For the past years, I have been buying my flight tickets 2-3 months before my scheduled flight and most of the time they are more expensive. Lately, I have found out that buying your flight tickets as early as 5-6 months makes a lot of difference. So, since then, I made sure to plan and study my calendar one year ahead and consider the period to purchase my flight ticket which is 5-6 months before. The main consideration or reason why buying your flight ticket very early is because it would be very cheap.

At the advent of Online transactions, most of the travellers choose to schedule and purchase their flight tickets through online on the flight carrier’s website or to flight ticketing platforms. However, since I don’t have a Credit Card (although Debit Cards are also allowed but the limit of online purchase is only P 30,000.00 which is below the flight ticket’s price), it is impossible for me use these online websites and travel platforms. With this situation, I have to resort to asking my Travel Agency to do the purchasing for me which was the way I have been doing through the years. The Travel Agency will advise you about the terms “Peak and Low Seasons” of travellers. Peak Season means more expensive flight tickets and Low Season means cheaper flight tickets where your savings would be added for your accommodation and food expenses.

In my personal opinion, choosing a Travel Agency is the best option for the first time travelers. I am so glad that I have been using a Travel Agency since in the 1980s and the staff would always give me the best option (cheapest deal!) Of course, the Travel Agency would always advise and answer your questions if you have doubts about purchasing your round trip ticket. The travel agent will inform you about the “High and Low” peak seasons of travellers. And by the way, I always pay in cash.

As part of your planning, make sure to find out if you need a VISA to visit a country. This is the document that will be attached to your Passport which allows you to visit the country you are going or visit. The Travel Agency will advise you if you need to apply for a Visa depending on the country you are visiting. In all the Southeast Asian countries to include Hongkong and Macau, citizens of the Philippines do not need any Visa to visit these countries.

As an advise, you can start experiencing in traveling abroad by choosing places that are very near the Philippines. In my opinion, Hongkong is the best destination to experience your first travel abroad. The reasons will be explained in my next blog post!

Thanks for reading and for your support.