Travel hacks to bag the best holiday deals including flying overnight to reduce costs - full list

These are some of the best holiday hacks if you’re travelling abroad, including flying overnight to reduce costs.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The summer holiday is a wonderful time to travel and see the world, but it pays to be prepared and savvy so that you can make the most of your trip. A recent study by FlightsFinder.com found there are 25 tips that travellers may use to plan their trip while snagging the best holiday deals.

According to the flight comparison website, 65% of 1,500 people surveyed attempt a number of hacks each time they search online for a holiday abroad, with 16% waking up early to take advantage of sales going live first thing in the morning.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Other top travel tactics include setting flight price tracking alerts, clearing their web cookies and signing up for air fare newsletters. Another top tip is waiting until six to eight weeks before the trip to book flights, as this is when the best prices are available.

But 74 per cent think booking a getaway is just ‘a bit of a gamble’ when it comes to prices. A spokesman for FlightsFinder.com, which commissioned the research to launch its specialist ‘ask the expert’ function, said: “Everyone wants the best deals and cheapest flights.

“The problem consumers face is deciding which hacks are actually worth the effort and which are not. “Some might even be more hassle than they’re worth. The fact remains that the more rigid you are with your travel plans the less likely it is that you’ll grab a bargain.”

Other hacks holidaymakers apply to get the best prices are to always check whether two single flights are cheaper than one return (24%) or using browser incognito mode to hide previous searches (23%).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While 15% search for ‘hidden city’ or multi-city tickets – with a long stopover to squeeze in an extra day’s sightseeing in a new location. However, these hacks can cause some anxiety as 23% admitted to stressing ‘a lot’ about getting the best deal when going abroad.

On average, adults start planning a holiday overseas five months and one week before they actually take to the skies. But 31% aren’t very spontaneous when it comes to choosing a holiday destination.

The best holiday hacks if you’re travelling abroad have been revealed, including flying overnight to reduce costs. (SWNS)The best holiday hacks if you’re travelling abroad have been revealed, including flying overnight to reduce costs. (SWNS)
The best holiday hacks if you’re travelling abroad have been revealed, including flying overnight to reduce costs. (SWNS)

FlightsFinder’s spokesperson added: “There is still a huge demand for travel even though we are living through a cost-of-living crisis. Now, more than ever, it is essential that consumers educate themselves about the best money saving tactics when looking for their next trip abroad to save their hard-earned cash.”

Top 25 hacks savvy holiday bookers swear by - full list

  1. Compare different travel dates to see if it’s cheaper
  2. Search for flights departing on a particular day to see if it’s cheaper
  3. Pay for flights with a credit card
  4. Book a hotel directly rather than through a third-party site
  5. Pack as lightly as possible to avoid baggage charges
  6. Search for flights six-eight weeks in advance of the trip
  7. Buy a package deal to make the entire trip less costly
  8. Compare multiple flight comparison websites
  9. Compare multiple airline websites directly
  10. Book flights in the ‘off season’ of where you’re travelling to
  11. Look up when school holidays are as to travel outside of these times
  12. Clear cookies from your browser when resuming a search for flights or hotels
  13. Compare two, one-way flights instead of a return flight, to see if that’s cheaper
  14. Compare multiple travel agents directly
  15. Use ‘private’ or ‘incognito’ mode on your browser so they can’t tell you’ve already looked at flights
  16. Book a flight into a less busy airport
  17. Fly overnight to reduce costs
  18. Set up price alerts to be notified of price drops
  19. Sign up to air mile or frequent flyer programmes
  20. Sign up to airline flight deal newsletters
  21. Consider different layover options to lower the price of your overall trip
  22. Wake up early to take advantage of the cheaper tickets on sale at the start of the day
  23. Compare flights in other currencies to see if you can save money
  24. Search for hidden city tickets (when you buy a ticket with the intention of leaving the plane at a stopover, rather than the final destination)
  25. Use throw away ticketing (where a round trip flight is cheaper than your desired one way flight so you purchase the round trip flight and throw away the return ticket)
Related topics: