For many, August 23 is known as the first day of school. For travel addicts, it’s also known as “National Cheap Flight Day.”
Historically, it’s the day of the year that marks the end of the busy summer travel season, but it’s before the mad rush of the holidays.
The idea is airlines will try to entice travelers with deals they can’t pass up for fall and winter getaways.
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All Hype?
While you may find some great deals on National Cheap Flight Day, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the cheapest time to buy.
The cheapest flight I ever scored was through an error fare alert from Secret Flying on a random day during a random month in 2020.
The roundtrip flight from Atlanta to Santiago, Chile, was $62 per person.
That being said, deals that good are often few and far between.
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Tips
Cheapo Air has some insider tips to save on flights all year long.
- Look for Layovers
- As a traveler, I want my layovers to be as short as comfortably possible. I don’t want to spend more time than I need to sitting in an airport. That changes if you’re looking for cheap flights. Layovers are often more affordable than a direct flight.
- Explore Other Airports
- If you live in an area with access to multiple airports, make sure you price shop flights, even if you have to add an hour or two to your travel time.
- Flex Your Options
- No surprise here. You’ll be able to save more money on flights if you can be flexible on the dates you travel, and the location of where you want to go.
One tip I’d add is to take advantage of credit cards bonuses. Whether it’s cash back, earning points, or opening a credit card to take advantage of a bonus signup offer, they are some of the easiest ways to earn free travel.
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The Points Guy will break down the points game for you and help determine which credit card offer is right for you. (Just remember, you’ve gotta pay off the credit card balance every month, or it doesn’t pay.)
Another tip is to take advantage of any gift card offers. Keep an eye open for bonuses like cents off gas, or free store cash, when you buy Southwest or other travel-related gift cards.
That being said, where are you traveling?