Keep your travel dates flexible. If you're able to travel on short notice or pick your travel dates according to the best available price, you have a huge advantage. Cancellations, pricing wars and undersold flights create opportunities for international travelers to save big bucks on flights if they are able to fly on the spur of the moment or don't have travel dates that are set in stone.
Travel during the off season. International flights are cheapest during non-peak travel times. You can save tons of money by hitting popular destinations at unpopular times, so avoid traveling on holidays and during traditional vacation times.
Seek out the best deals. Frequently check the fares of domestic and international carriers. Be on the lookout for special promotions and short term sales. Contact consolidators and ticket brokers. Don't overlook all-inclusive deals and travel packages that include hotel accommodations and rental cars that might cost less than the price of airfare alone. With a little legwork, it's possible to save up to 80 percent on international airfare.
Purchase tickets in advance. Airlines love passengers who purchase tickets in advance and often show their appreciation by offering discounted airfares. If you need to travel abroad on set dates, book your flight in advance. Chances are the farther in advance you book the more you'll save. After you've purchased your tickets, continue to periodically check ticket prices for your flight. If prices go down on your flight, some airlines will issue a price adjustment or a voucher in the amount of the difference.
Book less popular flights. The popularity of flights will vary according to your destination, but in general, mid-week, very early and very late flights tend to be less full. Contact your carrier and find out which flights to your destination typically have an abundance of empty seats. Airlines will sell seats on those flights at a discount in order to make them as profitable as possible.
Consider connecting flights. Nonstop flights are in high demand because travelers want to get to their destinations as quickly and conveniently as possible. This means connecting flights offer opportunities for savings to travelers who are willing to accept them.
Take advantage of round the world tickets (RTW) if you're planning on doing a lot of traveling -- especially in the same direction or within the same hemisphere. RTW tickets allow you to make multiple stops and travel a specified amount of miles over a fixed period of time (usually within one year) and generally cost much less than the price of purchasing individual one-way tickets between stops.
Check your discount eligibility. There are discounts for senior citizens, students, government employees, members of the military, patients traveling for medical reasons and the bereaved -- not to mention the many affiliate programs for those who patronize certain hotel chains, hold particular credit cards or are members of some labor unions. The bottom line is discounts abound. Ask your carrier about discounts you may qualify for.
Use your frequent flier miles. Frequent flier miles can shave the cost of international flights all the way down to zero. So rack up those miles and bring on the savings. Sign up for frequent flier programs through airlines, hotel chains, credit card companies and various affiliate programs.
Become an air courier. Air couriers agree to accompany important parcels -- often to foreign countries -- in exchange for deeply discounted airfare. Although the discounts available today aren't as high as they once were, this is still an option worth looking into for solo travelers looking to save a few bucks.
