Everyone wants to save as much as they can when they book travel. The internet has lots of articles to help you get discounts on car rentals and hotels and how to save money on your flight. The question is, should you really book that cheap flight that you found? Here are a few things you should consider before booking that cheap flight.
What airline is it with?
You should always look at what airline that cheap fare is with. How long has that airline been in business? What is their safety record? Are they dependable when it comes to their flights being on time? These are all questions you should know the answer to before you book your flight.
WOW airlines which offered budget flights between the US and Europe, abruptly shut down on March 28th, 2019, leaving travelers stranded mid vacation. As much as that cheap flight might be calling to you, you want to book with an airline that is in good financial standing and won’t leave you stranded or cancel your flight at the last minute.
Likewise, you also want an airline that has a good record for being on time. Most sites will tell you the on-time record prior to you buying the ticket. If the airlines is notorious for being late or cancelling flights, you should be aware of that before you start booking any activities for the day that you arrive.
What type of plane will you be on?
As picky as this may sound, the type of plane matters for a lot of people. One reason it should matter to you is because of a plane’s safety record. Some planes have a higher safety record than others. Just this year, the new Boeing 737 Max planes were grounded by the FAA after two of the brand-new planes crashed in just 5 months killing all passengers on board.
Many websites can tell you what the safety record is for your flight. This site can tell you the safety records for both the planes and the safest airlines as well.
The second reason that the plane type might matter to you is if you are prone to motion sickness. The smaller the plane, the more you will feel turbulence. If you also suffer from claustrophobia, larger planes can cause less anxiety than smaller planes.
What type of fare will you get?
Is this budget fare a basic economy fare? If it is, you’ll be the last to board the plane and you will not have an assigned seat. You’ll pick from whatever is available at the time of boarding.
Southwest Airlines has operated without seat reservations for many years also. But, if you are traveling with a large family and you book a basic economy fare, you may not be able to sit with each other.
That may mean that your small children might have to sit by themselves. With an upgraded economy fare, passengers pay for their seat and are less likely to give that seat up so that you can sit next to your family members because they paid extra.
What are the dates of the flight?
Does the flight have travel date restrictions? If you find a really good deal but the kids will be back in school at that time or you have a major project at work going on that week, it’s probably not going to work with your schedule.
Always make sure that the time frame works for you or you’ll be stressed out about your trip before you even get there and probably during your trip as well.
What time is the flight?
A lot of cheaper flights are either early morning or late-night flights. If you have to be at your destination at a certain time, a cheaper flight may not be an option.
Are you depending on public transportation once you arrive? You should check out those train or bus schedules prior to buying your ticket. If your flight arrives at 9pm and the last train for that day leaves at 8pm, that’s going to leave you stranded. (And if you’re using Disney’s Magical Express, know that the last bus leaves from the airport at 10pm.)
What is the duration of the flight?
How many stops does your flight have? Most cheaper flights involve a layover somewhere. Sometimes they involve more than one. Look at your total flight time and check out the layover involved. If you’re going to be at a layover airport for 8 hours, you may want to consider a different flight. Especially if you are already on an overnight flight. That is going to make for one very long travel day!
What type of seat will you get?
Do you get to pick a seat? If so, does it cost extra money? If it does, you need to add that into your total cost for the flight. You may also choose to upgrade your seat.
Many airlines offer seats that have a little bit more legroom and sometimes a few extra perks as well. American Airlines has both a Main Cabin Extra and Premium Economy seats as upgraded options. Delta offers Comfort Plus seats and on international flights they have Premium Select seats for an additional cost. Anyone who is tall will really appreciate having the extra legroom.
This also might matter to you depending on where you’re flying to. For short flights, being a little bit cramped might be okay for just a few hours.
But on longer flights, the upgraded seats are a blessing, especially if you can’t swing the cost of business or first class. The seats also offer a few more inches of recline and generally have some more padding in the seat cushions which make overnight flights a little more pleasant.
You should also know whether your seat comes with under the seat storage prior to booking that seat. Seats that are located in an exit row or directly behind a wall (like that separating first class from economy) do not have under the seat storage. Instead you have to have everything stowed above your seat especially during take off and landing.
How much are the luggage fees?
Years ago, luggage was included for free when traveling. Now there is a cost for everything from food, to picking your seat, to checking a bag. Check the fees with the airline you are looking to fly with. Sometimes with local trips, you can avoid the checked luggage fee by simply taking a carry on.
But Frontier and Spirit Airlines charge for carry-on bags also. And some airlines also have carry-on weight limits. There might also be a charge if your bag is over the weight limit both for carry-on bags and checked luggage. Make sure you’re adding these fees into your total trip cost when comparing flights.
Some of these factors may not matter to you and if it’s something you’re okay with, snag that cheap flight! The first few times I traveled to Europe, I hunted for the cheapest deal I could find and it didn’t matter what time I arrived as long as I got there.
But you should know what things you’re willing to sacrifice and what you’re not willing to sacrifice before you hit the purchase button. Be confident with your choice! And if you found a really great deal, let me know!!
