Do you dream of waking up to the sun rising over a beautiful Italian vineyard or sipping coffee in a quaint Parisian café?
This vision remains a dream for some, but others make becoming an expat and living abroad an actionable goal.
If you’re among the latter, moving abroad often starts with many mundane yet necessary tasks like booking your flight. So, how do you ensure that the price of airfare doesn’t dampen your dreams of international living?
Exploring the world as an expat begins with finding the right flight.
Low travel costs can make the difference between a dream deferred and a life-transforming move abroad. Thankfully, a few savvy tools can help simplify this process significantly.
1. Use Momondo As Your Gateway To Global Travel
Momondo is a vibrant global travel search site known for its colorful interface and comprehensive search options. It compares prices for flights, hotels, and car rentals, helping you find the best deals available.
How to Use
You can enter your departure and destination airports along with your travel dates. Momondo scans through various airlines and booking sites, presenting you with numerous options. Remember to use features like the price calendar and price alert to stay updated on fare changes and snag the best deals.
Unique Feature
The Flight Insight feature is handy for popular routes as it provides insights into how prices change depending on the day of the week, the time of year, and how far in advance you book.
2. Use Skyscanner For Flexibility At Your Fingertips
Skyscanner is flexible, making it ideal for those with open-ended travel plans. This tool helps users find the cheapest flights, hotels, and car hires.
How to Use
You can just input your travel details and explore the whole month or cheapest month search options to find the lowest fares available across various dates. Skyscanner also offers the option to set up alerts for your specific routes to monitor price changes.
Unique Feature
The Everywhere search function is perfect for spontaneous travelers or those still deciding on their new expat destination. It shows the cheapest destinations from your selected departure airport.
3. Use Google Flights For Quick & Efficient Planning
Known for its speed and user-friendly interface, Google Flights offers a straightforward way to scan for the cheapest flights.
How to Use
Enter your planned travel details, and Google Flights will quickly display airline options. You can use filters to adjust for stops, preferred airlines, and flight times, making your search more targeted.
Unique Feature
Google Flights is seamlessly integrated with other Google services, providing features like price trend predictions and direct links to book flights through airline websites.
Bonus Smart Travel Tips For Soon-To-Be Expats
☑︎ Compare Across Platforms
Always compare prices across Momondo, Skyscanner, and Google Flights to ensure you get the best deal.
☑︎ Book in Advance
Book your flights 2–3 months before international trips to secure lower rates.
☑︎ Off-Peak Travel
Consider flying during off-peak seasons or weekdays to reduce travel costs.
Integrating these tools and techniques into your travel planning strategy will save money and time, make your transition abroad smoother, and create a more enjoyable expat experience.
Remember, every dollar saved on travel expenses is a dollar that you can spend enjoying your new life overseas.
As you start your journey into expat life, remember these tips and tools to help transform a complex relocation process into something more manageable and exciting.
What questions do you have?
Ask me anything, or share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. If you have already sold your belongings, leave a tip for those just starting out.
