One of the most important things when it comes to travelling is making the arrangements for it. May it be a short trip or even a long vacation, arrangements and travel plans are something that we always have to make in order to bring a planned vacation into action. There are quite a few factors that we need to take note of when it comes to planning our travel and one of the most important things are – means of travelling. This is something that we have to think about well before we plan out other things, because it does involve a large share of the travel expenses and availability of the means of transport is something that we need to be particularly conscious of.

So, when it comes to long distance travel, what is the most common means of travel that we take recourse to? The most common mode of travel that people opt for these days is of course flights. They are easier to access and they save time in travelling. For example, if you have to travel from Delhi to Kolkata in a train, it will take you an overnight journey, but if you take a flight, it is just a couple of hours. So, it is best that one goes for flights instead of trains when it comes to travelling long distance. But there is one small glitch – the flight fare. Air fare is expensive and if you get your tickets in the last minute, of course, you will have to pay way more than you would have to pay for your train, in most cases. So, people try and make sure that they book their flight tickets well in advance, so that they may enjoy the benefits of a flight, but at an affordable rate. But then again, how do you make sure that you book flight tickets at a good price?

Is air fare bogging you down? Well, then, here are some sure shot ways to make sure that you book your flight tickets at a price that will not be a pinch on your pocket:

• First and foremost you will have to make sure that you book your flight tickets well in advance. If you have to travel on an emergency then of course that will not be for a vacation and hence if you are planning on a vacation, you need to make sure that you get your flight tickets booked well before the day of travel. So when should you ideally book your flight ticket? Well you will have to make sure that you book your tickets at least 5-6 or even 3-4 months before the date of your travel when looking for international flights. When it comes to national flights 2-3 months prior booking should fetch you a good enough value for money tickets. So keep this in mind, every time you make arrangements for a vacation – book your flight tickets ASAP.

• Okay, so the next thing to remember is that there is a time of the day which is ideal for booking tickets. Well studies show that if you book your flight tickets between Monday and Wednesday nights, then you are most likely to get them at the cheapest prices. Nice tip, right? So stay awake to get the cheapest of the lot!

• And that’s not it, you should also consider the flight timings. Suppose you are planning on taking a flight which leaves at 10 in the morning or maybe 12 in the afternoon. These are convenient time slots and hence their demand will be more because of which their cost will be higher as well. So, what you should do is try and go for early morning or late-night flights, whose demands are on the lower side and hence the prices will also be low! This always works.

• Take your travel dates in consideration as well. Now if you are planning on travelling to the states right before Christmas, it is but natural that the flight prices will be sky high. So if you travel at a date which does not usually demand a lot of traffic, apart from the usual one, then you are more likely to save up on the flight money.

• How do you look for flight tickets when booking on your own? You use the internet, right? Well the more you search for flights from this place to that, higher the chances will be of the flight fares going high. So it is best if you search in the incognito mode. This is a tip from the ones who know the digital world the best, so you may want to put a lot of weightage into this!

• Oh, you have to earn credit points. When you fly for the first time with a particular airline, they will give you credit points. Try and book their flights the next couple of times that you fly and this way you will be able to save credit points enough to buy you a ticket without spending any extra buck. Always check your credit points before booking a ticket, especially if you are a frequent flier with a particular airline.

• It has been seen that the national airlines offer lesser prices than other companies, so it is best to stick to the national ones when flying local, i.e., within the country.

• When it comes to booking flight tickets one thing always comes in handy – having information about the various offers. There are companies and schemes which keep on offering discounts from time to time and hence if you keep your eyes and ears open then you might just land yourself a really sweet deal. So always make sure that you stay up to date when it comes to offers on flight fares and tickets.

Booking a flight ticket definitely needs some planning and plotting. Stick to the pointers mentioned above and you will see that finding the right flight ticket is not only easier than before, but also cheaper than before! Go ahead plan your trip and book your flight tickets as soon as you can!