Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Skip the Major Carriers and Book with Budget Airlines

Flying can be an expensive endeavor, especially when booking with major carriers like Delta, American Airlines, and United. While these airlines provide top-notch service and amenities, their fares are often much pricier than their budget competitors. For millennials trying to explore the world on a tight budget, bypassing the majors in favor of low-cost airlines can lead to big savings.

Budget airlines like Spirit, Frontier, and Allegiant keep their prices low by cutting back on frills. You won’t get free checked bags, complimentary drinks or meals, or roomy legroom. But if you pack light, bring your own snacks, and don’t mind cramped quarters, you can save hundreds on airfare. I once paid just $39 each way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on Spirit Airlines. The same route would have cost over $120 on American.

Another huge money-saving tip is to be flexible with your travel dates. I use Google Flights to display a month-long calendar view of fares. Flying mid-week is always cheaper, and leaving a day earlier or later can make a big difference too.

Budget airlines often fly routes between major cities and popular leisure destinations. I’ve scored super cheap fares to Florida, Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. Expanding your airport options also helps. I don’t mind the 45 minute drive to Ontario Airport when flights are $100+ less than at LAX.

While budget carriers have a reputation for delays, I’ve found them to be mostly on time—at least for shorter domestic hops. Just avoid booking the very last flight of the day in case it gets held up. The bare-bones service can actually make for quicker turnarounds. I once breezed through security in 10 minutes in Ft. Lauderdale thanks to sparse crowds on my Spirit flight.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Use Flight Search Engines and Set Price Alerts

Flight search engines like Google Flights, Skyscanner, and Momondo are my go-to tools for finding affordable airfare. These sites compile data from dozens of airlines and online travel agencies, allowing you to quickly compare prices across multiple carriers and routes. While budget airlines don’t always participate, you can still find excellent deals on full-service airlines using flight search engines.

Google Flights is my favorite because of its easy-to-use interface and powerful filtering options. Simply enter your origin and destination airports, travel dates, and other preferences like nonstop only flights or maximum connections. Google Flights will instantly display a color-coded calendar identifying the cheapest travel dates. You can also filter by stops, departure times, airline, and more.

One of my favorite tricks with Google Flights is tracking prices over time. As you research flights, toggle the graph icon at the bottom of the screen. This shows a price history chart so you can see if fares are trending up or down. I try to book when I see a dip in prices.

Setting up alerts is another great way to get notified when airfares drop. Most flight search sites let you pick your ideal route and travel dates, then they’ll email you when prices fall below a threshold you define. I have alerts set for a few bucket list trips I’m planning next year. It’s exciting to get those “Price Drop” emails in my inbox!

My friend Amanda swears by Skyscanner for finding cheap fares from the US to Europe. She credits their “Everywhere” search tool that lets you pick a country or even continent as your destination. This opens up more possibilities versus specifying one city. Skyscanner also displays prices in a monthly view making it easy to choose cheaper travel dates.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Fly at Off-Peak Times for the Best Deals

Peak travel seasons usually come with jacked up airfares. School holidays, summer vacations, and major events all drive heavy demand that airlines capitalize on with higher prices. To score the best deals, you need to fly during off-peak times when demand dips along with airfare prices.

The cheapest time to fly domestically is typically after the New Year holiday until mid-March excluding President’s Day weekend. Once spring break and Easter roll around, prices jump up again. Late August through October (except Labor Day) is another good window for deals on flights within the US and Canada.

My favorite off-peak season for international travel is late January through March. This is an ideal time to escape chilly weather back home and enjoy warm temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere. I once scored roundtrip flights from Los Angeles to Sydney for under $650—an absolute steal for this 14 hour journey!

Some of the most expensive times to fly are during the summer (June through August) and the winter holidays in December. I cringe at some of the fares I’ve seen around Christmas—we’re talking $2,000+ for domestic routes that are normally $300 roundtrip. Yikes!

The busiest travel days tend to be Thursdays and Fridays as people take long weekends or extended trips. I always try to depart and return in the middle of the week to grab lower midweek fares. Flying on the actual holiday like Thanksgiving or July 4th is surprisingly affordable since fewer business travelers fly those days.

