There’s never been a better time to be a traveler. With the popularity of bargain airfares and affordable accommodations, more and more people can indulge the travel lust in them. With so many options when it comes to booking deals, it can get confusing which ones to grab and even more confusing how and where to look for the best offers. Putting together a great travel package does not stop at knowing how to choose the best travels destinations; it also involves getting the best price for fare and accommodations.

There’s always a cheaper way to fly.

Photo from Conny Sandland via Flickr, Creative Commons

Finding great deals in airfare is as important as finding the perfect vacation spot, the right camera for your travel photos, and the safest place to stay during your trip. Here are low budget tips on where and how to find the booking deals you shouldn’t pass up.

• Book for last minute trips

Fare for weekend trips will sell for cheaper rates if they can’t fill the seats beforehand. Take the chance and don’t sign up immediately for seats; wait until late Thursday or early Friday to book so you can take advantage of last-minute rates. You can board Friday night or the following day and then you can fly back home on Monday.

• Monitor your Facebook and Twitter accounts

Search for the social media accounts of airlines and like or follow them so you can see their updates on your news feeds. Airlines have recognized the importance of selling through social media since travelers are snapping up discount deals left and right. You have to be quick about it, though, especially if you’re looking for deals on hot destinations like Boracay. Discount packages for Boracay dream vacations are always in high demand. Imagine the number of travelers doing the same thing which means more competition for booking deals.

Your Boracay dream vacation may come courtesy of your Facebook feeds.

Photo from Gep Pascual via Flickr, Creative Commons

• Plan your trips based on where it’s cheaper to go

We all have our dream destinations but there are places in which airfare will never become as affordable as we would like it to be. Unless you’re willing to penny-pinch for a long, long time to save up for airfare, why not explore your more affordable options and visit destinations where airfare is cheaper? You may be surprised at what you can see discover in random places. There are tools such as Kayak.com that let you see lists of destinations grouped according to specific price ranges.

• Be flexible with your dates

Most people would love to book for weekend and holiday trips but ticket prices are usually high during these times. If you can’t afford to pay for the full price of a weekend summer vacation trip, you can do adjustments on your travel dates instead and book for days when seats are cheaper. Flying during the middle of the week is much cheaper compared to weekend trips so you might want to consider that. If you plan to fly abroad, take note of the busiest seasons for your destination and try not to book flights for that period. The time of the day counts, too. Flights during early mornings and late nights are less expensive because less people do not want to travel at those hours.

Keep your travel dates flexible.

Photo from Oliver Symens via Flickr, Creative Commons

• Check out alternative routes

If flying directly to your destination will hurt your wallet, why not take two connecting flights? For instance, instead of heading straight to Paris, you can fly first to Dublin then take a cheaper flight from there. Changing planes is worth the hassle if it means saving a couple of hundred or more dollars. This means you have to do your research and check different airlines to get the best deal for connecting flights.

• Mix and match flights

Sometimes taking different flights can be more affordable than taking round-trip tickets. Compare one-way flights and choose the cheapest ones for your inbound and outbound flights. Also, consider flying from secondary airports, where budget airlines usually fly into. Rates are cheaper because secondary airports are smaller and charge less landing fees. Asia and Europe have lots of secondary airports so you’re lucky if you’re planning to fly into these territories.

Keep in mind that taking budget airlines and secondary airports mean lesser perks. They may not have fully air-conditioned lounges and the food is not exactly gourmet but just think of the hundreds you can save in airfare. Make sure that these secondary airports are not that far from where you live so you won’t have to spend so much to get to your flight.

Waiting in between flights can mean huge savings for you.

Photo from marco monetti via Flickr, Creative Commons

• Search for booking deals in the morning

Wake up at say, 5 or 6 am, go online and do your airfare checking while having your morning coffee. This is the time when you can see most deals on the internet. Discounted tickets can also be released throughout the day however, so make sure to check from time to time.

• Watch out for realistic rates

Like it or not, super low rates are not always available and you will have to compete with thousands of other travelers for booking. When you’re monitoring airfare rates, decide on the limit that you can and want to pay and be ready to pay for that amount when it’s already available. Sometimes waiting for incredibly low rates can make you miss the realistic prices that you can already pay. Before you know it, prices will go up again, leaving you no choice but to pay more than your actual budget.

• Sign up for mailing lists

They may clutter your inbox but you never know when a great deal can just arrive in your mail. Mailing lists give you regular updates on early bird rates, last-minute, and special booking deals. Some of those deals are only available for a short period of time so make sure to get your credit card ready for booking.

Be vigilant in tracking deals online.

Waiting for the best airfare deals can really test your patience but it’s totally worth the effort if you consider how much full-price airfare really costs. The satisfaction that you will get from being able to put together a winning package of cheap airfare and affordable accommodations will more than make up for the hours you will spend combing the net for the best deals.