Looking for Cheap Flights Home

I’m excited to explore  Alaska this summer and am  really enjoy calling Alaska my home and am looking forward to fishing, camping and seeing as much of this gorgeous state as I can during the warm summer months.  The only problem is that I’m still quite far away from all my family and friends back in New Jersey and New York City. 

Cleartrip offers an easy to use matrix on their website and loads quicker than many other cheap flight websites that I’ve used in the past.  I like that they offer a variety of international flights with currency and language options but most importantly they help me find cheap flights!

If I do fly back east this summer it will be a friend and family filled vacation.  I’ll be excited to catch up with everyone about my first year teaching in Alaska and share my upcoming plans.   I’ll share the good news with my readers first though, I got a new job in Alaska!

Next year I’m excited to move to a new school where I’ll be joining the open optional program that supports team teaching and a lot more academic freedom.  I’m still working for the Anchorage School District and excited for this new opportunity.  It reminds me of when I accepted the job at Younghoon Elementary in South Korea and couldn’t wait to start working with the new team of educators.

But this post is really about finding cheap flights so here are some of my tips after years of flying around the world.

1. Book your flights 6 months ahead of time.  

Doing your research and planning the trip in advance can save you hundreds on a cheap flight to any destination around the world.  This is easy to do if you have a work schedule like mine with specific vacation slots throughout the year.  Even if you have a more variable schedule I’m sure you can gauge when you can take some time off.  In fact, you’ll probably find even more cheap flights if you don’t have to travel when schools are out like I do so book cheap flight tickets online on Cleartrip today!

2. Look at Multicity flights

If you’re planning on visiting more than one destination you should look into multiple one-way flights or the multi-city option.  This can cut down significantly on your flying costs and also minimize your travel time so you can maximize your vacation.

3. Find Travel Deals & Credit Cards

My current favorite travel card is the Alaskan Airlines card because it lets me rack up miles on everything I buy PLUS I can get a cheap companion fare if I’m flying with a friend.  Look into the region or airline that flies near you and be sure to join their mileage program to help get cheap flights!

4. Plan your travel meals

Remember the days when your mom packed your lunch at school?  It might have been because school lunches aren’t that healthy but in all likelihood its because your family was saving a few bucks.  The good news is you can do that too when you fly!  I always make sure to bring an apple and some snacks on shorter flights and usually make myself a sandwich for a long haul because we all know that airline food isn’t exactly 5 star and can be even more expensive than your local eateries.  If you decide to eat the airline food then the best way to keep it cheap is to preorder it.  Prices are often more expensive for food bought onboard the plane.

5. Pack early and weigh your bags ahead of time!

Baggage can be one of the most costly parts of traveling these days and airlines are cashing in on our need to bring stuff with us.  To counteract this make sure you pack your bags ahead of time and weigh them.  Minimalism is your friend while on the road and if you can get away with just a carry-on then you might save some significant cash on your flight.

Well that’s all I’ve got for now.  Stay tuned for an Alaskan update about my new favorite destination here in the last frontier.  Comment below with your cheap flight tips or where you think my favorite summer spot is going to be and be sure to use Cleartrip to help plan your next cheap flight!