Blog Details
Blog Details
USEFUL TIPS

For those who are passionate about exploring new destinations, traveling must never stop. But to be on the move at all times requires money and one of the major things that can help you save it is to cut down on your flight expenses. If you are someone who wants to travel all the time, there's no way that you would wait for that festive season or off-season when most of the major airlines come up with special fares. The truth is, you can discount your flight bookings at any time of the year. All you need to do is follow these simple tricks every time you are looking to book your flights. Book early that might sound cliched, but there's no better way to get a cheaper flight ticket than to plan your travel well in advance and book the tickets at that time. No matter whatever discounts or deals come by, booking early has always proved to be the best way to get discounted airfares. 1. PACK ESSENTIALS IN YOUR CARRY-ON. Recent stats indicate that, on average, at least one bag on every flight is lost or delayed. If there’s anything you can’t live without, pack it in your carry-on. This is especially true of items that are not easily or inexpensively replaced, such as running shoes or a lightweight raincoat. And you’ll get through airport security faster if you pack your carry-on more efficiently. For example, have your quart-size plastic bag with liquids and gels packed in an outside pouch or right near the top of your bag so that you can easily pull it out for screening. See Packing Tips and What Not to Pack for more ideas. 2. KNOW YOUR HOTEL INFORMATION. If a) your baggage is lost or delayed; b) you miss your connection and will be late checking in; or c) you are going to a destination you’ve never visited before, you’ll want to have complete contact information for your hotel on your person. Before you leave home, print out the hotel’s name, address and phone number, and program the latter into your cell phone. It’s also a good idea to print out a map of the hotel’s neighborhood, whether for your own use or to show it to a confused cab driver. 3. TAKE OLD CURRENCY WITH YOU. Exchanging foreign currency after you’ve returned home is a hassle, especially since almost no one spends any time in an actual bank these days. Why else do so many travelers have so much funny money lying around? If you travel abroad with any frequency and have any stray foreign currency laying around, take it with you the next time you cross international borders. Then, when you get some local currency, you can exchange the money from any other country at the same time. 4. SAVE YOUR BOARDING PASS. Do you usually toss your boarding pass as soon as you step off the plane? You might want to reconsider. Your boarding pass can serve as proof of travel if your airline fails to give you the proper credit for frequent flier miles; this type of problem is particularly common if you’re flying on a codeshare partner of the airline in question. Your boarding pass can also be useful as a receipt for tax purposes, particularly if you’re self-employed. 5. GET YOUR SEAT ASSIGNMENTS ASAP. As I mentioned above, every minute you pass without a seat assignment is another minute that your aisle or window seat is given to someone else. Your best bet is to check-in online, which can typically be done up to 24 hours before your flight. But note that not all flights, airlines or classes of travel permit advance check-in (or seating assignments). 6. MARK YOUR BAGS WITH AN EASILY RECOGNIZABLE ITEM. The days of flower-pattern steamer trunks are long gone; now we all buy our bags at the same stores from the same manufacturers. The result: an endless stream of nearly identical bags on the baggage carousel. The solution: mark your bags by tying a colorful ribbon, stitching a unique patch or putting a large sticker on your bags. You won’t see other passengers pulling your bags off the carousel to check for their tiny name tags, and you’ll be able to see your suitcases come out the door from miles away. 7. REMEMBER YOUR FLIGHT NUMBER. This may seem like a no-brainer, but knowing your flight number can make your life easier in small or foreign airports that do not list the full names of destination airports, or list by flight number alone.