Cheap flight tickets that start from $49 could seem like a farce, but they are just a reality you don’t know about. Everyone wishes to travel to their dream destinations, save on holidays and money, only to cancel thanks to the ever-rising flight costs. Generally, flight tickets are the major chunk of our travel budget and generally lead to us settling for cheaper destinations or completely canceling our holidays. But what if there is a way to find cheaper flights?

For the ones traveling on a budget, this may sound too good to be true, yet we do know that airlines are well aware of the need to provide good deals considering the competition in their own field. This, in turn, leads to them providing flight tickets at an affordable fare.

Contrary to popular belief, offering ticket fares as low as $49 is not bad for business. It allows airlines to cash in on the publicity received and generate a buzz. It also helps them sell seats during the off-season. Herein, we take a look at some budget ways to find cheap flights.

Watch out for deals
Keep an eye on Southwest’s fare sales. Southwest offers fare sales twice a year – June and October. Previously, during this sale, the fares of round-trip flights fell below $100 on many of the shorter routes. Recently, the sale had a one-way flight starting at around $49 and rising to $79, $99, and $129 for longer flights. At one instance, flights from Los Angeles to Albuquerque were for $45 each way. To latch on to these deals, though, you need to keep your ear to the ground and be quick because they run for a limited time period, there is stiff competition, and the sale is very popular to the point that the Southwest website had even crashed in the past. Recently, though, some sale fares have not been as lucrative as in the past, Southwest is still the best when it comes to cheap flights from around $49. The same applies to other airlines that offer cheap fare deals throughout the year. During the time Southwest offers its sales, it is wise to check other sales online to get the best possible deal.

Use the best flight tools
Individually checking every airline’s website would be tiresome and unfruitful. Therefore, it is better to use tools designed for broader flight booking searches. Nowadays, we have apps and metasearch engines that show us all the available deals on a single click. Get tech-savvy and find out the best app or search engine in the business that gets you the most profitable deal possible.

Have flexible travel dates and times
Airline fares vary according to the days of the week and festive seasons. Tickets are expensive on weekends, upcoming holidays, and vacation seasons. If you intend to fly at such times, flight fares will be expensive. This why you must be flexible with your dates and times and try flying during the off-season. If this isn’t possible, try booking your flight well in advance. Remember that the difference of one day can result in saving hundreds of dollars.

Avail student discounts
Students can avail many discounts that are available to them. Normally, there is a discount of 20%-30% off the regular fare. Travel agencies like Flight Center and STA Travel help you get cheap tickets. Never overlook them!

Use miles and points
Signing up for airline reward programs is a great way to avail of free upgrades, companion tickets, and flights. You also earn a lot of flyer miles when you use your credit card to book flight tickets, special offers, online shopping, and more. Using flyer miles, one can fly without spending extra or, at times, for free. Therefore, it is suggested that you smartly use your credit card and earn points and miles, which, in turn, can help you book cheap flight tickets.

Book your tickets early
Flight ticket fares rise as the departure date comes closer. However, there is a sweet spot where the airlines increase or decrease flight rates. Don’t wait till the last moment, but don’t book very early either. The most appropriate time to book flight tickets is 6-8 weeks prior to your departure. But if you are flying during peak season, booking 3 months in advance would be wiser.

Use budget carriers
Years ago, you were stuck with traditional and expensive airlines. But this isn’t the case anymore. The rise of budget airlines has decreased flight rates and made air travel a lot more accessible. Now, budget airlines service many long-route flights too. You can fly around the world on a budget airline and spend half the amount that you normally would.