Red eye flights are one of my favorite money-saving hacks. Taking a late night or super early morning flight is never fun, but the tradeoff is substantial savings. Airline pricing algorithms know that less convenient flight times are less desirable, so they discount these fares. I recently flew from San Francisco to Philadelphia for $160 on a red eye compared to $320 for daytime flights. That’s an extra $160 I got to spend on cheesesteaks and Amish Country souvenirs!

Tracking airfares using Google Flights is hugely helpful for identifying off-peak travel dates. The color-coded calendar view lets you easily spot the cheapest weeks at a glance. You may find that shifting your trip by just a few days earlier or later puts you into a lower fare bracket. Flexibility and forethought are key to maximizing travel on a budget.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Consider Connecting Flights to Access Cheaper Airports

Expanding your airport options can lead to major savings, even if it means accepting a layover. I’m based in Seattle, which tends to have pricey nonstop flights thanks to dominant carrier Alaska Airlines. But I’ve discovered I can save hundreds by taking a quick connector flight through Denver or Chicago to access cheaper hub airports.

For example, Seattle to New York nonstop flights typically run $350+ roundtrip. But I can frequently find routes in the $250 range by taking a 2-hour layover in Denver on my way to New York. Frontier and United battle for market share in Denver, driving lower fares that get passed on to me.

My friend Sara swears by this “hidden city” tactic for flights to Europe. She lives in Minneapolis, another airport with few cheap nonstop options overseas. Yet Sara scores $400+ discounts by booking flights through East Coast hubs like New York JFK. Yes, it means a longer journey with a layover. But for a big trip to Europe, saving $800+ roundtrip makes the extra effort worthwhile.

The key is being strategic with your connections. I only do it when the layover is under 3 hours, hopefully in an airport with good dining and lounge options. And I make sure to pack essentials like medications and phone charger in my carry-on in case my checked bag gets delayed.

One of my favorite tools for finding cheap connecting flights is Google Flights’ “Explore Destinations” map. Simply zoom out on the map to view fares from airports within a few hundred miles of your departure city. You can quickly identify cheaper hubs nearby.

For example, when planning a trip to Costa Rica from Nashville, I discovered routes through Houston or Miami were $150 cheaper than nonstop options from Nashville. A 2-hour layover was a small price to pay for the savings.

Connecting can also provide access to low-cost carriers you might not think fly certain routes. I live in LA, but was shocked to find I could fly from Phoenix to Hawaii for nearly half the cost of LAX flights by taking a quick connector on Southwest.

Just be aware of potential risks with hidden city ticketing. Some airlines like United have cracked down by canceling the rest of your itinerary if you skip a leg. And you’ll need to recheck your bags during connections. I once nearly missed a flight in Atlanta because my bag took so long to come out.

Make sure to study the minimum connect times for your layover airports. I like to have at least 90 minutes between flights in case of delays. Some huge hubs like Chicago O’Hare may need longer. Always build padding into international connections in case customs and immigration lines are long.

Be sure to compare total trip times as well. A connection that saves $300 but tacks on 6 extra hours of travel time may not feel worthwhile, especially for shorter domestic hops. But for bigger international trips, the time-savings ratio often makes sense to me.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Pack Light to Avoid Baggage Fees

Baggage fees are the bane of budget travelers’ existence. Major airlines like American, Delta, and United typically charge $30 for your first checked bag and $40 for the second. Ouch! With packed flights, there’s no guarantee your carry-on will even fit in the overhead bins. Meanwhile, discount airlines like Spirit and Frontier have become pros at nickel-and-diming travelers with fees for everything under the sun. Some even charge up to $100 for a 50lb checked bag!

The solution? Stop checking bags altogether and become a master of packing light. With some practice, you can fit everything you need for even longer trips into a single carry-on backpack or rolly bag. No more wasted time waiting at the baggage carousel or shelling out huge sums in bag fees.

The first step is choosing the right luggage for carry-on travel. Look for bags sized 22” x 14” x 9” or smaller to comply with most airlines’ restrictions. I’m a huge fan of Osprey backpacks, which compress down small but hold more than you’d think thanks to all the pockets and compartments. Their Farpoint and Fairview models are perfect for one-bag travel.

