Flight tickets have become much cheaper in recent years, but they are not exactly peanuts. Certain things can end up costing a lot. Fortunately, there are ways to get around it. Here are a few smart ways to find the cheapest flights to nearly anywhere.

Fly budget
It may not be to everyone’s taste, but once you get around the fact that the flight is just a means to get you from one place to another, you will be happier for it. Airlines today have budget carriers that offer travel for a fraction of the cost. You may have to pay for extras like food and baggage, but unless you plan to buy a huge meal or have a lot of baggage, you will still pay a lot less than flying with a traditional airline.

Be flexible
Peak tourist season always sees flights priced higher. Therefore, the best way to cut costs is to travel during off-seasons when airlines offer good deals to attract customers. Traveling during weekdays is also a cost-saver. Most people tend to travel during the weekend when they’re off work, the kids are home, and everyone has time in hand. This leads to a surge in the ticket prices. So choose a weekday to travel when there are fewer folks flying. Unless you absolutely can’t, try to catch a red-eye flight. Most people don’t like traveling in the wee hours, so you’re much likely to get cheaper tickets.

Use a search engine
Scouring the Internet for cheap flights can take forever. A faster way to do it is by using an airline search engine and travel fare aggregator like Skyscanner. Here’s what it offers:
The website does the searching for you and presents a list of available traditional and budget airlines along with details of fares, stops, etc.
Skyscanner also provides access to accommodation in various cities. As with the flight search, it collates information on available hotels and hostels along with the price. Once you’ve made your choice, it directs you to the hotel/travel agent where you can make your booking.
You can also hire car rentals and camper vans and book airport transfers through the website.

Make use of a reward program
Airlines usually have a frequent flier reward program where reward points are awarded to customers for every flight booked on their or their partner airlines. Once you’ve accumulated a substantial number of points, they can be redeemed for award tickets that cost very less or may even be free.

Stay updated
As unattractive as this may sound, signing up to receive updates from airlines and travel search engines can make you privy to the latest deals, some of which may be valid for only a day or two. Instead of checking websites for offers every day, you get them delivered to your inbox. Aside from low airfare, you may also receive special offers on accommodation, car rentals, and the like to sweeten the deal.