How I Choose Flights in 2024

My Standard Scheme for Choosing Flights

A plane flying in the sky

1️. Is it a Plane at All?

First of all, if the country is nearby, it may be better not to take a plane, but to travel by car/bus/train. Consider the price, time, convenience, etc.

2️. Airline

If it’s a plane, there are many options now, so I always first look at low-cost airlines – Wizzair, Ryanair.

If I consider regular airlines, I look at affordable ones like LOT, Turkish Airlines (depending on the destination), + local airlines, for example, in Italy. But we’ll discuss that further.

A low-cost ticket can cost around 10-15 euros (one way, per person). A standard ticket is closer to 100. So there’s the difference.

 Especially if you’re traveling in pairs, or even more, 3-4-5… people.

Life Hacks

Choose flights as early as possible, at least 2 months in advance, OR as close to the departure date as possible (but this is risky). Then you might find better prices.

For Wizzair, it makes sense to buy a club card for a year if you’re flying with the company more than just two people or more than twice a year. The club price is 40 EUR, but you’ll save much more because they offer special prices.

Low-cost airlines typically only allow carry-on luggage. It’s a great motivation not to haul a lot of stuff, but if needed, you can take one suitcase for one from the group. All other items should fit in your hands/backpack/bag.

If there’s an emergency and you have excess baggage (which incurs a hefty fee) – you can humorously put on all the shirts, sweaters, and jackets and go through the gate 🙂

A flight schedule display

3️. Look for flights not just from your city and NOT TO your destination city.

If there is no direct flight, for example, from Tallinn, look for flights from Riga or Helsinki.

If there’s no good option to Vienna, you can fly into Bratislava and then it’s just a one-hour bus/train ride to Vienna.

Cons: pay attention to the departure time and think about how to get there! For instance, there’s a fantastic flight from Riga, but it leaves at 5 am. You need to be there 2 hours before departure, driving from Tallinn for 2 hours.

It’s possible, of course, but it’s not ideal…

Learn geography, look at maps, be creative)

A map or flight connections

4️. Come up with layovers on your own.

Why not use services like Skyscanner, Momondo, Kiwi.com, etc.? Almost all of them don’t pull ALL airlines, especially low-cost ones, so they might not show you real options.

How to find them yourself: There are cities with large hub airports, such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Munich, etc.

Low-cost airlines from Tallinn often offer great prices to Milan and Helsinki, and from there, you have plenty of other destinations. Welcome) You can either have a layover for a couple of hours, or you can spend a day in Milan and then continue, which is also great.

Additionally. There are awesome local flights for 20 euros from Milan to Sicily, so why not?

It’s not cheap to fly from Tallinn to Sicily, but it’s quite reasonable to fly to Milan and then to Sicily.

Or consider local trains, remember those + they can be interesting.

Another option is to fly into one city with one airline, spend a few days there, then move to another city and fly from there with a different airline (e.g., Portugal — Porto/Lisbon).

Cons:

Pay attention not just to the city but also to the specific airport!

They can be several hours apart, both from each other and the city itself.

For example, we recently found an excellent flight, and everything seemed fine, except it arrived at 11 at night, and it actually takes another 2 hours from the airport to the city (even though it proudly bears the name of the capital of the country), making it a questionable pleasure.

5. Don’t search for flights to the city of your dreams, but create dreams based on flights)

If you’re generally not too picky about where to go and just want something new and interesting, then consider it from the opposite side. Go to the airline’s website that you like and check what interesting destinations and prices they offer.

And what rule I have cancelled

I couldn’t find reasonable flights without all these hidden issues. In the end, just out of curiosity, I went to check various Skyscanners and similar sites.

And guess what? I found a wonderful direct flight from Tallinn to the desired destination, not exactly cheap, of course, but at a quite reasonable price, and with comfort!

The flight is from a little-known local airline that we had never heard of before.

Conclusion: your rules and methods are your own, and who better to break and change them than you:)

I believe you have plenty of ideas on this topic.

I hope something described here will be useful to you:)

About Blogger Man 96 Articles
Nomadic Notepad : Nomadic Notepad is a passionate traveler and storyteller who finds joy in exploring the world’s hidden treasures and sharing them with fellow wanderlust enthusiasts. From uncovering the best-kept local secrets to reviewing futuristic accommodations, their blog offers a unique blend of travel guides, culinary adventures, and cultural insights. As a tech-savvy creator, Nomadic Notepad also dives into innovative travel trends, ensuring readers stay ahead of the curve while planning their next adventure. Every post is a window into a new journey, inspiring others to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary.Whether it’s strolling through animal-themed streets in Helsinki or unraveling the mysteries of Balinese traditions, Nomadic Notepad combines personal experiences with practical advice to craft immersive narratives. Join them to embrace a world of wanderlust, and let every story spark your own path to adventure!

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