Booking an international flight has never been easier. You can snag your tickets from the comfort of your couch, maybe even in your pajamas! But before you click that CONFIRM button, hold on a second.
There’s a lot to consider to make sure you’re getting the best deal and a smooth travel experience. From timing your purchase right to choosing the right website, there are some key tips that can save you a headache later on.
Ready to book your next adventure? Here are ten essential tips to help you fly smart and safe!
10 ways to save money when you book international flights
With everything moving online these days, travel becomes a lot more accessible and ticking places off your bucket list becomes that much more doable. Now you can plan an Asian getaway from your home in the USA, and vice versa.
Booking your flights online is unquestionably convenient and saves you time and often money. As long you’ve got all the information you need and keep the following points in mind, you’ll have your next flight booked in no time, while keeping cash in your pocket for your trip.
1. Look for voucher codes and promotions first.
Who couldn’t do with a discount on flight prices, especially when you’re taking an international flight?
Search for any voucher code or promotions before purchasing a plane ticket. There’s no guarantee that discounts on international flight tickets are available, but if you search hard enough, you may just find a fantastic deal.
During low seasons, airlines like Cathay Pacific offer voucher codes to entice travelers to fly with them. The best deals don’t last long, so snag them ASAP.
ⓘ TIP: Before you use voucher codes, be sure to read the airline’s promotional voucher code terms & conditions.
2. Book international flights in advance
The early bird gets the worm—and the best seat on the plane. This is one case where the last-minute rush isn’t a good idea. You may end up frustrated and get a terrible deal.
Plan early to get the best deals and travel with your preferred carrier.
If you’re looking to buy an international plane ticket, the basic rule of thumb is that prices begin rising three months before departure. So book your flights ASAP!
3. Know when to buy your ticket.
Knowing the cheapest days to fly can save you money. In the U.S., flights are generally cheaper on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. For international travel, weekdays are usually cheaper than weekends. Even doing it for one part of the trip will save you money.
4. Flexible travel times = better chance of cheaper flights
If your travel dates are flexible, you can significantly increase your chances of scoring an affordable international trip to Europe or any destination on your bucket list.
Airfare prices are constantly changing, and they often dip during specific times. Generally, the best deals are for flights early in the morning or late at night. If you’re willing to get up before dawn or stay up late, you might just snag a ticket at a lower price.
Additionally, consider traveling during midweek or during the off-season, when airports and planes are less crowded. The high demand for weekend and holiday flights drives up ticket prices. If you can avoid these busy periods, you’ll not only save money but also enjoy a more relaxed travel experience.
Traveling during cheaper months can also help you save on accommodations and activities. Even though the weather may not be ideal—think frigid Northern Lights and European Christmas markets—the tranquility at airports and attractions may make it worthwhile. Embrace the flexibility, and you’ll find that planning your trip around these tips can lead to significant savings!
5. Sign up for international travel deals and price alerts.
As we mentioned earlier, ticket prices keep on wavering even within the day. Sign up for price alerts before booking your flight. This way, it will be easier to know when there are tickets available for your budget range.
Even the slightest drop in price can help you to get a better deal, especially when traveling in a group.
ⓘ PRO TIP: Check out the Secret Flying website and app. It’s completely free, and you’ll get alerts whenever there’s a deal on cheap airline tickets from your home airport. Example: US cities to Tokyo, Japan, from only $346 roundtrip (Sep-Apr dates).
6. Be sure of your destination—and your airport code.
Your destination airport is critical, as it determines the overall cost of your trip. You can end up spending a lot if you make some simple blunders when booking.
Airport codes can make things tricky. Some of them are quite similar, such as ORD and ORY. If you get these mixed up, you could find yourself checking in for a Chicago flight when you wanted to go to Paris!
Many larger cities have more than one airport, such as Chicago and London. Check where each is located before booking. For example, if you land at Heathrow and have to take a taxi to your hotel across town, Gatwick may be cheaper.
Low-cost carriers often use smaller airports that are further from town. European LCCs are especially notorious for doing this, leaving many travelers surprised to find they’ll need an extra hour to reach their destination.
ⓘ PRO TIP: Use this website to confirm the airport codes for both your flight origin and destination.
7. Consider Nonstop vs. Direct Flights (and Multi-Leg Options)
When you’re booking your flight, you’ll see options for nonstop flights and those with layovers. Just a heads-up: not all direct flights are nonstop. Some may stop for refueling, which can add extra time to your trip and sometimes cost you more.
Layover flights often come with lower prices, but remember that time is valuable. If you choose a flight that requires a connection, think about the total time and cost for both legs of your journey. Plus, you might need to catch a bus or train once you land, which can be a hassle and take even more time. So, weigh your options carefully!
8. Check flight cancellation details.
Booking a flight online is usually straightforward, but remember, it’s a binding contract. If you’re planning to change or cancel your ticket, especially if it’s a coach ticket, things can get tricky. That’s why it’s super important to understand the cancellation details before you finalize your purchase.
