Travel Tips: Cost Saving Ticket Prices.
When coming to a workshop, the cost of travel is obviously a major consideration. Many fly to Europe from all over the world, and such flights can carry a hefty price tag. Fortunately, since we have been doing this for quite a long time, we’ve pulled together some very useful tips on booking flights and getting the best ticket prices.
Black Friday Specials
If you’re reading this around Thanksgiving (in the US) then you’re lucky, because we’re coming up on perhaps the very best time of the year to book flights: Black Friday – Cyber Monday! Flights on those days can be considerably cheaper with deep discounts.
If you can, you should book your flights on these days.
However, read on for tips on booking flights at any other time of year.
Cost-Saving Traveling Tip at Any Time of Year
Once you’ve decided where to travel, your next step is to go online and search for tickets. Did you know that flight-booking websites store your searches on their platforms and the rates you have been given? You may have noticed that as you click around, the costs start to rise. These sites start raising prices when you refresh your results (usually after the third time) to prompt you to “buy now before another increase”.
How to avoid this problem. Go Incognito.
Use “private browsing” or “incognito mode” while you surf. This is a setting on your browser that allows you to visit websites without them “recognizing” you from previous visits. Here’s how to set your browser in this mode:
Windows, Linux, or Chrome operating systems: Press Ctrl + Shift + n.
Mac: Press ⌘ + Shift + n.
Recommended Booking Sites.
Shirley, our team member, finds Google Flights to be the most straightforward booking site, easy to customize and clear about pricing.
Other good options are: Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak or Flyus.
Things To Watch.
Cheap airlines: You might save a bundle by flying to a major European airport and then hopping on a low-cost inter-European airline—but this can have serious drawbacks. If your initial flight gets delayed and you miss the next one, you could lose the money you spent on that cheap flight, as there may be no reciprocal agreement between those airlines. You would have to buy another ticket. You also might have to fork out the money for an Airbnb or hotel. Travel insurance may help, but it won’t get you there faster and you still have to file a claim to the insurance company, which is even more work.
Ideally, obtain your ticket direct from the airline so you can make changes if necessary. It’s not always the same price, but it could save real money, time and stress in the long run.
Extra bag: If you use multiple airlines, you may pay more for checking your bag or carrying an extra bag, as each airline could charge separately for their leg of the flight.
Air France Senior Discount: If you fly by Air France and are over 60 years old, you may qualify for a senior discount. Contact Air France directly to see if you are eligible.
Happy Hunting
These tips apply to travel all year. Good luck in finding the best deal on your airfare. You can use your savings to buy yourself something very special in our retail therapy sessions at the openair markets in France and Italy.
Photo credits: Jonathan Kemper, Patrick Tomasso. Unsplash.com
Blogger: Shirley Hambrick
Shirley Hambrick is an award-winning stained-glass artist and painter. She has lived in Scotland, Spain and the USA. Shirley is part of the Workshops in France team and attended over 20 of these trips. She writes about her adventures.
Being Scottish, she was trained at Edinburgh College of Art and Design. Shirley teaches in the West Virginia area and you can some of her beautiful work here.
Check out more blogs about art workshops, tips and hacks for artists traveling in France, Scotland and Italy.
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