Have you found air tickets to be quite expensive lately? Be it domestic short hops or intercontinental voyages, air fares have seen a drastic rise. Hence, it is natural (and ethical by our books) to look for ways and hacks to cut costs and get discounts on air tickets. While conventional booking platforms seldom offer coupons or tips to get air tickets at low costs, that may not seem enough. There are several other tricks that may need you to be a wizard with Google Search and other related websites. What if AI could do it for you? Considering they are good enough to replace humans at jobs, Artificial Intelligence chatbots may just be what the AI Gods sent for help.
According to a finance influencer Casper Opala, an AI model helped him secure an airline ticket costing £700 at just £70. He is just one of many people who have started to utilise AI’s advanced capabilities to save money on airline tickets. Casper, thankfully, has shared insights and prompts he used to uncover hidden routes, budget airlines not listed on popular platforms, and even cheaper fares through alternate airports or separate bookings.
How does ChatGPT reduce costs?
OpenAI’s ChatGPT is now making searches faster and showing results much more quickly than other platforms. The AI Model is also assisting in monitoring ticket prices over time and comparing one-way tickets with return prices. This comparison has been used by travellers for a very long time; however, AI has made it faster and efficient. People should yet still cross-check prices since the prices shown by AI models like ChatGPT are sometimes outdated, since they are not connected to live booking systems.
However, AI is still a great hack of a tool for travellers. ChatGPT can’t produce hidden fares out of thin air, but it can reframe the way one searches, nudging them into smarter strategies like timing thier booking, trying different routes, or spotting low-cost carriers.
Prompts used by Casper:
Timing
Airline fares change in an instant, updating on the place and time of travel; therefore, Casper says timing is everything. To manage this issue, he uses prompts like:
a. What days of the week usually have the cheapest flights for [ROUTE]?
b. When is the best time to book flights from [CITY] to [CITY] for [MONTH/SEASON] according to the current data?
c. How far in advance should I book long-haul vs short-haul flights to save the most money?
d. It can also provide credit card benefits and points hacks worth checking before confirming your booking.
Use Hidden Routes
Lesser-known airports being used for flying will help in dramatically reducing prices of tickets. Moreover using different transport options could do this, prompts to which are:
a. What are the cheapest nearby airports to [CITY] that might have lower fares?
b. Find the cheapest way to fly from [CITY A] to [CITY B] next month, including hidden routes + alternate airports.
c. If you’re not in a rush, it can also suggest mixing different transport options like buses, trains, or ferries for cheaper travel.
Use Lesser-known airlines
Using lesser-known aircrafts is already a great hack used by travellers, but finding one is a task. However, these prompts will refine your searches:
a. Which budget airlines operate this route that aren’t listed on Google Flights or Skyscanner?
b. What regional airlines in [COUNTRY] are known for flash sales?
c. Compare regional airlines in [COUNTRY/REGION] that are cheaper than the big carriers.
d. Layovers that save money
Use Layovers
People generally think layovers are inconvenient however they might actually reduce ticket costs!. Here are prompts to search for them:
a. Suggest layover cities that cut the price, even if it requires two separate bookings.
b. Which airlines offer free or cheap stopover programs between [CITY A] and [CITY B]?
c. What are the best hubs in Europe/Asia for building in a 1–2 day layover on the way to [DESTINATION]?
d. Multi-leg bookings
Avoid Direct Flights
Direct flights aren’t always the cheapest. With the right prompt, ChatGPT compares multi-leg routes or recommends booking two separate tickets.
a. Check if booking [CITY A → CITY B] and [CITY B → CITY C] separately is cheaper than a direct [CITY A → CITY C] ticket.
b. Break down multi-leg routes from [CITY] to [CITY] that save money compared to a single ticket.
c. Spotting flash sales and error fares
Apart from these techniques, to reduce plane ticket prices. ChatGPT also guides travellers to spot unusually cheap tickets, often including pricing mistakes by airlines, as well as limited-time deals. Prompts like “Any mistake fares or flash sales from [MY AIRPORT] this month?” direct users toward tools and communities flagging unusually cheap tickets.
Finally, ChatGPT can help users create a personalised system for future bookings. Use prompts:
a. Create a checklist for checking error fares, flight alerts, and alternative airports.
b. Suggest the best websites for setting fare alerts on [ROUTE].
Although ChatGPT won’t replace booking platforms like Skyscanner, but it’s proving to be a useful add-on. With flight costs showing no signs of falling, AI might just be the traveller’s new secret to flying smarter and cheaper.