Tricks For A Handy Flight Booking To Mumbai
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is one of the busiest airports in India. With 34.8 million domestic passengers travelling through its premises between 2018 and 2019, the city is a popular destination for business and leisure, as well as an important layover point.
Mumbai connects with other metros like Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Bengaluru to form some of the most saturated domestic flight routes in India. Throughout 2021, the Government of Maharashtra has maintained firm travel guidelines for all out-of-state arrivals, asking them to furnish a negative RT-PCR test report for entry. This, coupled with limited air bubble arrangements, was thought to deal an irreparable blow to air traffic.
However, flight ticket bookings are rising once again, as travellers feel optimistic about the second wave of COVID-19 finally being under control.
If you’re flying to Mumbai anytime soon, try these 10 insider tricks to bag the cheapest fares:
- Delete your search history
Prices surge when you repeatedly visit an airline’s website. This is because they want you to feel a sense of urgency that pushes you to book tickets immediately.
To avoid getting tracked, delete your search history, and clear your computer/phone’s cache and cookies. This will remove all stored data about your interest in a flight ticket to Mumbai from the booking portal. You can also try browsing in Incognito Mode to look for any price differences.
- Sign up for price drop alerts
Airline websites, apps, and travel booking platforms like ixigo send instant push notifications about reduced fares to help customers grab the best deals. Keep these alerts on, so you can quickly make use of any special offers or limited-time discounts.
- Check airfare charts for the month
If your flight date is flexible, then check the airfare charts thoroughly during your booking. Often, the lowest fare from your city to Mumbai maybe a few days before or after your desired departure date. The cheapest tickets are usually marked in green. Airfare may also vary based on your ticket class.
- Redeem coupons and credit card offers
Airlines and online travel booking agents often release attractive flight booking coupons. They allow you to redeem credit shells, gain instant discounts, win vouchers or earn points by using certain credit cards or by referring friends. Keep an eye out for such opportunities to get the best deal on your flight booking. Such offers may be seasonal, such as during Christmas, or as part of a promotion with other brands.
- Use frequent flyer miles
If you’ve signed up for a reward programme, then airlines offer reduced fares and bonus features on your ticket in exchange for any frequent flyer miles you collect. They can be redeemed at the time of booking.
- Compare different airlines
Low-cost carriers may not have the quickest routes or most refined services on board, but they offer the most economical prices for a last-minute trip. For an economy flight to Mumbai, you can compare different budget airlines to see who’s offering the most reasonable price on a certain date.
P.S. A cheaper ticket may eat away at certain amenities, such as your baggage allowance. If an airline seems up your alley, make sure to check their official website to note anything you may have to adjust for.
- Search for app-specific cashbacks
Travel booking apps can offer many cashback opportunities for passengers buying domestic airline tickets. When booking your ticket to Mumbai, you can download a few to check for promotions or instant returns. Each app will usually have a tie-in with a bank or online wallet provider that enables this process.
- Avoid flying during rush hour
Flights scheduled for a weekend departure will always show you higher prices, since it’s the more popular choice for travellers. Instead, book tickets for early morning or late-night flights that will depart on weekdays. It might be a little inconvenient, but you may notice a significant drop in fares. Making a flight booking after a major holiday has just ended also tends to show you lower prices.
Our Tip: Before making a booking, check if your carrier’s website has mentioned any specific requirements that passengers need to fulfill before departure. State and airline guidelines are constantly changing, and it doesn’t hurt to have all the information in advance. Apart from this, Mumbai’s COVID Control Room could help answer lingering queries.
- Book tickets yourself
Commissions from travel agencies will unnecessarily hike up the price of your ticket. Book directly from a travel booking portal like ixigo, so that you can easily compare and choose between airlines, fares, departure times and discounts at your own convenience. Be Atmanirbhar!
- Tweak your booking location
Where you’re buying your flight ticket from can affect its price. Changing your computer’s location to another city can potentially show you cheaper prices for the same flights to Mumbai. This is not guaranteed to work 24/7, but its worth a shot for travellers on a tight budget.
The ultimate key to snagging a great flight deal is to start looking early and staying alert for changes. Remember, everybody wants the cheapest fares, so they are likely to sell out first. Keep your eyes peeled, your internet connection stable, your dates flexible, and discount coupon packages at hand.
The City of Dreams is just within your reach!
Note: Some websites may recommend that you try the ‘hidden city’ method of booking, where you buy tickets on a connecting flight to a different destination with Mumbai as the stopover. The idea is to get off at Mumbai instead of completing your flight to the end, in case a direct flight to Mumbai is too expensive. We do not recommend this, as Indian flights have boarding passes with your destination airport clearly mentioned. It is unlikely that a carrier will allow you to deboard early and separately bring out your checked-in luggage, especially if there is no scheduled transfer of passengers from one aircraft to another. Our readers are advised to follow airline rules carefully and seriously, to ensure a hassle-free journey! Check out our other travel guides to get more such useful info.
