Hoe scoor je de goedkoopste vliegtickets?
Scoring cheap flights sounds easier than it is. You compare, you wait, you check again and suddenly the prices have gone up. How does that work exactly? And more importantly: how do you prevent it?
In this guide, we explain how flight prices work and share 8 tips we always use ourselves to score the cheapest tickets.
Tip: Want to quickly find the cheapest ticket without checking dozens of sites? We use Skyscanner ourselves to compare prices across hundreds of airlines and booking sites at once.
Which airlines are the cheapest?
Nowadays there are a lot of airlines, and there only seem to be more. But which ones are the cheapest? That of course depends on the continent, because not all airlines fly to every country or every city. The following companies are among the most affordable:
- Etihad: This is a company from the United Arab Emirates. Etihad offers competitive prices for long flights. Is your destination in Australia, North America, Europe, Southeast Asia or the Middle East? Then there is a good chance that Etihad also flies to your destination.
- Tui: Tui is mainly known for its package holidays, but you can also book individual flights if there is still room on the plane. This way you can fly cheaply to the destinations that Tui flies to. For example, we flew from Cancun to Amsterdam for €400 per person, after our trip Central America.
- Chinese airlines: Generally these are slightly cheaper. For example: China Southern or XiamenAir.
- Within Europe there are plenty of cheap airlines for short flights. Some of these are: Wizz Air, Vueling, Tap Air Portugal, RyanAir, Lufthansa.
Tip: View the different options for airports, both for departure and arrival. This can sometimes make a big difference in the price!
Which day is it cheapest to buy airline tickets?
You may have noticed that airline ticket prices vary depending on the day you look. This does not always apply and does not apply to every society. Yet airline tickets are usually cheapest on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Tip: Ook op doordeweekse dagen vliegen is vaak goedkoper dan op weekenddagen. Maak daar dus gebruik van!
Why do airline tickets become more expensive if you look more often?
Every time you check the same flights, the prices seem to go up. How is that possible? This has to do with cookies and dynamic pricing. Airlines and booking sites can see that you've been looking at this flight more often and raise the price to create a sense of urgency. It may look like the plane is filling up fast, but that doesn't have to be the case at all.
Tip: always open flights in an incognito window. That way you'll see the real price every time, without your search history interfering.
How many months in advance are airline tickets cheapest?
Book well in advance with an early bird discount, about 8-10 months in advance, when most companies announce their prices. Is that too early? Then it is better to book 3-4 months in advance. No more time to plan extensively? Then go for a last-minute deal between 8 and 5 weeks before departure.
Which month are airline tickets cheapest?
January is usually the cheapest month to fly. The high season, around Christmas and New Year, is then over. The whole of January and the first half of February are therefore often the cheapest periods to book tickets and fly.
What is the best site for cheap airline tickets?
Besides the fact that all airlines obviously have their own website for booking airline tickets, there are also many comparison sites. On these sites you can compare all flights at a glance. Some of the best options:
- Skyscanner: Compare airlines worldwide for any destination. With the rating you can immediately see whether your flight is not only cheap, but also reliable.
- Booking.com: You can also book airline tickets when booking. They sometimes have pretty good deals here that you can't get elsewhere. So don't forget to check this one out!
- Kiwi.com: Kiwi compares flights and makes combinations of different airlines to offer the cheapest options. Please note: transfer times can be short or long. Kiwi also provides a price table with the cheapest departure and return dates.
- 12Go: For domestic flights in Asia or flights between Asian destinations, 12Go is a good choice. Here you will immediately see the cheapest options.
With these tips you will hopefully find the cheapest tickets for your destination! Does something ultimately go wrong with your flight, for example due to delay, cancellation or refusal? Then you can always contact Airhelp or Compensair to request compensation. These parties help you to receive as much compensation as possible for the inconvenience. So be sure to save these options!
Extra tip: Are you only booking an outbound flight to your destination, but do you need an exit ticket to enter the country? Then book a Onward Ticket! In our guide on Onward Tickets you can read exactly how that works.
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About us
Hi, we are Marlo and Tessa and have developed an enormous passion for traveling through our world trip in 2022. We like to share this with you through our adventures and tips, so that you too can make such an incredible trip.
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About us
Hi, we are Marlo and Tessa and have developed an enormous passion for traveling through our world trip in 2022. We like to share this with you through our adventures and tips, so that you too can make such an incredible trip.
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