When you go the extra mile to plan a budget vacation, why overpay for flying to your next destination? There are many ways to save money on airline bookings online. And yes, we’re not just talking about using discount codes and coupons that pop up as soon as you hit that search button. These tips and tricks to negotiate search to your advantage can ensure you get a cheap flight every time you plan a vacation.

Book in advance
It is always a good idea to book your tickets in advance. But just how early? To get the lowest possible fare, book your tickets at least 50 days in advance. That is roughly around seven weeks prior to your travel dates. A data analysis done by the Airlines Reporting Corporation shows this consistent trend of booking for cheap tickets. It may not be a sure way of getting the best fare but nevertheless you can enjoy advance booking offers available with major airlines.

Go incognito
Long story short, incognito mode hides search information from airlines that employ algorithms to track results. You might have noticed some airline fares may show a different amount after you’ve searched for the same flight multiple times. This is because the airline knows your search pattern, and they hike the prices knowing you might have no choice but to book anyway especially when its last minute. To avoid cookies tracking your search, simply activate the incognito mode from popular browsers you use. This way you get the original fare always, even if you log in and out several times.

The time and date of booking
Studies and data analysis done by several research companies show that usually, booking flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays can make your travel real cheap. For domestic travel, book flights on the weekends, preferably on a Sunday. For international travel, find flights with layover options that coincide on the weekdays. You can adjust your travel itinerary according to your booking dates to get better deals.

Check on popular websites
Many search engines for hotel and travel booking often show inflated prices, and you just might notice the difference in case you check with the hotel or airline. The difference is the markup for these online services, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you pay extra. Popular options like Skyscanner, AirFare Watchdog, Momondo, Kiwi, Cheapoair, AirWander, JetRadar, and Google Flights more than often reflect the true prices. You can get the best deals on search engines that employ a broader search algorithm, find sale and error pricing fares, combines airlines for cheaper routes, gives you coupon codes, and even extended layovers for multiple destinations on a single trip.

Flying at odd hours
If you don’t mind waiting at the airport at 2 AM to catch a 4 AM flight, you might just be able to book the cheapest tickets available with most airlines. As frequent travelers prefer to fly on time to reach a business meeting or catch a connecting flight, the cheaper fares are usually reserved for passengers who don’t have a preference for time.