Money and Flights: Getting Where You're Going Without Breaking the Budget

Flights: Your Biggest Budget Item

Budget travel can quickly become anything but if you book the wrong flight. Wow, that's a harsh way to start, but that is reality. Fortunately for you, it doesn't have to be your reality! Traveling the world on a budget, even to the most far-flung, remote places, can be easy if you know some basic ins and outs of getting cheap flights. Whether you are flying on flagship carriers or budget airlines, booking on company websites or through flight aggregators, you can easily go across the world on a shoestring budget with a just a dose of travel know-how.

Flagship and Major Carriers: Flexibility and Long-Haul Value

Wait, isn't that what the main ship of a Navy group is called? Why, yes, yes it is, and it's the same concept. A flagship air carrier is the main carrier for an airline group, alliance, or even country. For example, American Airlines is the flagship carrier for the Oneworld Alliance, Iberia Airlines is Spain's national carrier, and British Airways is the lead carrier for the three airlines which use Avios.

Flying with these types of airlines provides you all sorts of options, and can make or break your budget. These carriers operate all over the world, either independently or in cooperation with codeshare partners. If you want to be dropped off in the most far-flung destination you can think of, chances are you can get there by booking with one of these airlines.

The catch, however, is they tend to be more expensive. These carriers' business models are designed so that popular long-haul flights subsidize less-profitable flights. That said, they also tend to come with more ammenities, such as a complimentary carry-on or checked bag (or both), in-flight beverage and meal service, and flexible cancellation and rescheduling policies.

When it comes to flights which cross from the Eastern to Western hemispheres (i.e. across the oceans), you will get the most bang for your buck (or whatever your local currency is) flying with one of these carriers. You will have fewer layovers, more flexibility, and overall less hassle. The tradeoff is you will either have to 1) be willing to pay a bit more or 2) be flexible with your dates. These airlines frequently run online travel specials where you can get a cheap flight on a specific day along a popular route, so flexibility really is key.

Budget Airlines: Low Costs for Short-Haul Flights

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum are the budget airlines. Spirit and Frontier in the United States, Ryanair and EasyJet in Europe, and Peaguses and Baghdad Air in the Middle East are just a few to speak of (there are many, many more).

Outside of the United States, these airlines' business models are totally different (generally speaking). They operate on the point-to-point system, which means that the aircraft you are on goes to and from the same destinations. This means your flight is more likely to fly than get canceled than a flagship flight, whose aircraft fly long routes with multiple stopovers along the way. This also means that the airlines' operating costs in terms of crew layovers, maintenance, and even airport terminal leases are lower, which in turn translates to a cheaper flight for you.

Budget airlines are great for short-haul flights, even between continents. You can get from Europe to Africa for as little as 10 Euros on these flights! They are no-frills flights, sometimes without even reclining seatbacks, but they get you from point A to point B quickly and [relatively] painlessly.

The tradeoff for this ease comes with the "extra" charges. That 10 Euro pricepoint is what I call a "butt in seat" price, because that is all it comes with. No carry-on bag, checked bag, beverage service, nothing. Most of the time you don't even get to choose your seat. If you want anything more than your butt in a seat, you are going to end up paying for it, sometimes a lot (think 60+ Euros for that one carry-on bag!). Nonetheless, even with these add-ons, these flights still tend to be cheaper, and are great for budget and business travelers alike.

Airline Miles / Credit Card Points: A Potential Budget Saver

There is a substantial debate about the value of airline miles and credit card points these days. It used to be that 10,000 airline miles translated to 10,000 flight miles, because the only way to earn them was to fly (hence the term "frequent flyer miles"). In the age of credit cards and digital spending, the world of miles and points has changed substantially. You can get everything from a fantastic deal to a straight up rip-off with them, so knowing how to use them is key.

In a nutshell, essentially they way they work is you earn points in a variety of ways, log into an airline's or credit card company's travel portal, and browse flight prices with miles / points instead of cash. You will have to pay taxes and fuel surcharges for the flight, but everything else is covered with the points. Often times booking with points will get you a one-flight status upgrade, included baggage, and maybe some other benefits that you would otherwise have to pay for.

