Do you want to know how to find cheap flights?  If you only think airlines put on deals just a few times a year you are mistaken.  I have friends that come into work and were bragging that they had taken advantage of the cheap flights and had bagged a special return ticket for $50.00.

The time that I had heard the story from my friend and then jumped on the Internet to find how to find cheap flights to join her for a weekend away…guess what?  All the cheap fares had been snapped up in moments and the same cheap fare was now $250.00 one way!

I made it my mission then to finding out the ultimate guide to finding the best flight deals going.  After speaking to many travel industry experts the following tips will help you find the best value for your dollar.

Guide on How to Find Cheap Flights:

• Start following airlines on Facebook and Twitter as airlines will murmur something on these social networking sites and sometimes offer exclusive sales to both fans and those that follow.For instance an airline in Australia invited its 100,000 Facebook fans to each vote on sale destinations and occasionally gives fans 24 hours notice before they appear on a website.  The same airline offered Twitter fans 1000 seats for 2 cents!  “They love being the first to know about our sales and entering exclusive competitions, “Jetstar chief commercial officer David Koczkar says.Air Asia marketing manager Stuart Myerscough says Facebook works well with a big sale because fans have a couple of days‘ notice before the sale starts.I am sure that these types of promotions are used all around the world with various airlines taking advantage of going viral with social networking.

•  Book early.  You are a winner already if you are travelling around prime holiday seasons or school holidays as the fares tend to get more expensive once the cheap airfares have been sold.

• Buy flights at 4.00 pm on Friday.  Several airlines release their weekly sales on Friday afternoons, and often you will see a price war as other airlines respond within the hour.

•  Fly with lesser-known airlines such as Air China, Air Korea or Air Vietnam.  People love to travel around Christmas to January period but in China their main holiday is Chinese New Year, which is at the end of January.  Knowing these customers can often obtain very good seats throughout this period.

• Ask about package deals, after all you will need somewhere to stay once you get there and often heavily discounted airfares can only be purchased as a package deal.  Often this is a double bonus as hotels at times will offer stay 6 pay for 5 or throw in kids eat for free.

•  Sign up for newsletters and then you will be contacted with specials that coming up.  If you see these early bird fares lock them in straight away, as they are limited.

Last tips on how to find cheap flights

Finally, travel outside the peak periods and avoid if possible school holiday.  Look at flying to Europe in March when the weather is still warm.  Also it is shown to be cheaper to fly mid week on either Tuesday – Thursday.

Hopefully you will not need to ask how to find cheap flights anymore, but you may wish to keep quiet about it at least until your flight is booked.