Travel has never been cheaper. Competition between airlines is fierce and the cost of tickets has dropped drastically in recent years. Yet, there are ways to find even cheaper airfare. If you are planning a trip and want to save big on tickets, check out the tips given below.

Book last minute
It may seem like the worst thing to do, and granted there are risks, but booking last minute can often yield huge savings. Airlines cut prices drastically when they cannot fill up seats. The best way to stay updated is to subscribe to mailers. You will be among the first to be informed if last-minute offers like airline tickets from $49 or even less are on. Keep a bag packed and ready in case you have to leave the next day or the day after that.

Be flexible
If you are dead set on traveling to a particular destination or traveling at a particular time, you won’t really be able to save much. You need to be flexible on both fronts. A good way to do this is to have several locales in mind and forget about flight timings. The goal is to get to your destination and it should not matter whether you need to travel at 5 am or 12 am.

Try to avoid weekend trips
It makes sense to travel on the weekends, if you are saddled with work. However, everyone has the same thought, which means flights will be booked solid. Any remaining tickets will cost a bomb too. Unless you really need to take a trip on the weekend, try to travel on a weekday. It is easier to get airline tickets from $49 during weekdays.

Check social media
Airlines are taking to social media to advertise flights. If you are not on it much, it is time to start and keep an eye on offers and deals. Anytime you see one, check out the details quickly. Deals like these come and go in a flash because travelers looking for cheap flights from $49 also rely on social media sites for updates.

Rethink round trips
Travelers tend to look at round trip flights because it seems easier to get things booked at the outset. However, many airlines today offer cheap one-way fares. Unless you find a sweet offer like roundtrip deals from $58 or something similar, consider one-way bookings and that too from different airlines. Just because airline X has cheap tickets from point A to B, it does not mean it will offer the same price from point B to A.

Be a frequent flier
There is an advantage to flying frequently. You can cash in on air miles you have earned and book tickets at throwaway prices. You may even get free tickets! Join a frequent flier program or check your bank to see if using credit cards entitles you to special offers and rewards.

Do not let a tight budget stop you from enjoying traveling. There are always ways to cut costs and save money for other more important things. The tips given here can be followed by anyone going on a domestic or an international travel.