in September or November. While the weather might not be ideal, the cost of flights will probably be less. You might also consider flying in the opposite direction. For example, if you’re visiting New York in October, try flying there in July.
Research your flight dates
Find out what times of year are the most popular for your destination, and avoid flying during those times. For example, if you’re visiting California, avoid the summer months if you can. Many people visit California in summer, so flights, trains, and hotels will be much more expensive. If you can visit California during the off-season, flights will probably be cheaper. Similarly, avoid popular holiday weekends, such as the Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Hotels and flights will probably be more expensive at these times.
Join a travel reward program
Some travel reward programs, like Southwest Airlines’ Rapid Rewards, United’s Mileage Plus, or American Airlines AAdvantage, let you save money on in-network flight purchases. Look into joining a program like this if you travel often. Using your travel rewards, you can save money on your next domestic flight.
Shop different days of the week
Airfare prices tend to fluctuate based on the day of the week, so if you see flights that are more expensive than you’d like, check back again in a few days. The price may have gone down thanks to lower demand. If you have a specific flight in mind, use a flight search engine like Google Flights and look for nearby dates. You’ll see flight prices for each day of the week.
Ask your fellow travelers.
If you’re traveling with friends or family, see what dates they’re willing to travel. Chances are, they might be able to find cheaper flights on the same dates. If you don’t have anyone to travel with, you can use a website like SeatGuru, which allows you to post your travel dates and destination and lets you ask other users if they have any suggestions.
Conclusion
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While flying internationally tends to be more expensive than domestically in the United States, there are ways to save money on domestic flights. By consolidating your flight and hotel stay, researching your flight dates, avoiding travel at peak times, joining a travel reward program, and shopping on different days of the week, you can save money on your next domestic flight.