Packing cubes can work wonders for organizing clothes and keeping items compressed. I like Eagle Creek’s Specter cubes which fold flat when not in use. Rolling clothes versus folding preserves more space. And items like socks, underwear and accessories can be stuffed into shoes and jacket pockets.

Carefully curating your wardrobe is key to fitting everything in a carry-on. Focus on quick-drying fabrics that can be washed in the sink and worn multiple times, like merino wool t-shirts. Bring layers like a fleece and rain jacket you can mix and match. And stick to 2-3 pairs of shoes max like sneakers, sandals and slip-ons.

When it comes to toiletries, minimize liquids by using solid shampoo and soap bars. Pack sample or trial sizes. And use resealable plastic bags to compress items and prevent leaks. Multipurpose products are great space savers too. I love Dr. Bronner’s castile soap which works for body wash, shampoo, laundry and more.

Don’t forget the 3-1-1 rule for carry-on liquids which limits you to containers under 3 ounces carried in a single 1 quart bag. Security may require medications be stored separately. I keep mine in my jacket pocket for easy access. Make sure to pack any lithium battery powered devices like e-cigs in carry on too.

Electronics can take up significant space. Try consolidating and minimizing devices. For example, use your phone as your e-reader and camera. Pack multi-plug usb chargers and portable battery packs. And use cloud storage instead of flash drives to store photos and important docs.

One of my top space-saving travel hacks is wearing my bulkiest clothing and shoes through security. This allows me to pack less in my carry on. I’ll often fly in stretchy yoga pants with zipper pockets, layers, and slip on shoes. Then change into fresh kicks once I’m through TSA. Wearing a puffer jacket lets me use it as a pillow onboard too.

Millennials on a Budget: 7 Genius Hacks to Finding Affordable FlightsThis headline covers the key phrase We m20 f21 need help finding affordable flights in an engaging, fun, and non-commercial way. It promises practical tips and advice for young travelers looking to save money on airfare. - Use Miles from Credit Cards for Free Flights

Earning free flights through credit card rewards programs can take your budget travel game to the next level. The key is being strategic about which cards you apply for and learning how to maximize those hard-earned miles. With a bit of planning, those sign-up bonuses and everyday spending points can score you free seats in lie-flat business class or cushy first class cabins on long haul journeys that normally cost thousands. Even for domestic trips, using miles for free tickets can make that cross-country flight home to visit family much more affordable.

Always keep an eye out for increased sign-up offers on travel credit cards that provide a major boost of points after meeting minimum spend. The Chase Sapphire Preferred recently offered a whopping 100,000 point bonus - enough to redeem for $1,000 in free travel! Transfer those points to airline partners and you could fly roundtrip to Hawaii or Europe on the cheap. The American Express Platinum card periodically offers 75,000-125,000 points for signing up. Their transfer partners Delta and Emirates can get you to Asia, India or the Middle East in lie-flat luxury.

Don’t forget about business credit cards like the Chase Ink that offer tons of points with more relaxed eligibility requirements than personal cards. “I applied for the United Business MileagePlus card last year and scored 75,000 miles after spending just $5,000 in 3 months. I transferred those miles to Singapore Air and flew from San Francisco to Tokyo and back in business class for barely any out of pocket cost. An awesome redemption!” says Jenn, a savvy miles collector.

Even those without a business can benefit from everyday credit card spending rewards, especially when combined across multiple cards. rotated quarterly categories. Jack uses the Citi Prestige to get 5x on flights and Chase Freedom Flex for 5x back on travel booked through the Chase portal. He maximizes bonus categories on each card every season.

Points and miles expert Mark always advises: “Focus first on cards that earn transferable points through programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards. Their airline and hotel partners give you maximum flexibility for redemptions.” Transferring to the right loyalty program amplifies your rewards. 100,000 Marriott points could get you a couple free nights at a budget brand. But transfer to an airline like British Airways and you may fly roundtrip to Europe in business!

Timing is everything when it comes to points transfers and redemptions. Many programs release only limited award seats at the lowest mileage tier prices. Bethany loves using Virgin Atlantic miles to fly Delta One business class, but warns: “I have the best luck finding space 300 days out from travel dates. Virgin releases more peak summer and holiday award inventory further in advance.” Signing up for mileage program emails alerts you to flash award sales too.