Okay, so the other day I needed to book a flight for a quick getaway. I figured, “Hey, I’ll just use one of those flight comparison websites, how hard can it be?” Turns out, there’s a bit more to it if you want to snag a decent deal, so I documented my whole process. Here is how it went.
Started with the Basics
First, I fired up my browser. I needed to pick a good search engine. I’ve used a few in the past, but I wanted to be thorough this time.
- Searched on Several Engines. I decided to hit up a few of the big names, so there is no only one correct answer.
- Played around with Dates. I’m pretty flexible with my schedule, so I toggled the dates back and forth. Sometimes shifting your travel by even a day or two can seriously cut the price.
Looked into Filters and Options
Once I had some basic searches going, I started messing around with the filter options. These things are game-changers.
- Checked the “non-stop” box. Yeah, I’m not a big fan of layovers, so I usually filter those out unless the price difference is massive.
- Messed with baggage options. I’m a light packer, so I always make sure I’m comparing prices that include the right amount of baggage. These websites are all about upselling these days.
- Looked at flight times. Nobody wants to wake up at 3 AM for a flight, so I paid attention to departure and arrival times.
Compared and Narrowed it Down
After playing around with the filters, I had a smaller list of potential flights. Then came the comparing part.
- Opened multiple tabs. I opened the same search on different engines to see how the prices stacked up side-by-side.
- Double-checked everything. Before hitting that “book” button, I made sure I was clear on all the details: flight times, layovers, baggage allowance, etc.
Booked the Flight!
Finally, I found a flight that ticked all the boxes – good price, decent times, and no crazy layovers. I clicked through, filled in my details, and bam! Flight booked. I print screen the confirmed booking just in case.
It took a bit more effort than I initially thought, but by being systematic and comparing the options, I felt like I got a pretty good deal. Hope this run-through of my flight booking adventure helps someone else out there!
