If you’ve ever done an online search for flights, hoping to save a bit of money, using a site such as Skyscanner for example, you will no doubt have seen that indirect flights can sometimes come up considerably cheaper than when you opt to fly direct.
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Before you discount the idea altogether, hear me out. I’ve flown indirect a few times, and the last time was when I flew to Orlando via Atlanta. At the time there weren’t that many direct flights to Orlando, because it was coming up to Christmas and it was obviously a popular time, but my indirect flight only added a little time onto my travel day, and saved me plenty.
Obviously if you see an indirect flight for a low price and it is going to add hours on end to your day, meaning you’re going to be more jetlagged and tired than you normally would be, then it’s not an option for you, but if you find one that’s not too bad, it’s something you should certainly consider.
An add-on that could save you money and cut out stress and time before you arrive at the airport is opting to drive yourself to the terminal door. If you’ve gone for the indirect route, or even if you’re just flying long-haul in a direct manner, you don’t need to be adding extra time onto proceedings, because let’s face it, you’re traveling for long enough as it is. I found driving myself meant I didn’t have to go all around the houses on a long-winded coach journey, and I didn’t have to stress myself out with packed trains. I recently booked Gatwick parking with Holiday Extras, and my airport day ran much smoother as a result of not having to stress about public transport. The money saved was quite handy too!
If you’re going with indirect, it’s always a good idea to try and keep to one airline if at all possible. You don’t have to do this, and if you find split booking with a different company saves you lots, then go for it. However, if you book with the same company, then generally you only have to check in your luggage once, and you will receive all your boarding passes at that one check in. This stops you having to collect your luggage and check in again to your connection. If you only have a short amount of time at your connecting airport, any time saved helps.
It’s certainly a consideration to make, so don’t totally rule out the idea of connections and indirect flying, because at the end of the day, as long as it doesn’t put you out too much, it saves you money, and it gets you from home to your destination safely, then that’s all that matters.
