Singaporeans love a good bargain – especially if it’s for a plane ticket that lets us venture out of our sunny island for a short vacation. Every dollar saved means more budget for other things we love, like food, shopping… and more holidays!
Save these tips for when you’re planning your next trip. Life is fantas-Tiq when you can pay less to travel more 🙂

1. Search flights based on single adult-fares instead of group fare

If one adult flight ticket costs $150, four adult flight tickets should cost $600 right? Fortunately this is not a PSLE maths paper question, because the answer is: not always!

Airfare prices have a complex “fare bucket” structure where tickets for the same flights are sold at different prices. This means that you may have paid a different amount from the stranger seated next to you even though your flight itineraries are exactly the same.

Booking flights based on group fares puts you at a disadvantage if the airline doesn’t have enough seats in a cheaper fare bucket for your entire group. To make things ‘simple’ for you, they will quote you only the higher fare bucket. This scenario may not always be the case, but it’s a good tip to try in case there are hidden savings.

2. Use ‘private browsing mode’ when shopping for flights

Brighton Beach is one of Melbourne’s most iconic spots, with its row of bright and cheery bathing boxes often featured in holiday photos. While you’re here, spend a day playing at the beach and picnicking with dazzling views of the turquoise waters.

Sneak around this by using the private browsing mode on your browser. This keeps your search activity a secret and shields you from inflated prices.

3. Book your tickets early

It’s wishful thinking that airlines will slash prices for unsold tickets closer to date. In fact, prices may go up to cash in on last minute travellers who will pay any amount to get to their destination.
Plan your flights as early as you can, especially for peak periods such as school holidays and long weekends.

To manage the risk that your flight itinerary may have to change, book tickets that allow for changes and cancellations. You can also buy travel insurance to get you covered in case you’re unable to travel as intended.

4. Be flexible with destinations

Most of us choose a destination and then start shopping for flights. How about planning your holiday based on cheap flight tickets instead? Use Google Flights for a quick glance on where the deals are. This is great for trips where you just want to go somewhere (anywhere!) to celebrate an occasion or take a break from the daily grind.

5. Get creative and expand your search

It’s becoming even more expensive to take long-haul flights post-pandemic, which makes finding cheaper flights more crucial. Widen your search and explore more options by trying these.

• Mix and match airlines: One-way flights used to be less economical than return flights, but these days less so. Explore breaking up your trip into different bookings to see if there’s a chance to save money there, or use Kiwi.com which specialises in this.
• Book your own connecting flights: For routes that involve a transfer, see if booking your own connecting flight is cheaper. Include enough buffer time, or even plan a city stopover, in case of delays.
• Use multiple search engines: Don’t be content with the search results of 1-2 flight aggregators. Do more legwork and compare different sites, as they may have different deals with various airlines.
• Consider neighbouring airports: See if you will save money flying to an airport that’s further out from your destination, and then travelling by land.