I have an unexplained gift such that I can find incredible travel deals; so incredibly cheap that my friends don't believe the price I've spent on a trip. I just booked the annual trip that my boyfriend and I take each year. For 2019, we will be visiting Santorini, one or two more islands, and Athens, Greece. Flights for each person totaled $1000.
Cost Breakdown:
-Flight from LAX to Santorini: $300
-Flight from Athens to LAX: $600
Other Cost Estimates:
-Ferry from Santorini to other Islands: ~$20-$80/island visited
How I Found Cheap Greece Flights: (And How You Can, Too!)
1. Open your browser in incognito mode. Have you ever tried to book a flight, and then the prices go up a couple minutes later? Websites know that if you're looking for a flight, there is a high possibility that you'll book the flight no matter the price. You likely aren't cancelling the flight because the price is $20 more expensive. However, if you're in incognito mode, you're "secretly" looking at flight prices and the prices likely won't shoot up.
2. Check Google Flights. Everyone has their specific search engine to find travel deals. Google Flights nicely packages the results of all search engines into one page. I looked at "LAX" to "Greece," and options from all aircraft companies came up. Pick the right flight for you, making sure to look at costs, layover times, layover locations, etc. More information to come about using Google Flights as your go-to flight search engine coming soon!
3. Compare and Contrast Flight Options. Adding on to point 2, there are a few items you want to keep in mind.
Location: Don't necessarily have your heart set on one airport. Know the region you want to go or what sites you want to see. For example, I thought my trip would start in Athens, Greece and end in Santorini. However, flights from LAX to Athens averaged $900, whereas I scored a flight from LAX to Santorini for $300. Once in Santorini, I could fly to Athens for $85 or ferry for $20-80, overall saving about $500 on my flight to Greece.
Timing: Know about what months you want to go, and be lax on the specific days. You can compare flight prices for different days on Google Flights. For example, I wanted to go to Santorini on Thursday but the minimum cost was $2500. Instead, we are flying out on Friday for $300 (for the same flight!), saving us $2200.
Perks: Here are where most of the extra costs will come from. Perks include baggage, food, drink, and other amenities on the plane. On Norwegian (our roundtrip Greece carrier), we decided to splurge $50/person to add one carry-on bag, two meals, one snack, and complimentary drinks. Other planes may have you pay a few hundred dollars for these amenities. It's up to you, your budget, and your desired experience to determine what perks you'd like. On one hand, I'm not a fan of overspending; on the other hand, this is a vacation and should be enjoyable! Bring on the complimentary wine!
4. Book your Flight! Once you find the right flight that satisfies your desired budget, amenities and perks, and timing, go for it! Book your flight and have a great time!
In this blog, I've focused on the airfare for my 2019 Greece trip. I have not booked any sightseeing events, buses, trains, ferries, etc. I will go into detail on those costs once the whole trip is booked. Stay tuned!
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