Nowadays, traveling on a budget is no longer just a fantasy—it can be possible! Thanks to the rise of budget airlines that offers cheap airfare tickets and seat sale accessible to the public, whether it’s domestic or international.

Seat sales are actually legit. However, it doesn’t mean you’ll just literally spend a peso or whatever they offer for a plane ticket. It is only the base fare that is on sale. There are other additional fees, such as administrative fee, fuel surcharge, VAT, among others, that adds up. But, the price that you will get is still good and reasonable! Did you know that you can score roundtrip tickets to Japan for as low as P3,000?

Admittedly, scoring seat sales can be a bit difficult, but not impossible to achieve. Tickets get snatched quickly, and you could be left with not-as-cheap options. I may not be an expert on this matter, but here are the hacks that I learned along the way that 100% works for me.

Follow airlines’ social media accounts

I can’t help but get ecstatic when airlines announce their Seat Sale promo on social media! They love releasing teasers, especially during important events or holidays. Facebook, in particular, allows you to see posts from specific Pages first. Just turn on the “See First” feature on their Facebook page so their new posts will always prompt first on your newsfeed every time they drum up a sale.

Sign up for an account before the Seat Sale

Signing up for an account with your preferred airlines will also help you to book seat sales faster. Some have autofill options while booking, so you don’t have to worry about filling out your details over and over again. If you have an account, you could earn points as well, and it’s easier to access your flight information. Plus, airlines can send you email notifications of their sales in advance! They usually announce upcoming seat sales via email prior to posting them on social media. 

Prepare all necessary details and your preferences

Some airlines give the visitor allotted limited time to book per session to give way to others. So it’s best to get all the details down, such as your preferred destination, travel dates, and of course, your personal information — complete name, date of birth, contact information. Passport number and expiry date are also required for international bookings. Make sure also to have the mode of payment and details on-hand. 

If you are traveling with a companion, collect their personal details ahead and save it on your “guest list” so you won’t be asking for their info while you are already booking online. 

Clear the cookies on your browser or open an incognito tab before booking

Airlines usually use cookies to determine what flight you’re planning to book. They also remember the dates and number of passengers. Once they discover your preferences, they’ll often raise prices accordingly. So to prevent this from happening, you can either clear your browser cache or just open an incognito tab before starting the booking process.

Don’t be afraid to use multiple platforms

With the wonders of the internet, we are all much savvier when it comes to booking online. You can now search over 1,000 flight combinations in just a few clicks to get the best price on the market. To do this, you can use Kayak or Skyscanner to compare prices. I personally use Skyscanner whenever I look for cheap flights. It gives fare options spread over a month to find exactly when’s most affordable. It has particularly strong coverage of budget flights, searching over 1,000 airlines in total. 

Tip: For extra savings, you can use Shopback when booking your airfare and lodging to get cashback on every transaction. Get your FREE P100 savings here!

Book while everyone is asleep

Seat sales usually start at midnight. The number of people trying to load the website may lead to a slower internet speed than usual, so a fast, reliable internet connection will be an advantage! If this happens, you can wait for an hour or two after the promo begins. Just remember to go for odd hours of the day to get less competition.

Skip all the add-ons 

Choosing seats and other add-ons like meals and travel insurance can take so much time. You can skip all of these add ons and just modify your booking once confirmed.

Search for one-person flights even if you’re booking for multiple people.

If you search a flight for multiple seats, the airline might hike up prices. Instead, search for a flight for just one person and book it for multiple people later. If you are booking for more than three persons, it’s better to book them by batch in 2-3 persons. If you indicate all your companions at once, there’s a high chance that seats will appear as SOLD OUT. But when you try to book between 2-3 pax only, you’ll be surprised that promo seats are still available. 

Book a less popular destination

This doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your dream destination! If you want to go to a beach, you can opt for Palawan rather than Boracay. You can also target less popular seasons to avoid crowds and score lower hotel deals.

Consider buying a one-way ticket

Booking a round trip ticket in and out of the same city may seem the easiest, but not always the cheapest option. Sometimes, booking two one-way tickets can save you a lot of money. For example, let’s say you’re planning to go to Taiwan. You can fly into Taipei but then fly back to Manila out of Kaohsiung if the deals are cheaper than Taipei. This way, you can get to explore different cities as well. 

Remember, thousands like you want to score cheap flights, but the promo seats are limited. If you want to book your next travel destination during the seat sale rampage, better yet, be prepared with these tips so you can save time and effort.

Be prepared on your next travel!