Some tickets are refundable, but this flexibility usually comes with an extra cost. It might feel like a splurge at first, but it can save you money if you need to change or cancel your plans later on.
Make sure to read the fine print about cancellation fees and policies because they can vary a lot between airlines. If the airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to get a full refund or be rebooked on another flight. In certain situations, you may even receive compensation if the airline cancels less than 14 days before your departure. Always check the airline’s specific policies so you’re ready for anything that comes up with your travel plans!
ⓘ PRO TIP: Consider purchasing travel insurance. This is often a lifesaver when emergencies arise before or during a trip.
9. Search for more than one airport before booking.
Many of the larger cities around the world have multiple international airports. Occasionally, you’ll find lower flight fares if you choose to land at one of the less popular airports near to where you need to be. For example, it can be cheaper to land at ORY (Orly) as opposed to CDG (Charles de Gaulle) if you fly into Paris.
When traveling abroad, you may also find that it’s cheaper to fly to one international airport, and then take a train or domestic flight to your desired city. Often transport within a country, state, or city works out to be more affordable than trying to fly directly.
10. Check the fine print
Sometimes, you’ll notice a price that’s significantly lower than those found on other travel websites. Take a second look! You know what they say: If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Low-price deals aren’t always scams, but there still may be hidden terms and conditions, like requiring you to book through a specific firm or website to get that incredible deal.
Or you might have to bring someone along at full fare to enjoy the lower cost. This may be beneficial if you travel as a couple, but not so much if you prefer solo travel.
One hidden gimmick is not including luggage transfers in the ticket price. Imagine arriving at the airport and discovering that you’re responsible for getting your luggage on the next plane… and you’ve got a short layover! Yeah. It happens.
It takes time to wait for your luggage, then stand in line at another counter to recheck it before going to the gate. With international flights, you’ll often need to clear immigration before you can get your bags. You’ll also need to navigate security to get to your gate.
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Common mistakes when booking flights
As careful as you may be when planning a trip, a simple blunder can affect your experience. Keep these general tips in mind that will help you avoid the most obvious mistakes.
To ensure a smooth flight and an enjoyable trip, avoid the additional complications listed below.
1. Entering the wrong passenger details
Online booking requires you to give out some personal information. These include your full names, date of birth, passport number, gender, and more. However, the data must be exactly the same as what’s in your passport.
Check and double-check these details thoroughly, because if the name on your ticket and passport don’t match exactly, you likely won’t be able to board the plane. If you omit a name or provide an incorrect birth date, the airline may cancel your trip.
2. Not verifying the flight time
Always double-check that the time of day, month, date, and day of the week are correct. One transposed number can mean completely missing your flight—and your chance for a much-needed vacation.
- Confusing the date. Some places list August 9 as 8/9, and some list it as 9/8, for instance.
- Not checking the clock. To avoid confusion, airlines commonly use military time (also known as 24-hour time) for scheduling and operations. If you’re not careful, you might believe that you’ve booked a 6 PM flight when in fact, you’re actually scheduled to leave at 6 AM—and completely missing your plane.
ⓘ PRO TIP: All departure and arrival times on your ticket are listed in the local time zone. If you have a connecting flight, make sure to adjust your watch to the local time of that destination.
- Not checking the weekday. Some booking sites’ calendars begin the week on Sunday, some on Monday. If you forget to double-check the date before booking (as we once did), you may end up paying a hefty fee to change it.
- Forgetting about the International Date Line. Crossing the International Date Line can lead to unexpected costs. During a recent trip from Asia to the East Coast, my partner Dan miscalculated our travel dates. We ended up with a whole extra day in L.A. before our next flight, which meant we had to pay for a night in a hotel.
And then there’s the time it messed with our minds. When we flew from Malaysia to Seattle, our tickets showed local times—so it looked like we were landing before we’d left!
3. Not factoring in additional costs
Although you want the best deals, some extra costs aren’t immediately clear, such as airport taxes, extra luggage costs, and such. Factor them in when comparing ticket prices.
Speaking of which, some low-cost carriers charge extra for things that a regular carrier includes in the price. Maybe an LCC offers a dirt-cheap fare, but then there are add-ons for selecting your seat, checking luggage, meals and drinks while in the air, and even entertainment. Some deal!
There’s another thing to consider: if you book a super-early morning flight, you’ll need to check in in the wee hours of the morning. If you want to get any sleep beforehand, you’ll need to book a hotel close to the airport. Just one more cost.
ⓘ TIP: Check Booking for low accommodation prices.
Factor in the cost of traveling with your pet, too. You should know that most airlines have regulations about animals. You may have to pay for a ticket for your beloved friend. But even if it’s free, not checking their guidelines in advance can be expensive.
Our friends scheduled an overseas move, only to find out that the airline wouldn’t transport animals during the summer heat. They had to board their dog until the weather got cooler.
What you’ll need for booking an international flight
Get your documents ready before you start booking your international flight online. You’ll want to make sure you have everything you need.
