Getting the best deal from "budget "airl

budgetflyer

In order to get the best deal can involve a couple of hours work searching but a family can save £100's on a holiday especially in peak season.
Heres my tips to get the best deal.

1. Being flexible with departure airports can widen your chances of getting a bargain.

2.Flexible dates can save lots. A Saturday daytime flight may be £75+ tax where as on the Monday or Tuesday it may be had for 99p (or in some cases FREE!)

3. Use budget airline search engines as a guide to prices

Adams Ryanair Price Checker on this site is Fab.
Also for other budget airlines

https://www.skyscanner.net

https://www.applefares.com

https://www.traveljungle.co.uk

will give you a good indication of prices available.

4.When booking your chosen flights,search for ONE seat only first. This will be the lowest available fare, however they may only have 2 or 3 at this price ,the next block may be at a higher price. If you want say 5 seats then they will charge you them all at the higher price. This could easily add £70 on to your total cost each way.
In these cases I always do 2 seperate bookings,2 or 3 at the lower price and the rest at the next higher price.

5. I always pay by credit card as If the airline goes bust (Normally 2 or 3 of the smaller ones do each year) we can at least get a refund.

6. Always read the "Terms and Conditions" especially for name changes,luggage allowances etc.

7.If booking connecting flights,allow plenty time i.e. 3 hours for collecting luggage and re checking in. If a flight is delayed or cancelled, even if its booked with the same airline ,they take no responsibility for missed connecting flights.(Thats what "Travel Insurance is for, so make sure its included.)

8. Most "budget " airlines opperate a numbered boarding system so the earlier you check in, the better your chances of sitting together are,although if you have children ,are elderly or a member of your party has walking difficulties you normally get priority boarding.

9. No meals or drinks are included so pack your own sandwiches. A sandwich on the plane can cost £3.00, a small can of coke £1.50

Fatboy_NSS

Good list of tips. However you missed out my favourite low cost airline tip - if you don't have allocated seats, board through the back door rather than the front. Easyjet and Ryanair use the front and back doors for boarding whenever they can as it gets the passengers on and off the aircraft quicker. However most passengers seem to assume they can only use the front stairs. Therefore if you go up the back stars you're much more likely to get seats together.