Cutting the cost of travel :: 28/01/2008 :: Airport Parking News

Tips for traveling on a smaller budget

Budget airlines have made traveling more accessible than ever, however many people taking advantage of cheap flights are coming home with wallets more empty than they had anticipated. Although some things have gotten less expensive over the years, there are many hidden costs to travel that add up, from airport parking, to travel insurance.

When shopping around for plane tickets, not only are there a number of new budget airlines such as Ryanair, offering almost impossibly cheap flights, there are also several good flight comparison sites which allow travelers to easily compare flights offered by several airlines. Comparison websites can also help travelers compare prices on travel insurance.

When selecting a flight, take into consideration the airport of arrival and departure. Many budget airlines are able to cut flight costs by using smaller, out of the way airports. Taxi rides to such airports often cost more than the flight itself. Strange as it may seem a more expensive flight from a more accessible airport with many transportation links and good deals on airport parking can prove less costly in the long run than some budget flights available.

If at all possibly, plan your vacation during the off season. Not only will you have the place to yourself, but you can also benefit from significant reductions in plane fare, hotel prices, car rental and parking at the airport. Europe in the winter is cheaper than the summer, and less crowded and the same is true for the United States and the Caribbean in the fall.

Finally, a good way to save money is to book in advance. Cruise lines, for example, have good deals on advance bookings, as do most airlines. One of the most significant discounts offered on advance bookings is available at most airport parking lots. At Gatwick, for example, cars arriving without bookings often pay up to 60 per cent more than those who arrange their parking in advance using internet booking.