International airfares may feel expensive but there are deals to be found if you know how to look says one industry expert.
Travellers can save money on flights if they know how to search smart Richard Holden, the vice president and general manager of travel at Google, told Travel + Leisure.
Over the years, travel search engines like Kayak or Google Flights have helped travellers find and book airline tickets for the best price.
If people know the right techniques and tools, according to Holden, they can maximise their savings.
If you want to travel and really don't care where you go, the "explore" tool will use your origin city or airport then either specific or flexible dates, to find the best prices for destinations around the world.
Use the 'explore' function on Google Flights to find the cheapest air fares for diffferent destinations. Photo / Google
Being flexible on both the destination and the dates will get the best deals, according to Holden but freedom on just one of those elements will automatically open up more (and cheaper) options.
Those planning a Europe vacation, for example, may have specific dates they need to fly but could work out the cheapest cities to fly into or out of.
2. Get alerted
Flights constantly fluctuate in price, so it makes sense to book a flight when they are cheaper than usual. The question is, how do you know when the price is right? Set an alert.
Platforms like Google Flights allow you to set an alert for very specific flights and more general itineraries, so when they forecast a significant change in price, you can be alerted.
3. Check out the price grid
Flight comparison websites can often display the price for a flight in a grid format, which shows you how prices rise and fall depending on the day or week.
If you are set on a destination but flexible on the date, the price grid is a helpful way to quickly compare prices for a dozen different dates at the same time.
Use the date graph function to quickly compare several dates in terms of cost. Photo / Google
4. Plan ahead
According to Holden, the earlier you can start planning your flights, the better.
Naturally, as the departure date draws closer, seats become more limited, people are more desperate and prices increase. When you book a few months in advance, however, you are more likely to grab a good deal while competition (and prices) are lower.
5. Split your ticket
If your flight requires multiple stops, it may be simpler to book a single ticket with the same airline but it isn't necessarily the cheapest option.
Typically, a search engine will try to find airlines that are partners or part of an alliance, which means you can travel through on a single ticket. However, it can be cheaper to buy different legs of a trip through different carriers.
The only caution here, according to Holden, is checked bags, which could make layover times tight as you would need to recheck your bags for a new carrier.
