Tips and Tricks to Tickets From the Jetsetting Blonde

“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” Rosalia de Castro

Jetsetting Blonde

With all the frequent flier miles I have racked up, I get asked a lot about what my wanderlusting secrets are. There isn’t an exclusive club, or a hidden password to travel and to do it while ballin’ on a budget. I am the queen of a deal, and as a jet setting blonde, I have made it my mission to know the ins and outs of traveling, especially when it comes to flying.

BUY your ticket ON a Tuesday or Wednesday

This one is the most important, yet it also has a knack of confusing people. Yes, there are certian days that are better to fly on. But there are also certain days and times you should BUY your tickets on.

The magical days of days is Tuesday after three and Wednesday. Why is it cheaper to search and book your tickets on these days? I honestly have no idea. Perhaps airlines know that most people book and plan their trips at the beginning or end of the week so they decide to be a bit generous. We can hope.

Whatever the thought process, it is the perfect reason to love Tuesday again! I have experimented by searching for tickets on a Friday and they are much more expensive then that holy grail of a day, Tuesday.

Time does matter. Tuesday mornings are still expensive, but once the clock hits three they magically get cheaper. I have also, though I value my sleep to much, been told buying them at two or three in the morning is also cheaper, but again while I might be all about that travel deal, a girl needs her shut eye. Thus I will stick with Tuesday’s after three.

Do not search on the day you are actually flying

This might sound weird and just a little big brother, but airlines do keep track of what you are searching. If you type in the date you actually need the ticket for, they will think you are desperate and raise the rates. Do you ever notice that the days before or after your selected date are cheaper? Their is a reason. Airlines habitually will make the date you picked more expensive. Put in a date a few days before your preferred one so you can gage, before you actually book.

Another Big Brother tip (I swear I am not a conspiracy theorist) is erase your browser before you are ready to buy. Again, airlines take note of what you have searched for in the past. If you erase it and start fresh, tickets will be way cheaper!

Fly with one airline

This one can be hard if you are jetting all over the place. Not every company flies everywhere. But try to stick to as few as airlines as possible. They will not only offer reward programs, where if you rack up enough points you get free flights, (thank you JetBlue, you know how to keep me travelin’ on a budget!) but if something has happened, they are more apt to help their loyal members then those who flit between companies, or even use third parties.

Thankfully I haven’t had to many hiccups, but the ones I have had, (and I admit one of them was my own blondeness) Jetblue was willing to work with me at little to no charge. All those fees airlines charge when you have to change your flight? JetBlue has waived them every time for me. Loyalty goes a long way!

Fly on weekdays

This one can be difficult because we don’t always get to plan our schedules, but if you can book your flights so that you leave on one of the less busier days (i.e. midweek usually) do it! Flights are much cheaper on days that have less traffic. Airlines jack the prices up on days that are popular to fly on like Friday afternoons, and Sundays when people plan getaways. If it is an extended holiday weekend, try to take the day before or after off. That Thursday or Tuesday can be up to a hundreds of dollars cheaper, then if you fly when every else does. And not only will your wallet thank you, but also your sanity as the lines will be much shorter!

Kill them with kindness

Flying is stressful, I understand that. But I can not tell you how many times I have been upgraded to seats or offered food, because I kill the attendants with kindness. Plus it is entertaining to hear someone complain and then be given priority over them! Kindness does win out people! And flight attendants pay attention to it! Smile at them, make eye contact with them and even if a rule seems silly, listen to them. Being cooperative can actually be beneficial, because they will remember you and be more likely to give you priority.

What are some of your tips and tricks for flying without breaking the bank?