To get the most out of your hard-earned airline miles / credit card points (and they are hard-earned), you should use them for long-haul flights or niche destinations. Sure, you can avoid paying for a 300 dollar ticket for a three-hour flight across Europe, but that isn't much value when you compared to the 3,000 dollar ticket from Europe to Australia or the United States to the Maldives. If you have flexible travel dates, you can get some pretty major deals with airline miles on intercontinental flights, especially if you cross the ocean.

Hidden Costs and Fees: Everyone Has Them

Getting a great deal on a butt-in-seat ticket is a great feeling, but it totally loses its value if you don't pay attention to the hidden costs and fees. Here are a few things to watch out for to avoid turning your 10 Euro flight into a 300 Euro flight:

- Baggage Allowances: It used to be that your carry-on bag was free, so packing light meant a cheaper flight. That isn't the case anymore. Many airlines, especially budget airlines, are now charging for carry-on bags in addition to check bags. Sometimes they actually charge more for carry-on bags! The good news is they are generally up front about these allowances and costs, so you can pretty easily factor those in as you book your ticket.

- Seat Selection: On flagship carriers, you can generally pick your economy seat for free when you book your ticket. That is not the case on budget airlines. If you want to pick your seat, you are going to pay for it. Even some national carriers, such as Tunis Air, will make you pay to pick your seat before check-in.

- Fuel and Emissions Surcharges: This is a big one. Fuel and emissions surcharges are added into the price of a ticket to offset fuel and emissions costs. These surcharges can completely change the value of a ticket booked with airline miles / credit card points. These costs vary from country to country, and are influenced by many factors. Some of them are governed by national regulations on flagged carriers (such is the case with British Airways), some are governed by airspace (for flights crossing international borders), and some are set by the airlines themselves. Like baggage allowances, the airlines tend to be up front with these costs, but it is important to look at them before hitting that "book flight" button.

- Flight Cancellation: This can be a big one. Many airlines have a cancellation or no-show fee. This is to guarantee that they will recoup their costs if you change or miss your flight. They will probably offer your travel insurance (for a fee) to cover this cost, so it is really just best to make your flight.

Resources and Tips for Cheap(er) Flights: Become Your Own Travel Agent!

Every traveler has their own way of ensuring they get the best deals on flights, and every traveler has strong opinions about why you should or shouldn't use a certain resource. The good news is we live in the digital age, where everyone can find great flights for themselves with a little bit of research. Gone are the days of needing a travel agent to have the right contacts to get you the best deal. Here are a few resources to help you find some great deals on flights:

- Flightconnections.com: This is my #1 resource for finding flights. This website lets you put in a departure or arrival airport and see all (or at least most) of the airlines which fly from or to that airport and on which days. It is a really great resource to help you not pay exorbitant codeshare fees with multiple layovers. It's also a great way to keep you from getting stuck in a country unexpectedly.

- Skyscanner.com: Every traveler knows this one. Sky Scanner is a flight aggregator. You put in where you are departing from and where you are going to, and it scours the internet to find the best prices on many different airlines. It even has an "everywhere" option, in case you don't know where you want to go!

- Google Flights: This is very similar to Sky Scanner, but within the Google Suite. You will find a variety of routes and options here.

- Flagship Carriers: If you are booking with airline miles, searching on flagship carrier websites can provide you a wide range of options and deals with their alliance partners. Often times you will be able to book a flight with airline miles that you otherwise couldn't book directly with the airline in cash.

Parting Thoughts

As a budget traveler, flights can either be a budget breaker or a minor monetary inconvenience. There are all sorts of resources, tips, and tricks out there to help you get you where you want to go for the lowest price possible. As long as you stay aware of all of the included and non-included costs, whether you are booking with miles, points, or cash, you can fly all over the world for cheap and enjoy sights and experiences everyone back home can only imagine!