When planning a multi-city trip, it’s important to choose the right flights to get the best city connections at an affordable price. Travelling between multiple cities can be a thrilling adventure, but budgeting well is essential so you can enjoy your travels without worrying about expenses. Booking the cheapest multi-city flights requires some smart strategies to avoid missing out on great deals. This guide to booking multi-city flights will help you with booking multi-city flights for a smooth and successful trip!
Use Flight Search Engines
Flight search engines and aggregators are invaluable tools that research multiple airlines and options for you. These platforms allow you to compare multi-city options that match your travel dates, destinations, and personal preferences. To get the best deal possible, expand your research across different search engines. Trusted platforms like Google Flights, Skyscanner, Kayak, and Momondo offer multi-city flight options and help you explore the most cost-effective routes.
Be Flexible with Dates and Airports
Flexibility is key when trying to find the cheapest multi-city flights. Flight prices can vary significantly depending on your travel dates, so avoid peak periods such as school holidays, weekends, and high seasons when demand is higher and prices tend to increase. If you’re flexible with your travel schedule, you’ll likely find better deals. However, don’t miss out on a special event or festival you want to attend just to save a few dollars. Additionally, consider alternative airports. Flying into smaller, less central airports might reduce your fare considerably. Weigh all options before finalising your multi-city flight itinerary.
Check for Airline Alliances and Partnerships
Airline alliances were established to enhance customer experience while offering more flight options and better deals. Well-known alliances such as Star Alliance and Oneworld often provide cheaper multi-city flights. It can be advantageous to combine airlines within the same alliance to get the best prices. Many of these airlines offer codeshare agreements, which allow you to benefit from both companies’ perks and discounts while staying within the alliance.
Set Up Price Alerts
Planning ahead for your trip gives you time to set up price alerts on flight search engines. Price alerts notify you when flight prices drop, allowing you to secure the best deals. Apps like Hopper analyse historical data and price trends to predict the best time to book your multi-city flights. These alerts can be incredibly useful, especially if your travel dates are flexible.
Use Points and Miles
Frequent travellers can take advantage of loyalty programs to accumulate miles or points that can be used for discounts on flights. If you’re planning to book a multi-city flight, check how many points or miles you have and see if they can be applied for a discount. Some travel credit cards also offer bonuses or discounts for multi-city flights, so it’s worth researching which cards or banks offer these incentives for travellers.
Browse in Incognito Mode
When researching flight prices, use your browser’s incognito mode. This blocks your browser cookies from tracking your search activity, which can prevent airlines and travel websites from increasing prices based on your repeated searches for the same route. Searching in incognito mode ensures that you’re getting the best possible price when you’re ready to book your multi-city flight.
Consider a Travel Agent
Though many people believe travel agents are expensive, this is not always the case. Sometimes, travel agents have access to deals and discounts that are unavailable online. They can also help simplify complex multi-city itineraries and find the most affordable flights for you. Don’t rule out the option of using a travel agent, especially for more complicated or last-minute trips.
Book in Advance
Booking early is one of the safest ways to secure lower prices, particularly on popular routes. While last-minute discounts do exist, they are generally more suited to simple, unplanned trips. For a well-organised multi-city trip, early booking will often guarantee you the best prices and the convenience of more flight options.
Summary
Securing the best fare for your multi-city flight requires time, research, and flexibility. It’s important to look for flights that are not only cheap but also convenient, ensuring you can enjoy your journey without unnecessary stress. By following this guide to booking multi-city flights, you’ll be well-equipped to find the most affordable and efficient flight connections for your trip.
