With the price of air travel at an all-time high we all want to find ways to save a buck on airfare. More money saved on flights means more money splurged on the vacation, right? While most of us are limited to certain travel dates for our family vacation it does not mean we can’t find ways to save some money on the least fun part of the trip – the flight.
Saving money on a plane ticket to Costa Rica
While there are several deals that can be found for the last-minute traveller, it is best to book at least two to three months in advance to get the best prices on airfare. Either way, there are ways to make sure you get the best price for your schedule.
Here are some tips that can help you save on airfare:
[if !supportLists]· [endif]Book on a Wednesday or Thursday. Experts say that booking an international flight on Wednesdays and Thursdays will give you the best price on your flight. Those travelling domestically should book their flight on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Use a VPN (a virtual private network) to hide the location of where you are searching. Without a VPN, the search engine you are using knows where you are trying to search from, which can cause your ticket prices to be higher. Some countries actually pay higher prices than others.
Book in a different currency. Check different currencies when booking your flight. Some booking companies charge a little more or less based on the currency you choose.
Search for flights in incognito mode on your phone or tablet or open a private window on your computer. Travel websites and airlines will track your searches and gradually raise the price of your desired trip. Once you have searched for a flight in your search engine of choice, cookies will leave a trace so every time you search for the same flight the prices will have increased.
Google Flights is one of the best tools for finding cheap flights online. Google Flights is not an online travel agency (OTA) like Expedia, Kayak, or other popular travel search engines. Google Flights is a global distribution platform to which airlines directly publish their airfare. This way you can book your flight with an actual airline and cut out the middleman OTA. Best of all, you can search over a month’s worth of flights to help you find the cheapest possible days to fly. It will even alert you if shifting your travel dates by just a day or two could save you some money.
Scott’s Cheap Flights is a membership that lets you choose which airports you want to fly out of and watches for any deals that come along. You can also watch for deals to specific destinations.
Skyscanner allows you to set alerts for specific and non-specific destinations, airlines, and dates. Find it at www.skyscanner.com (US site), or www.skyscanner.ca (Canadian site).
Kayak is another popular site to search for cheap flights by destination.
Skiplagged uses “hidden city fares” to help find cheaper flights by purchasing a flight with a layover in the city you want as your final destination.
Airfare Watchdog searches over 20,000 routes to help you locate the best fares available every day.
You can even try searching for cheaper flights by using websites that use error fares, which are promotions airlines put out by accident. You have to act fast to get these deals, however, as once the airline discovers the error, they will correct the fares:
There are many ways to save money on flights and these are just a few tips and websites that you may not have thought of, but now that you know better, you can do better. So, ditch the cold and book a trip to Costa Rica!
Indulge in a luxury villa rental in Costa Rica
Now that the flights for your family vacation in Costa Rica are taken care of, you just need to book your accommodations. And since you saved all that money on your fights, you can indulge in a luxury villa in Costa Rica!
Pura Vida House is an all-inclusive vacation rental in the exclusive Hacienda Pinilla Resort near Tamarindo. You get all the privacy of a luxury rental home with all the amenities and security of a high-end resort. Guests of Pura Vida House can choose the four-bedroom villa or add on the additional two-bedroom villa located on the other side of the private swimming pool for a total of six bedrooms and ensuites with tropical outdoor showers. Our luxury villa rental can sleep up to 17 guests for the ultimate family vacation!
While our luxury villa includes housekeeping, laundry, and all of the household and beach items you need for a family vacation in Costa Rica, one of our guest’s favourite services has got to be our in-house chef. Our chef prepares international and traditional Costa Rican food to your family’s liking and dietary requirements.
Our 24-hour concierge services mean you can count on us to book anything you want to do during your trip, such as deep-sea fishing, surfing lessons, ziplining, and day trips to discover more of what Costa Rica has to offer. We even provide a shuttle to take you to nearby Tamarindo or Flamingo Beach for a day trip to see the towns.
Best day trips from Pura Vida House
Speaking of getting the best bang for your buck, guests at Pura Vida House get exclusive access to Hacienda Pinilla’s Beach Club included in their stay. We are the only luxury villa to offer free Beach Club access, which normally costs $280 per person per week. The Beach Club at Hacienda Pinilla features a giant infinity pool, an ocean-view gym, a yoga studio, and a restaurant and bar. You also get easy access to three incredible Costa Rican beaches at the Hacienda Pinilla Resort, with beautiful Playa Avellanas directly in front of the Beach Club.
If you are thinking about staying in luxury villas in Costa Rica during your family vacation, please contact us with any questions at (614) 600-1904 or info@thepuravidahouse.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Blog by: Jennifer LaCharite – Costa Consultants, International