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12 Expert Tips That Will Help You Get The Cheapest Flights Possible

We asked an airline, a travel agent, and an online booking service to give us their best advice.

Gyan Yankovich
by Gyan Yankovich

Lifestyle Editor, Australia

Booking flights can be really, really stressful, particularly when you're on a tight budget.

Badahos / Getty Images

We decided to ask three travel experts for their best advice on booking the cheapest possible flights:

- Stephen Limbrick, Qantas executive manager of global sales development

- Emily Callahan, Skyscanner senior marketing manager

- Tom Walley, Flight Centre Travel Group head of leisure travel

Here's what they had to say:

1. According to online research, it's best to book your international flight 17 weeks in advance.

timeanddate.com

Apparently this will save you 5% on average.

2. If you're travelling domestically, it's best to book between four and 12 weeks in advance.

3. If you don't have a set date in mind, try searching for the cheapest month to fly.

4. Also research the peak season for the location you're travelling to and book a few days or weeks before or after that period.

5. If your destination has more than one airport, be sure to check every route from your departure city.

6. Follow airlines on social media, as they always post when they're having a sale.

Tigerair / Via Facebook: tigerairaustralia

If you've been searching for a particular flight path before, chances are that sales on that route will be targeted to you.

7. And make sure you sign up to their newsletters too.

Gyan Yankovich / Snapchat

8. If you're planning a trip to Europe or the UK, keep your eye out for early-bird specials.

9. Set up online price alerts for the route you want to take.

CBS

Most travel and airline sites will send you an alert when a price drops below a certain amount. This saves you from having to check every site daily.

10. Flying Monday through to Thursday will always be cheaper than flying on a Friday night or weekend.

11. Frequent flyer points are best used for flight upgrades, but can also be used to pay for flights if you collect enough.

12. And when booking budget airlines, always check what's included in the fare before you finalise your payment.