Book Cheap Flights to India: 10 Essential Things to Consider
Whether it is a spontaneous trip or a long-planned holiday, booking a suitable flight is the first thing that comes to our mind. However, before pressing that “Book Flight” button, there are certain things that you should consider.
Here are ten simple but essential things to consider when you book a flight.
1.The Airport Location
If you are living in a multi-airport city or boarding a flight from there, this point is essential for you to follow. Firstly, make sure to check which location offers the best deal for you. This way, you are bound to choose the cheapest one and save a lot.
Then, make sure to check the location of your airport. It is because people do mistakenly fly into the wrong airport. Hence, make sure to avoid it. You do not want to miss your flight!
Also, make sure that you check the distance of the airport from your place. You can select the airport that is closest to you so that you can reach it easily.
Hence, before booking your flights to India, make sure to check the airports’ offers, prices, and location.
2.The Price of the Ticket
When you book airline tickets to India, getting cheaper airfares is an essential preference. Hence, you should always remember to consider the price of the ticket.
Do not pay more if you can save by paying less for the same journey. Therefore, always compare the prices. Also, many search engines can tell you if the prices can go down further. Make sure to use them in your favor.
Furthermore, look out for various deals and offers. Also, you can follow your favorite airlines on various Social Media channels. Different airlines tend to offer different prices. Go for the cheaper ones.
Thus, never book the first time you search for a fare. If you want to get the best price, you need to be patient.
3.The Baggage Allowances
You should be well aware of the baggage policy of the airline you are traveling with. Make sure to read it beforehand. Besides, these rules differ from airline to airline.
Typically, an airline will allow you to carry only a limited quantity of luggage free of cost. Further, if you want to take more, they will charge you for it.
Thus, make it a priority to plan with utmost care while packing your travel bag. Also, make sure to avoid carrying those items which you are not allowed to. Again, for this, you will have to read the baggage policy thoroughly.
4.The Flight Schedule
Another thing that you should take care of is the schedule of your flight. Therefore, always double-check the timings of your flight. Do not get confused between a.m. and p.m. departures.
Also, you can avoid booking for unnecessary accommodation if you pass up early morning and mid-night departures. Instead, go for daytime travel.
Alternatively, if you know well about the city you are traveling to, you can fly red-eye. This is because odd hour flights are usually cheap. Thus, you are sure to save on flight tickets this way.
5.In-Flight Meals
Many a time, purchasing airline tickets comes along with free in-flight meals. This is an excellent option for passengers.
However, many no-frill airlines do not provide this facility. For such situations, you should prepare beforehand what you will eat during the flight.
Do not buy food from the airport if you want to save money. You can carry some light snacks along with you. Besides, home-made food is the best option. Not only is the food you bring along healthy, but it also helps you save a few bucks from your travel budget.
6.The Ground Transit
Always plan about getting to your hotel from the airport. Otherwise, you can end up spending a lot of money.
Usually, larger cities with public transit have trains/buses at the airport. However, small towns do not have such facilities. Instead, they only have shuttles. Also, you need to book these ahead of time.
If this is the case, do so. We are confident you do not want to spend a lot of last-minute flights of these shuttles. Therefore, always check the airport website for ground transit choices before booking flights to India.
Also, you can search Google Maps for the directions to your hotel from the airport. If your hotel is nearby, you can avoid booking a cab which can cost you a lot of money.
7.Layovers and Transit time
Layovers can be cheap, but they can also be annoying and tiring in case they are long. Thus, always make sure to check for the layovers and transit time in your journey.
Also, make sure that the layover airport does not close at night. Further, if it has no transit area, it can cause inconvenience to you. Hence, before booking a layover, do check if the layover hours are convenient as per your schedule.
Besides, these layovers can be too short sometimes. Due to this short transit time, a lot of passengers miss their connecting flights. Therefore, if your first flight gets delayed, you can miss your connecting link too.
We are sure you do not want that. Therefore, always double-check before booking your flight tickets to India.
8.Travel Insurancea
Mostly, people miss out on travel insurance while planning a trip. However, you should not avoid it. Besides, traveling to some destinations make it essential to get travel insurance.
So, the next time you are traveling in monsoon season or snowier months, make sure to check the “Add Booking Insurance” box before checking out. Also, in case of health issues, you should get travel insurance too.
9.Direct vs. Non-stop Flights
If you have found yourself a direct flight to India, it does not always mean that you will be flying without a single stop in between. Sometimes, your plane can stop at an airport in some city during the journey. Thus, a direct flight is not always non-stop.
So, avoid adding additional hours to your travel time by booking a non-stop option. However, there are times when you will not get a non-stop flight. During such occasions, book the flight which takes the lowest number of hours to get to your destination.
10.Passport Validity
We have kept the most crucial point for the last. Always make sure that you know about the passport requirements for your destination.
There are a few countries that demand their visitors to have a passport that is valid for at least 5-6 months from the departure date. Hence, even if you are traveling with an active passport, you can still get denied at immigration.
If you are visiting India, make sure that your passport is up to date before booking low-priced flights to India. Thus, avoid any unnecessary hassle by making sure that your passport is valid. Also, getting it updated before your trip is a smart move.
Consider the above things in order to book flights to India that suit all your needs. Hence, stay prepared and have a pretty good flying experience.