Stopping midway due to the need for a document or detail can be a huge waste of time. Trust me, it’s super frustrating to have to start from square one because of a site timeout.
ⓘ RELATED: 20 Important Things To Prepare Before Traveling Abroad: A Checklist
Here’s what you will need to make booking as smooth as possible:
1. Valid form of I.D.
Your passport is probably the most essential document for international travel. Booking will require your passport number and expiration date.
By the way, check your passport’s expiration date carefully. In many countries, your passport must be valid for at least six months AFTER the date you intend to fly home.
ⓘ TIP: When flying within the United States, you must present a valid photo ID that meets Real ID requirements, such as a state driver’s license, military ID, or passport.
2. Visas
Many countries offer visas on arrival or e-visas. If you don’t qualify, you’ll need to submit a visa application, which may require some time for processing and approval. It’s best to do that beforehand.
It goes without saying that when visa applications require your flight details, your visa will come after booking your ticket.
3. Passenger details
Obviously, you’ll need the actual passenger details. Have your passport available when you book the flights so that you can check before you click submit. So if you’re booking for both yourself and a friend, gather that information, too.
Be sure you type out the name exactly as it appears in the passport. Make sure to accurately spell all the names, verify each number, and thoroughly proofread everything to prevent any mistakes. If you do have any typos, it can be costly and time-consuming to fix it before the flight.
As we mentioned before, this all needs to be 100% accurate to avoid any problems.
4. Trip details
Then there are those all-important trip details, like correct airports and travel dates. Write them down or memorize them before you begin.
ⓘ TIP: Use an app to keep all your travel arrangements organized and accessible. We recommend TripIt. It’s free to use.
5. Available credit card balance
Okay, this should go without saying, but we are going to say it anyway. Be sure that your card has enough available credit balance before booking. Once you start the process, you can get stuck if your card is declined.
But what if the payment fails despite having enough credit on the card? Well, that’s due to a fraud-prevention feature known as the spending limit. Purchases must be under a certain amount or they won’t go through.
To avoid this headache, contact your issuing company in advance to let them know you intend to make this larger-than-normal transaction. They’ll set it up on the backend so you can buy your tickets hassle-free.
Additional tips
We have a few additional tips and tricks to make your international trip even more enjoyable.
1. Maximize your layover time.
When it comes to planning the length of a layover, there are two schools of thought:
1) Make it as short as possible. Give yourself just enough time to catch the next flight. We find this stressful, as there’s a much greater chance of your luggage not making it onto the plane with you. Additionally, a delayed takeoff could potentially result in you missing a connecting flight.
2) Make it as long as possible. The other is to plan a long layover. We prefer to do this, as it allows us to make the best use of our travel time. We like to book a sightseeing tour of the layover city and grab a good night’s sleep at an airport hotel.
Thanks to layovers, we’ve toured Istanbul and Qatar, spent a day sightseeing in Taipei, and seen the best of Bangkok for pennies.
💡 PRO TIP: Even if a connecting flight takes off 23 hours and 55 minutes later, it is still considered a layover. There’s no extra cost for scheduling a long layover.
2. Include a secondary destination
Want to visit a second place without adding much cost? Take note of the cities where you can change planes. Sometimes, you can book a round trip to the layover city and then buy separate tickets to your main destination.
For example, you see great prices for a flight from New York to Bangkok via Seoul. Why not spend 2-3 days in Seoul too? You can if you book each segment separately.
- First, book round trip tickets from New York to Seoul for the duration of your vacation.
- Find a Seoul > Bangkok flight that leaves a few hours after your plane arrives from New York.
- Book Seoul to Bangkok round-trip using that flight, returning to Seoul a few days before the end of your holiday.
3. Use private/incognito browser tabs
Have you ever found a fantastic deal, then returned to the site a few days later only to find the prices to be significantly higher? That’s because Tracking Cookies watch your every move. (Don’t believe it? Try it yourself. Spend an hour looking for a dreamy destination vacation, note the prices, and then check them 3 days later.)
By using your browser’s private mode, you can do your planning behind a virtual curtain, without prowling eyes. Later, you can jump on to grab those money-saving deals at the price you were expecting.
Just this one tip can save you enough to splurge on a better hotel location or a Michelin-Star rated restaurant at the destination.
ⓘ TIP: Some people use a VPN to search, because prices can vary significantly by country. If your browser has a Translate add-on, we’ve heard that booking from Japan offers the best results.
Searching using flexible dates
We always use the +/- 3 day option when searching for flights. We can’t tell you how many times there’s been a great deal just a couple of days before or after our desired departure date. Enough of a savings that allows for the additional cost of a hotel … or an extra private tour.
International flight booking summary
Online booking is one of the simplest ways to reserve a plane ticket to your dream vacation destination now that you know all the tricks and tips.
The beauty of online flight booking is that it makes traveling the world that much easier. We have no doubt that once you experience the ease of purchasing your plane ticket online, you’ll be planning your next destination soon.