Flight Deals

Even the most seasoned travel agents can find it a struggle to find the best flight deals on the market. With the internet now dominating much of the travel industry, the thought of trawling through hundreds of websites to find cheap flights can seem like a never-ending battle. But if you know where to look, there are bargains aplenty to be had and you may even be lucky enough to bag yourself free flights.

Often, the best way to find good value flight deals is to book through the airline directly as this way you can avoid having to pay commission to a middle-man. Budget airlines such as easyJet and Jet2 also allow holidaymakers to compare the prices of cheap flights for different dates in a month as it is often the case that travelling midweek instead of at a weekend can save valuable funds.

Being flexible in general is the most important thing when it comes to finding cheap flights. While it may seem unappealing to travel late at night or early in the morning, the amount you save by this flexibility could be enough to buy you a slap-up meal in a fancy restaurant when you arrive, which should more than make up for losing a little sleep.

To get the most value out of their flight deals, holidaymakers should also consider the extra charges that are often added on during the booking process. It is often the case that if a flight price seems too good to be true, then it is. Customers may find that added extras such as charging to check a bag into the hold or adding travel insurance can make that cheap flight seem not such a bargain after all.

To keep added costs down to a minimum, holidaymakers should think about whether they really need to check in a large bag or whether they could make do with hold luggage. Many retailers now sell suitcases specifically designed to fit into the overhead lockers on most planes and having less room can even help you to be disciplined with your packing and avoid carrying extra weight that you don't need.

Free flights

For many people, the best way to shave pounds off the cost of a holiday is to secure free flights, but this can be easier said than done. However, there are some free flight deals out there if you follow a few simple tips.

According to money-saving expert Martin Lewis: "Free flights may sound like a pipe dream, but they are regularly possible, and not just for budget airlines, loopholes allow it for BA, BMI and more."

Some credit cards offer free flights as an incentive to sign up to them, which savvy holidaymakers can take advantage of to save them valuable spending money for their trip. Some airlines, such as BMI, Flybe and Ryanair even have their own credit cards that reward customers with free return flights just for spending money on them. But be aware that you may also have to pay hidden charges such as taxes and baggage.

Another, more traditional way to get free flights is to save Airmiles. Millions of people in the UK already collect Airmiles on everyday shopping and use them for free flights, including airline taxes, fees and surcharges. Miles can be collected at many retailers including Tesco and Shell petrol stations as well as online stores like John Lewis, eBay and Play.com.

With 6,500 miles, holidaymakers can pack their bags and travel as far as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Delhi, Barbados or Bermuda completely free of charge. Again, flexibility is key to securing these extremely cheap flights and those who are free to travel to any destination on any date will get the best deals.

Charter services also offer a good opportunity for holidaymakers to get their hands on great flight deals. Because these flights are bespoke services provided by package holiday companies, there is a chance they will not sell all the seats. If this happens it is possible to pick up a seat on one of these flights for an extremely low price. While this is not completely free of charge, it is certainly the next best thing.

There are also, of course, plenty of free flights to be won at competition websites such as activeyou.co.uk.

Cheap flights

With the expansion of budget airlines in the UK, there are now more cheap flights around than you can shake a stick at. Operators such as Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair often sell seats off for just a few pounds, allowing holidaymakers to get some sunshine for very little cash indeed.

Another way to keep the cost of cheap flights as low as possible is to avoid the travel insurance that many airlines automatically add on to the price of a ticket. By shopping around for an independent travel insurance provider, consumers may be able to save money and even find themselves more comprehensive cover, for example a policy that protects against skiing or other adventure sports.

Using screen-scraper comparison sites such as skyscanner.net is also another good way to find the best flight deals. Sites like these allow users to enter in their desired departure airport and destination, along with the days they would like to travel, and the site will 'scan' hundreds of providers to find the best flights deals.

If you know you are going away for a standard length of time – i.e. seven or 14 days – then package holidays are often the way to go. Because they often include all expenses for one up-front price, choosing a package break can sometimes work out to be more cost-effective than finding cheap flights only to get stung with a whopping hotel bill.

Better still, most package holiday providers are Atol protected, which means you will not be left out of pocket if a firm goes bust. This same level of protection does not apply to stand-alone flights.

Flight prizes

While some holidaymakers may struggle to get completely free flights, some of the promotions offered by low-cost airlines can make it seem like you are flying free of charge.

Ryanair recently launched one such promotion which saw it give away flight prizes in the form of seats for just 1p. Unlike some low prices advertised, these cheap flights included all of the taxes and charges, meaning that a family could travel on the coppers found down the back of the average sofa.

Be warned however, as these 'free flights' giveaways often sting passengers by charging them for luxury extras such as checking in hold luggage or travel insurance. Holidaymakers should make sure they check the fine print of any flight prizes they happen to scoop to ensure they do not get a nasty surprise when they reach the airport.

Lastminute.com also rewards customers with flight prizes in the form of their 'top secret' services, which only tell you the departure and arrival city, but not the airports or flight times allowing them to sell the seats at next-to-nothing prices. But that's all part of the fun!

Win flights

One of the best ways win a flight and even a full holiday is to enter competitions on websites such as activeyou.co.uk. One such flight prizes giveaway recently offered users the chance to score a break for two to New York courtesy of Skyscanner and British Airways.

But this is not the only way to win a flight at the 40+ website. Active You has also run deals with cheapflights.co.uk giving entrants a shot at scooping £250 cash towards their next holiday. With all that money in your back pocket, it would be easy to find flight deals to take you on your dream trip.

To win a flight, or any of the other offers on activeyou.co.uk such as free plants, a free cruise or even a free bed, users can simply register with their personal details.

Local newspapers and magazines are also good places to look for competitions to win free flights or cheap holidays.

Holiday operator Thomson recently launched a promotion offering the chance to win £1,000 to spend towards the cost of a dream trip of your choice.

So however you choose to take advantage of the cheap flights a bargain breaks out there, you are sure to find plenty of ways to save vital cash to spend when you arrive.