Cheap Flights to France
With talk of a recession on the horizon the economic future is uncertain and money is increasingly tight for everyone. This won't stop a lot of people from taking holidays whenever they can though, and market competition for cheap flights is at an all time high. However, fuel prices are also at an all time high, and budget airlines are continually looking for ways to offload these extra costs onto the consumer via hidden charges. Some budget airlines are notorious for publishing prices that are exclusive of just about everything. It's not uncommon to have to pay a "security" fee, airport taxes and fuel surcharges on top of the advertised flight price. Moreover luggage allowances have been reduced by many companies, especially the budget airlines. Whereas a luggage allowance was typically 20kg per person in many cases this has now been reduced to just 15kg. Naturally the airline will let you "upgrade" your luggage allowance... for a fee! Be aware then that some "cheap flights" might not end up being quite as cheap as you first thought.
Sometimes finding a cheap flight that's really as good as it first seems can be like trying to nail fog to the wall! By following the following tips you can make sure you don't get ripped off by hidden charges and get the best cheap flight deal you can...
Shop Online
Although high street travel agents used to turn up some good deals on flights the real bargains are now found online. There are plenty of shopping comparison websites that also provide price comparisons on holidays and travel. You can secure some particularly good prices if you can be flexible in your travel schedule - flying on weekdays is often cheaper than the weekend and prices can increase dramatically around public holidays. This is because weekends are usually the holidays for the family therefore it is the time for the companies to raise their airfares knowing that many tourists will still grab the deal. It hardly seems fair that mid-week business flyers get the best prices, so if you can avoid flying on weekends do so. This will increase the possibility of you getting the cheapest possible airfare.
Subscribe to Offers
Subscribe to receive the latest promo offers from the budget airlines.
Learn to Read Marketing Speak
The trick to getting the most from online offers is in reading between the lines and finding any hidden charges. Naturally this skill isn't limited to buying cheap flights - it will come in handy whenever you shop online!
Plan Your Packing
Figure out how much luggage you want to take before you book. This might sound a bit silly, but if you don't need a full 20kg luggage allowance then a cheaper flight with only 15kg might be sufficient.
Include Transfers when comparing costs
Some budget airlines (notably Ryanair) fly to regional airports that may not be as close to your final destination as a more expensive flight is. In this case it's important that you factor in the cost of airport transfers for a true cost comparison.
Book Early (or very late!)
Early bookings will attract a decent discount, but if you've got the stomach for gambling you can get some good last minute deals when the airlines are just trying to fill seats. Once again this won't work well during public holidays, and you really are taking a gamble, so if you're flying for something essential don't leave it to chance - it's all very well saving some money but it's not worth missing something really important for!
Are there included "extras" you could do without?
Take a packed lunch! It'll probably be better than what passes for airline food these days anyway - even a sandwich bought at the airport will be cheaper than buying onboard the plane (when you're part of a captive audience). The only real limitation here is the limit of liquids you're allowed to take through security. If you're only on a short flight you might not want any food at all - don't pay for what you won't use.