If you love traveling as much as I do, you know flights often make up a big chunk of your travel budget. That’s why it’s crucial to be smart when booking your flights—not necessarily by using miles, but by finding the best deals available. This post is about discovering those hidden gems.

1. Use the Right Tools: Why Google Flights is My Go-To

The first step is using a solid flight search engine. My top pick? Google Flights. Here’s why:

• You can explore destinations all over the world on a map.
• It lets you search by a range of dates, not just specific days.

These two features are essential. Flexibility is key when chasing good deals. A powerful search tool lets you spot patterns and take advantage of market dips.

2. Flexibility Is Your Superpower

One of the biggest mistakes is being fixed on a specific destination. Instead, let flight prices guide your travel plans. Knowing the general price range for destinations you’re interested in helps you recognize a true deal—just like spotting an undervalued stock on the market.

Often, my destinations are chosen because of great flight deals. You can always visit that dream place next year—if the flight is €500 this time but usually much cheaper, wait it out. Amazing places aren’t going anywhere.

3. Build Your Own Stopovers

For long-haul travel, consider adding a DIY stopover to break your journey into two separate legs.

When flying to Kathmandu, we searched flights from Zurich to various Middle Eastern cities (Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, etc.), then booked the second leg from there to Kathmandu.

This often ends up cheaper and lets you visit two countries in one trip. A great tool for planning these multi-leg routes is FlightConnections—it shows which cities are connected by direct flights.

4. Consider Nearby Airports

Sometimes the best deals aren’t from your home airport. We’re based in Zurich, but Zurich doesn’t offer many low-cost carrier options like Ryanair or Wizz Air. Nearby airports like Basel or Milan often have significantly cheaper flights.

For example, a direct flight from Zurich to Marrakech might cost €450, but from Milan, it’s €130. Even with a return train ticket to Milan (€80), you’re still saving money—and you get to see another city!

5. Travel Light

Whenever possible, we travel with hand luggage only. Checked baggage can cost more than the flight itself. Packing light saves money, time at the airport, and makes backpacking far easier. Less stuff = less stress.

6. Book Charter Flights Early

When booking charter flights (like Edelweiss Air from Switzerland), timing is everything. The best prices are often in the initial booking phase, when a limited number of cheaper seats are available. Once those are gone, prices usually spike significantly.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Rely on VPN Tricks

Personally, I’ve never had success using a VPN to get cheaper flight prices. Similarly, browsing from different countries rarely changed the fares in my experience.

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Quick Summary:

✅ Be open to different destinations—let the market decide
✅ Use Google Flights for flexible dates and worldwide searches
✅ Build your own stopovers for long-haul travel
✅ Look at alternate airports near your departure and destination
✅ Travel with hand luggage to save money and hassle
✅ Book charter flights early for the best prices

Hope these tips help you score some great flight deals—happy travels! ✈️