Air travel can be a stressful endeavor. From long lines and frustrating logistics to uncomfortable seats and disappointing food, even a 3-hour plane trip can be an exasperating experience. And that’s all without even factoring in the huge cost of flying in the first place.
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Thankfully, there are ways to make the flying experience much more enjoyable. Not too long ago, TIME compiled a list of 29 awesome travel hacks that might even include a few surprises for seasoned fliers. From start to finish, the list contains a number of gems that are worth highlighting.
One of the more ingenious tips listed is that it’s possible to save money on air travel if you pretend you’re somewhere else when booking the trip.
Where a ticket is purchased, called its “point of sale,” can affect its price thanks to something called “regional pricing.” Basically, the price of a ticket will be lower in a country with a lower standard of living or when travel companies are trying to break into a new country, according to travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt.
Harteveldt says you can find different ticket prices for the same flight on Expedia.com and Expedia.co.jp, the Japanese version, as well as for internal foreign flights on an international carrier’s website by changing your “residence” to the airline’s home country. The only thing to watch out for is that you’ll be seeing prices in local currency, so make sure to do the math and convert them.
Another clever travel tip designed to save you some cash, and one which you might already be aware of, is that sometimes purchasing two one-way tickets can be less expensive than purchasing one roundtrip ticket. While this isn’t always the case, it’s certainly something to keep in mind when trying to keep the cost of flying within a reasonable budget.
On a related note, you might also want to check out the website Skiplagged. As we’ve previously covered, the site makes it easy for travelers to unearth secret airline fares and hidden city ticketing options that may not ordinarily be visible or readily apparent on travel websites.
TIME’s list also includes nifty packing tip that’s worth mentioning. When packing a suitcase, make sure to place your heavier items at the bottom. This should make your bag much easier to roll around as you won’t have to worry about a top-heavy bag tipping over or being frustratingly unwieldy to lug around.
Make sure to hit the source link below for the full run down of travel tips. There are a lot of good ones worth checking out.
