Expedia, which was founded in 1996, is part of the Expedia Group and is one of the oldest online travel agents. The umbrella company even has other online travel agents such as Trivago, Travelocity, Orbitz, and quite a few travel booking platforms. But when it comes to saving money on flights, nothing beats Expedia. Looking for the best cheap flights on Expedia is a very easy task. What’s more, there are a lot of perks, such as a clear cancellation policy, an easy-to-use rewards program, and perks like upgraded prices at checkouts. If that wasn’t enough, you could even use Expedia.com to have add-ons such as car rentals and hotels and book vacation packages. And since it’s been in the travel search business for so long, it has many features that make it popular with travelers. To that end, here are some amazing tips for booking cheap flights on Expedia.
Route type, destination, and date details
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One of the most important things to do while searching for cheap flights on Expedia is to choose details like the route type, destination, and dates. After you navigate to Expedia.com, the homepage opens to a search box with different tabs above for flights, car hire, hotels, things to do, cruises, and vacation rentals. To look for cheap flights with Expedia, click on the “Flights” icon. In the second row, first choose the route type, i.e., one-way, roundtrip, or multi-city options.
Next, type in the airport or the city you’re flying into as well as from. Also, if the origin or destination city has more than one airport, type in the city rather than the specific airport to search for maximum options. Unfortunately, Expedia doesn’t offer a feature for typing in multiple airports or cities at once currently. Finally, type in the dates in the “Departing” and “Returning” sections of the search box and select how many travelers will be going on the journey.
Setting flexible dates
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One of the best features of Expedia flight bookings is that it allows travelers to look for flexible dates. In order to do this, click on the “Show flexible dates” link at the top of your search results. When you search with the flexible dates activated, a calendar pops up. Then, Expedia compared the flights for three days on either side of your original search, highlighting the cheapest fare on these dates in green. But you need to be patient, as these results could take a few seconds to appear. Then, your initial search is highlighted in navy blue, making it easy to compare it against the others.
Advanced results
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Using advanced options and filters refines the search for cheap flights on Expedia even further, allowing you to customize your flight. For one, you can choose between refundable and nonstop flights in the “More Options” menu at the top. Secondly, you can also choose the number of stops, preferred airlines, travel and baggage options, and departure and arrival times too. What’s more, not every airline in the airline list services the route you’re looking for, but rather part of the route. Once you’ve entered all the flight details you want, click on the yellow “Search” button.
Bargain fares
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Sometimes, Expedia might feature bargain fares at the top of the search results. While this fare is a great deal, it often comes with a whole lot of additional restrictions. For one, a caveat of these bargain fares is that travelers won’t know the exact flight details until after the booking. They’ll get a general overview of when the flight will arrive and depart and a range of stopovers, as opposed to a set amount. Hence, bargain fares work out better for last-minute flights as opposed to planning months in advance, where you can fine-tune the details.
Upgrading cabin class
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Did you know that you can even upgrade your cabin class even while booking cheap flights on Expedia? Basically, you can choose from different classes, such as basic and premium economies, business, and first class. While moving up cabin classes usually gets you more priorities and features, there’s no standardization among the airlines. During checkout, Expedia will show you options for upgrading your flight as well as flight perks that can be purchased. If you want to see exactly what you’d get for the price of every upgrade, then select the “Show more” menu. Are you planning to purchase seat selection and additional baggage? It might be more economical to upgrade your cabin class instead of adding extras.
Extra fees
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Another feature to note is figuring out the extra fees. Under every search listing, there’s a link that says, “Show details” and “See fare details.” The first one shows flight details such as the departure and arrival times, the exact route, the flight number, the aircraft, and the cabin class. The fare details, on the other hand, will give details of baggage fees and even extra fees. After selecting both flights that you like, there’s a list of what is and isn’t included in your flight. Finally, you can add all features for an extra cost.
How To Choose The Best Cheap Flights on Expedia?
Booking process
Booking cheap flights on Expedia is a hassle-free process. After heading to Expedia.com, enter details such as the dates, destination, and route type to have search results pop up. After selecting both your onward and return flights, you’re taken to a page where you have to enter your booking details, add TSA pre-check information, a frequent flyer number, if any, and purchase travel insurance. Finally, you’re asked to enter Expedia’s e-mail address and payment information to send you the booking confirmation.
Optimal booking window
The prices of domestic flights usually begin increasing 21 days before departure, while those of international flights begin increasing 28 days before. So, the sweet spot for booking international flights is at least 3-4 months in advance, while that for domestic flights is around 28-35 days in advance.
The ideal day of the week to book and travel
Contrary to popular myths, the ideal day for booking a flight isn’t Friday, but rather Sunday. Domestic flyers save around 5%, while international fliers save nearly 10%. Also, the best day to begin a domestic trip is Friday, not Monday, as it’ll save you nearly 15%. When it comes to international trips, start on a Thursday, not Tuesday, and save more than 5%. Hence, it’s usually cheaper to begin trips in the week’s latter half for domestic and international flights.
The best month to travel
The ideal month for domestic flyers to depart is January, when they can save more than 10%. Meanwhile, it’s August for international travelers, where travelers can save almost 20%.
Why are flights cheaper on Tuesday?
According to the web, Tuesday is the best day of the week to buy flights as airlines announce deals on Monday evenings. So, other airlines are trying to match those deals by Tuesday noon, thus making it a good time to look for reduced airfares.
What time are the plane tickets cheapest?
As we said earlier, the best day and time to shop for cheap domestic flight tickets in the United States is usually Tuesday around 3 p.m. ET.
Do flight prices go up the more you search?
No, one’s search history doesn’t affect flight prices.
Some images on this article are copyrighted by Expedia.
